Dale to get their own Sheikh?

Could Dale chairman Chris Dunphy be replaced by an Arab investor?

After Sheikh Mansour completed his takeover of Manchester City over the weekend, at the same time making them the richest club in the world, a remarkable report on an Arabian business website has revealed that League Two minnows Rochdale are also on the lookout for Arab investors.

The report, which is currently the main headline on arabianbusiness.com, has said that Dale are appealing for investment from the Gulf after the publication picked up on what were seemingly throwaway comments made by Rochdale Chairman Chris Dunphy in an interview with the Guardian newspaper last week.

Mr Dunphy said: "We as a club are tired of the tag of being the least successful team in the leagues but perversely, this is what makes us potentially unique and a chance for an investor to be part of football history here in England as success for Rochdale would be very newsworthy and generate a considerable volume of publicity.

"Investment in our club would almost certainly guarantee our rise to the Championship as we would be able to bring in the additional players who would make the difference at this level.

"The cost of this would be a fraction of other recent deals and indeed Robinho's reported wage at Manchester City for a year would easily support our plans for Championship status in the next six years."

"I can't understand the guys who have just bought Manchester City for however much it is – surely they don't expect to have a trading profit on the company?

"If someone was buying a club for immortality, for recognition, why don't they buy a club like Rochdale? Because for four or five million pounds they could take us up the leagues and have almost guaranteed immortality, if only in a small circle."