Backroom staff taking shape

Goalkeeper Steve Collis has agreed to extend his stay at the club.

The 32-year-old, who is one of eight players to be offered a new contract by Manager Keith Hill, has agreed a new one-year-deal and will take up a dual role of player/goalkeeping coach.

Collis has been at Spotland since January after being drafted in by Hill on the final day of the transfer window.

Hill told Dale’s official website: “Plans for the re-structure of the team behind the team are on-going and more will be revealed probably by the end of the week.”

“As for Steve, it was made plainly obvious to me when we recruited him that he had a hankering for going into the coaching side of the game as well as being a more than capable number two.

“We had discussions about that and he’s 100 per cent on plan with respect to my needs and the needs of the game. It made common sense to have somebody of his standing in the game and somebody who quietly but confidently wants to covert over to being a coach.

“He will be an extremely valuable member of staff who will take care of all the goalkeepers at the club – Josh Lillis and the club’s youth team ‘keepers – as well as keeping his hand in as a number two.”

The announcement sees the departure of Bernhard Hirmer who held the position of goalkeeping coach last season.

A spokesperson for the club said: "We would like to wish Bernhard the very best for the future."