Keith Hill appointed Rochdale manager

Rochdale AFC

Following yesterday’s board meeting, Keith Hill has today, Wednesday 3 January, been given the Rochdale football club manager’s job. Hill has been in charge of the last four fixtures as caretaker since the departure of Steve Parkin on 16 December last year, during which time the team has picked up seven vital points in the struggle against relegation, including back to back four nil wins in their last two games.

Those two results somewhat forced the board’s hand in terms of the appointment; Hill could not be denied the job full time after the excellent performances and team spirit shown in the important victories and the spirit at the club has been transformed since Hill’s first game in charge at MK dons.

Speaking to the club’s official website Hill said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple of weeks in charge and I’m now looking forward to the future. It is something I’ve always wanted to do since I retired from playing and it is nice to be given the opportunity to continue the job I started.”

Hill’s first official game as manager will come at Wycombe this Saturday and he declared that the club has to be optimistic about the task in hand, which will centre on dragging Rochdale away from the league two relegation fight. He said: “Everything has got to be positive, we are at the wrong end of the league table and we have to be positive about the future. It is work in progress at the club at the moment and that goes from the bottom to the top and from top to bottom. Everyone has to pull in the same direction.”

The former Dale centre-half, who made over 150 first team appearances, has already made his first move in the transfer market by bringing in Stephen Vaughan on loan from Chester City. Vaughan is the son of the chairman at the Deva Stadium but has recently fallen out of favour with manager Mark Wright and has not appeared since Chester’s Boxing Day defeat against Macclesfield.

The midfield player will be with Rochdale for a month, with his loan expiring on 4 February.