Keith Keane signs for Dale

Keith Keane has signed for Rochdale Football Club on a permanent basis.

The 30-year-old has put pen to paper on an 18-month deal, keeping him contracted to the club until the summer of 2018.

Keane has been at Dale since August, after joining on loan from Cambridge United. Since his arrival, he has featured almost 20 times and has become a firm fans’ favourite.

Keane said: “It was an easy decision to sign a permanent deal.

“I’ve really enjoyed being at the club, and since I’ve been here, I've found that love for playing football again. There’s a great bunch of lads here and I like playing for the manager and the staff.

“Everyone gets on, the banter is good every day and everyone is on the same wave length. The Gaffer is straight forward – he tells you exactly what he wants from his players. The players are on the same page as the Gaffer and we’re transferring what he wants out onto the pitch.”

Keane praised the fans for their support since his arrival at the club. He said: “I think the fans have been absolutely fantastic with me, I couldn’t have asked or wished for more from them. They’ve really got behind me and supported me since I’ve been here. They’ve made it really enjoyable and I look forward to coming to play in front of them to try to get the three points for them to make sure they go home with a smile on their face. That was another key decision in wanting to sign here, and I would like to thank them all for their support so far.”