O'Grady wants to stay with table toppers

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Chris O'Grady wants to make his move to Rochdale permanent.

Striker Chris O'Grady has said he wants to make his move to Rochdale permanent and help guide the club to a first promotion in 40 years.

The Oldham man has hit eight goals since signing for Keith Hill's side on loan and he has formed a formidable partnership with top goalscorer Chris Dagnall.

O'Grady's loan spell ends next month but he has hinted that he would be more than happy to stay at Spotland beyond January.

The news offers a timely boost to Hill ahead of this weekend's trip to League Two strugglers Lincoln City as he hopes to survive the January transfer window without losing any of his players. As with most lower league clubs, finances are tight at Spotland and a healthy bid from a higher club for the likes of Dagnall, Will Buckley or Craig Dawson might be too good to refuse.

In the meantime, however, Hill's men march on and a win at Lincoln, which would be their fifth in a row, would extend their stay at the top for another week. Most pundits will be backing Dale to return from Sincil Bank with three points but the Dale boss will not be taking anything for granted against a side that has not won a league game in two months.

Hill will be expected to name an unchanged side from that which comfortably overturned Macclesfield at Spotland last weekend. The game could come too soon for short term injury victims Will Buckley and Joe Thompson and the age old footballing adage of not changing a winning team should ring true.

Visit Rochdale Online over the course of the weekend for half time and full time match reports and action photographs.