Rochdale A.F.C Freedom of the Borough Speech

Posted By: Irene Davidson
Date Posted: 08/10/2008

Good evening honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen

On behalf of the council and the Borough of Rochdale, I am very proud to
welcome you all here tonight.

Firstly can I take a moment to say a thank you to our MP Paul Rowen, whose idea it was to present the freedom of the Borough to our Football Team in recognition of their achievements both on and off the pitch.

Our team, Rochdale Association Football Club, is one of the mainstays of the sporting tradition of this town. It was formed in 1907 and last season was its centenary year when we were all delighted with a visit to Wembley for the first time. Our boys did us proud but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. I
am sure that this season we can go one better and secure promotion.

For me personally, Rochdale has always represented a proud family club. A club with a strong sense of tradition and our council has always been proud
to be associated with them. The Council over the years has a good track
record of supporting the football club mainly via its involvement with the
Stadium Company and more specifically in recent years the Council funded the renovation of the pitch which had been causing considerable problems with cancellation of a large number of games. In addition, the council has
constructed a high quality training pitch which the club have lacked for
several years at Bowlee. I am sure the council will continue to support
football in the foreseeable future.

Away from the pitch, our football club also plays a vital role in our
community. For example, it runs various football courses; especially for
young people and it I know how greatly appreciated this is amongst our communtiy.

I think it is important today that we take time to mention the men behind the scenes of our club whom we may not be honouring directly today but who
have worked tirelessly over the last 100 years to keep our football club
going.

The team is indebted to people like David Kilpatrick for
steering the club through some difficult times. Rochdale Football club now has solid foundations and the prospects for the future are bright.

The amalgamation of our two major sports here in Rochdale, rugby and football, has seen us with one of the finest stadiums in the two lower divisions and certainly one of the best in rugby league.

Anyone who has taken a walk behind the scenes, around the staduim, will have noticed the legends that are shown by photograph on many of the walls.

Highlighted at the entrance is a well known businessman, Mr Fred Ratcliffe
who carried the club through many turbulent years. It is only right that the
ratcliffe arms proudly carries his name and it is a constant remainder of one of the many people that have helped this club.

The present chairman Mr Chris Dumphy, another prominent business man,
recently spoke passionately in the national newspaper the guardian, about
his love and support of our club. Chris is unique in today's football world, being that he is the chairman of the football club which he not only lived a stone's throw away from as a child but also supported. As the Guardian article makes clear, Chris' genuine passion for the club plays such a vital role in its success and I think that everyone associated with the club realises that we wouldn't be where we are without today him.

Hopefully tonight one of the stalwarts of Rochdale Football Club, the ever popular reg Jenkins and his lovely wife have come from the south of England. Reg has always been a favourite of the Rochdale fans and he has carried the flag for football at the club. Reg never had the privelidge of playing on the pitch as it is today in our superb stadium but I am sure he would have loved too.

I think that it's fair to conclude that Rochdale Football Club has truly provided us with magnificant sporting entertainment and publicity for
our town for all of the last 100years.

And now, in recognition of over 100 years of commitment to our community, I am honoured to present the freedom of the borough to Rochdale Association Football Club.