Firstly apologies for the late arrival of this pre Christmas missive, as for those happy few, we band of brothers, who like to read my inane musings real life got in the way at the back end of the week. Still the tree looks nice
So Derek leads his remaining stock of players two by two onto the Argyle Ark to head for the floodplains of Lancashire and a contest against one of two ex Argyle centre backs plying their trade as managers in League 1. Keith Hill who joined us from Blackburn as part of the Jock Morrison/Nicky Marker deal has plied his trade at Spotland, with a brief career break in Barnsley, for as long as many can remember and along with newly, if temporarily installed also ex Blackburn stalwart Graham Coughlan, is oft mentioned in despatches when the current travails of Argyle are concerned.
Indeed some would happily see Cocko and Hilly in tandem at Argyle, although to be fair they are getting a bit long in the tooth for centre half duties. That said the defensive frailties displayed in a a thrilling if painful home draw with Bradford last week begs the question of some no nonsense centre palfrey might not be what is required.
last season Dale showed what could be achieved with a final day victory versus Pompous to save their League 1 skins, which along with a trip to Wembley to play Spurs after a home draw amounted to a decent season for the club that lives very much in the shadow of larger Manchester neighbours. No not City or United, but Bury who are the rivals of choice.
Another club bidding farewell to it's chairman, when he retires at the end of the season, Chrid Dunphy has spent 30 years at the club , 12 as Chairman and even secured ownership of the local pub for the club...so a man who knows what his priorities are.
Rochdale, as home of the Co-op has a strong link to both the Labour and Liberal parties, although in recent years the revelations re larger than life Cyril Smith have tended to make that less of a proud moment. Aside from Weird MP's ( Simon Dancuk also being a recent incumbent) they also share their ground with the local egg chasers of Rochdale Hornets, so stories of millennial style floods made for grim reading when planning the long hike North.
A reasonably happy hunting ground for Argyle Spotland saw a promotion clinching victory for Paul Sturrocks team and Arguyle also like them at home, as in 1973, I was there with 7.065 other lucky souls to see one of the greatest league debuts in Argyle history. Yes Brian Johnson really tore it up that night. Only kidding....Alan Rogers was the main man. Apart from some lanky lad from not far from Rochdale who scored a couple and hit the post a few times as well...yes a 5-0 toiling of the Dale announced the arrival of one Paul Mariner, the Freddy Ladapo of the seventies.
So with Dereks Christmas card list having shortened substantially as he decides who he casts to the wilderness in order to bring in some new blood in the January window the ever shifting sands of central defence seem likely to be on the move again after a horror show at home last week.
No doubting the spirit that fought back three times to rescue a point , and with other clubs starting to press the ejector seat buttons around us, looking at you Gasheads, no doubt three points would be a welcome boost.
Dale hopefully won't have their Jesus fan flying in from Portugal as they did last season for the crucial fixture, but with a prolific Ian Henderson ploughing literally a furrow through the middle expect at least two goals to be needed for a win.
A cold wet day in amongst the dark satanic mills of Lancashire is not what most of us want for an early Christmas present, three points and a clean sheet would do nicely though.
Quick chorus of Jerusalem anyone? After all it does promise salvation for a Green and pleasant land.
COYG