Dale fixture pile up

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Saturdays postponement of Dale's game against Bradford City was again a source of frustration for everyone connected to the club, the players and coaching staff especially, as Dave Flitcroft explains: "It would have been a tough game against Bradford but we did want it on and we did want to see the progression continue. Bradford City are a good team and it would have been good for the lads to get out there. We had eased off on the training during Thursday and Friday so they wanted to get their boots on and get out there. Unfortunately we were beaten by the elements so it is a case now of getting back into preparation mode for another massive game at MK Dons"

Another postponed game means another midweek re-arrangement and as the backlog mounts Flitcroft says that Dale might need a little help from above, having such a small squad: "It is a major concern and Keith Hill and myself spoke at length about it on Saturday. When you are playing Saturday/Tuesday for maybe four weeks on the trot and are being tested continually you do need a little bit of the rub of the green where you are not carrying or picking up injuries. The aftercare of the players from the support staff will really have to kick in and wrap the boys in cotton wool. We can't bring players in and we haven't, if we are honest, got the strength of squad that others might have. Like the gaffer says we have a small squad that contains a lot of quality. It is a time that we will be tested.

"Hopefully there is a loan market that we can still operate in and utilise if needs must. It is a question of knowing where the players are and when they become available. For that to work you have to have six or seven different options to be able to land one target. It is now a case of getting out there again getting the groundwork done again to see who is out there if they do need to be brought in."