Raise the Roof a success

Rochdale AFC Chairman, Chris Dunphy

Rochdale's gate of 3,247 for the Sunday football experiment against Accrington Stanley was pleasing for Chairman Chris Dunphy as he looks to spearhead an ongoing Fan Drive at Spotland.

Mr Dunphy said: "There can be no doubt that the initiative of playing the game on the Sunday worked as we did see quite a substantial rise in the number of home fans attending the game. Once again we would like to thank our fan base for the work that they put into publicising the game and actually bringing people to Spotland on the day."

"Everyone at the club is working tirelessly to raise our profile in the town and days like Sunday help to show that all those efforts are worthwhile."

"We have tried a number of initiatives and have had a decent success rate. The Kids Go Free game against Hereford United definitely proved successful as has reducing the prices of drinks in Studd's Bar. Though the gate for Chesterfield was not as we would have wanted, it was a personal pleasure for me to present David Clough with his Superfan 2008 prize and to have him as my guest in the Director's Box on Sunday. David is one of an army of fans who works so hard on behalf of this football club and I cannot praise him enough for his efforts"

"It was also very nice to see that the work that our commercial department have done with local schools is also bearing fruit. The initiative to invite schools to act as ballboys and girls has been an unqualified success and from the feedback that I have had from them, the youngsters have enjoyed every minute of their time at Spotland. It is a corny line I know but "children are our future" and the links that we are building with the junior schools in the borough added to all the work that Keith Hicks and his Commnity team do is sure to see positive results in the long term."

"The Board and staff at this club will continue to look at initiatives over the coming weeks and months and I am sure that we will be asking for your help again and again.

"We know that Keith Hill and David Flitcroft have built an exciting and promising side and they are doing everything that they can to get themselves into the top seven. If we are going to do it we all need to keep working together and we would ask that as many of you as possible travel to Notts County on Saturday and then on Easter Monday bring anyone and everyone that you know to the game against Rotherham United because those games could well have a massive bearing on our season.

"Once again though, on behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank every single fan who has contributed thus far to the initiatives that we have put into place."