Port Vale trip first for Dale

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 17 June 2009

The fixtures for the upcoming 2009/10 season were released this morning (Wednesday 17 June) and Rochdale will travel to Port Vale on the first day of the campaign.

The season starts on Saturday 8 August and manager Keith Hill will be hoping to avenge the last minute defeat Dale suffered at Vale Park just after Christmas last season.

Dale will then travel to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday for a midweek Carling Cup first round fixture before home supporters get a first taste of the action the following Saturday, when Aldershot visit Spotland.

On Tuesday 18 August one of the newly relegated teams, in the form of Cheltenham, visit Spotland.

This season's derby games with Bury will be played at Spotland on Saturday 29 August, with the return at Gigg Lane on Saturday 30 January.

The Christmas fixtures start with a home game against last season's beaten play-off finalists Shrewsbury on Saturday 19 December, followed by a trip to relegated Crewe on Boxing Day. Morecambe are the visitors to Spotland on Monday 28 December, with another home game against Rotherham on Saturday 2 January.

Other games to look out for include those against the two sides promoted from the conference last season. Dale face Torquay at home on Saturday 12 September and travel to Burton on 3 October.