Rochdale Online Alliance Football League ready for kick off

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The Rochdale Online Alliance Football League commences its thirtieth season this weekend after a close season that saw the usual comings and goings amongst the amateur footballing fraternity.

Last season’s Premier Division Champions Castleton FC have moved on to pastures new and the debate over where to place their internally promoted reserve team would cover more column inches than Carlos Tevez and Luca Modrich put together …almost.

Division 1 was the final outcome and that means the top division has a new look and a new format this season with just eight teams competing in a league based on the Scottish Premier Division model which will see a top four – bottom four split at the latter end of the season. Newcomers FC Bury Town and promoted Jacks House give the division an ultra competitive appearance and it will be interesting to see if “old hands” Weavers and Wardle can regain their privileged status of seasons past.

The eve of season withdrawal of Prestwich Town has reduced the first division to ten teams of which the early season form of promoted Balderstone, relegated Rochdale Asia and, of course, Castleton will incur most interest. Sun Hotel are now Fothergill & Whittles 2nds and the high flying second strings of Weavers and Whitworth Valley will do well to match last season’s achievements this time out.

Last season’s closely fought Division 2 title race looks set for an encore with an influx of new teams Bridge, Moorcock and White Lion alongside relegated Sudden Carling and Castleton’s reserve side. 

AFC Royton will be looking to finally make the step up after two near misses and Jacks House 2nds may well be one to watch if their firsts settle in the top flight.

In spite of the additional loss of Syke FC and Peels Arms plus the respective second strings of Rochdale Asia and Sudden Carling, the ROAFL remains one of the strongest local Saturday afternoon leagues in the whole of Lancashire in an era when amateur football sadly appears to be in decline. The influx of new teams alongside old faces and the realignment of the divisions in order to give all the teams more football for their money suggests another enthralling season full of twists and turns from early September until late May.