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#291379 The Return of Baldy Mourinho
Ferenczi
20 years ago
12 years ago
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06 Mar 2013 19:28:12
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SPORT


Tuesday 17th July 2012


Hill Makes Sensational Spotland Return


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Back over the Hill


Former boss Keith Hill has returned to Rochdale FC after his sacking by Championship outfit Barnsley, just days after John Coleman was relieved of his duties.

43-year-old Hill left Dale last summer to join the second tier Yorkshiremen but after a fine start to his only campaign in charge, in which he guided the Tykes to 8th just before the turn of the year, things soon turned sour and only 4 wins towards the back end of the season saw Barnsley just avoid relegation due to Portsmouth's ten point deduction for entering administration.

When Hill left for Oakwell last summer, a large Dale contingent followed him over the Pennines, with assistant David Flitcroft going with him, and only a fortnight later, winger Matty Done and full-back Scott Wiseman were signed by Hill. He also had ex Rochdale men David Perkins, Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall at Oakwell.

In his first spell at Spotland, the man they named 'The Baldy Mourinho' became the first man in 42 years to guide the Dale to the third tier of English football, succeeding in gaining automatic promotion into League One, where they finished in ninth position the following year.

This attracted the attention of the higher-league vultures and Hill's success led to inevitable suitors, which is when Barnsley came knocking in June last year. He recruited players from the lower leagues, in Done and Wiseman, as well as, more notably, former Chesterfield frontman Craig Davies, who forged a good partnership with Portuguese striker Ricardo Vaz Te, before the latter moved to West Ham.

Hill told the Rochdale official website:

When the club approached me about coming back to Spotland, I didn't hesitate. Rochdale Football Club will, and always will remain dear to me, and to be honest it was a no-brainer. I'll be here for a year, and hopefully beyond. Things just didn't work at Barnsley sadly, we just didn't get the luck we deserved, although we stayed up. We also need the fans to get behind us and give us all their support. That is crucial if we are going to go forward. I'm delighted to be back and cannot wait to get started.


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