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Greyfriars Bobby · 12-12-2014, 07:35 PM

22 April 2014

Paul Sanderson's smile was that of a man who had just felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He had just penned his name to a new contract that would keep him at Rochdale for the 2014-15 season.

"We're very happy with the way Paul has settled in with us," said chairman John Broome. "There is a very positive atmosphere around the club, and especially since the first of the year, Paul has them playing very good football."

Paul's new deal would pay him £1,700/week, a £200/week raise from his current salary. If Rochdale were promoted, he'd see a 15% raise; if they were relegated, he'd be cut 35%.

The way the club was playing recently, promotion was the better bet. They had secured six points from their last three fixtures, with victories over Cheltenham (1-0) and Lismore Distillery (3-1) and a loss at home to Wrexham, in which they had rallied back from a 3-0 deficit with two goals in the second half.

One of the reasons Paul wanted to continue at Rochdale was the quality of the young players the club had on its books. He added another talented man to that group this week, when he engineered the purchase of central midfielder Simon Roberts from Afan Lido, a Welsh club in Group B of the Royal First Division. Although Lido were bottom of the table and almost certain to be relegated, Roberts, 20, had played fairly well. He'd started 21 matches, scoring two goals and posting a 6.58 average rating.

Head scout Adam James said, "Simon is a box-to-box midfielder with very good offensive skills. We think he might develop into an attacking player who scores a lot of goals. He's not ready for our first team yet, but we think he'll be there before long." James, as well as the other Rochdale scouts, all considered him a four-star potential talent.

Simon would join Rochdale on 1 July, but there was a chance his new boss might not be there to greet him. With England safely qualified for the World Cup and a new contract in his hands, Paul surprised his family with a trip to Brazil. They would watch England face Chile, South Korea, and Holland in Group H, and there was a possibility the family could stay longer if England got through to the knockout stage.

Leanne, Chris, and Gemma were all delighted. Two of Chris and Gemma's favorite Everton players--defenders Thomas Tate and Sam Courtney--were England regulars, and a third Evertonian, promising young goalkeeper Dave Brooker, might be picked, too. "I like Twan Janssen too," Chris admitted, "even though he plays for Holland and Man U."

Leanne was looking ahead to a more demanding workout regimen in the weeks to come. "If I'm going to wear a bathing suit by the pool in Brazil, I better do something," she said with a playful smile.

12-12-2014, 07:35 PM	#28
Greyfriars Bobby College Prospect Join Date: Sep 2013	22 April 2014 Paul Sanderson's smile was that of a man who had just felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He had just penned his name to a new contract that would keep him at Rochdale for the 2014-15 season. "We're very happy with the way Paul has settled in with us," said chairman John Broome. "There is a very positive atmosphere around the club, and especially since the first of the year, Paul has them playing very good football." Paul's new deal would pay him £1,700/week, a £200/week raise from his current salary. If Rochdale were promoted, he'd see a 15% raise; if they were relegated, he'd be cut 35%. The way the club was playing recently, promotion was the better bet. They had secured six points from their last three fixtures, with victories over Cheltenham (1-0) and Lismore Distillery (3-1) and a loss at home to Wrexham, in which they had rallied back from a 3-0 deficit with two goals in the second half. One of the reasons Paul wanted to continue at Rochdale was the quality of the young players the club had on its books. He added another talented man to that group this week, when he engineered the purchase of central midfielder Simon Roberts from Afan Lido, a Welsh club in Group B of the Royal First Division. Although Lido were bottom of the table and almost certain to be relegated, Roberts, 20, had played fairly well. He'd started 21 matches, scoring two goals and posting a 6.58 average rating. Head scout Adam James said, "Simon is a box-to-box midfielder with very good offensive skills. We think he might develop into an attacking player who scores a lot of goals. He's not ready for our first team yet, but we think he'll be there before long." James, as well as the other Rochdale scouts, all considered him a four-star potential talent. Simon would join Rochdale on 1 July, but there was a chance his new boss might not be there to greet him. With England safely qualified for the World Cup and a new contract in his hands, Paul surprised his family with a trip to Brazil. They would watch England face Chile, South Korea, and Holland in Group H, and there was a possibility the family could stay longer if England got through to the knockout stage. Leanne, Chris, and Gemma were all delighted. Two of Chris and Gemma's favorite Everton players--defenders Thomas Tate and Sam Courtney--were England regulars, and a third Evertonian, promising young goalkeeper Dave Brooker, might be picked, too. "I like Twan Janssen too," Chris admitted, "even though he plays for Holland and Man U." Leanne was looking ahead to a more demanding workout regimen in the weeks to come. "If I'm going to wear a bathing suit by the pool in Brazil, I better do something," she said with a playful smile. Last edited by Greyfriars Bobby : 12-12-2014 at 07:36 PM.