Hill speaks out on Le Fondre sale

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Le Fondre's goals will be hard to replace now that the striker has left for Rotherham.

Rochdale manager Keith Hill said it was hard for his players to remain optimistic following the sale of star striker Adam Le Fondre yesterday.

A three day transfer saga was ended when Dale's top scorer of last season moved to League Two rivals Rotherham for a fee rumoured to be around the £100,000 mark.

"After the obstacles that we've had to overcome this week it is very difficult for the squad to accept and to continually look on the positive side of everything," Hill said.

Hill's main priority now will be to try and persuade the board to release some of the cash to bring more players into his threadbare squad.

"It doesn't help the squad. We're very low on numbers, Dave Flitcroft was one of the named substitutes on Tuesday night and we had three scholars on the bench.

"It's unfortunate we have to sell Adam Le Fondre, especially to one of our competitors, but needs must. Hopefully we're given the opportunity to strengthen. We need to strengthen.

"We can't see the spirit in the camp get drained because of off the field business. We hope to keep the rest of the squad together and try and build on that.

"We've got the finances in now from the sale of Adam Le Fondre and obviously from the sell-on clause from the deal that's taken Rickie Lambert to Southampton."

With finances stretched tight at Spotland, it is going to be a tough ask to balance the books and give Hill the money he desperately needs to add numbers to his team.