Rochdale relegated as 102-year Football League stay ends

Rochdale lost 1-0 to Stockport County on Saturday and will be playing non-league football next season

Rochdale have been relegated from League Two following a 1-0 defeat to Stockport County.

It brings an end to Dale's 102-year stay in the Football League and means they will be playing non-league football next season. A goal from Tanto Olaofe deep into first-half injury time secured the points for County, who harbour hopes of promotion.

Rochdale are going in the opposite direction. They have endured a torrid season and sacked manager Jim Bentley in March. Jimmy McNulty is currently in interim charge and they went into the weekend fixtures knowing nothing less than a win would do if they were to keep alive their hopes of survival.

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Even then they would need a favour from Hartlepool United against Crawley. The latter won that fixture 2-0 so even three points at Stockport wouldn't have kept Rochdale in the fourth tier.

They still have two games to play but will now start preparing for life in the National League. Dale were only relegated from League One two seasons ago but have been dealing with a series of off-field issues over the past few years.

Rochdale had kept their hopes alive when salvaging a 2-2 midweek draw at home to Tranmere Rovers having been two down in the second half. But they have now lost 26 of their 44 league games, managing just eight wins, in a season to forget.