The team behind the team

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Keith Hill

Rochdale Football Club has confirmed manager Keith Hill's backroom staff.

Chris Beech, Brian Barry-Murphy, Tony Ellis, Dan Fradley and Richard (Rick) Ashcroft will join goalkeeping coach Steve Collis, fitness coach Ross Preston, physio Andy Thorpe, assistant/youth team physio Gary Thompson, chief scout Larry Redmond and kitman Jack Northover as the team behind the team.

Beech, who has been assisting Hill since his return to the club in January, has been officially appointed as assistant manager, while Barry-Murphy will take up the dual role of first team coach/player.

Ellis will ensure a bridge between Dale’s youth system and the first team and will take up the dual role of academy manager and first team match day observational coach.

Ashcroft has been has been appointed as youth team manager and will be assisted by Chris Brown. Ashcroft has been over-seeing youth duties since Beech’s step-up to the first team.

There will be an emphasis on pre and post match analysis next season and Dan Fradley, a graduate from Sheffield Hallam University, will head up the department in his role as head of training and match day analysis.

As previously announced, Collis has agreed to take up the dual role of goalkeeping coach/player next season, while Ross Peston will continue in his position of head of football fitness and strengthening coach.

Thorpe, Thompson, Redmond and Northover will also be here next season.

Manager Keith Hill said: “Getting to where we are today has been transitional since I came back to the football club. It’s not just about a manager anymore, you need a team. It has been about making sure that we assembled a team behind the team and built a structure that is successful and in sync with development. We’ve made a few subtle changes that will make a big impact including a bridge between the youth team and first team.

“There’s a design to try and make sure we’re successful and although it might not be evident from the get go, it will become evident to supporters. We’ve got to make sure that there’s match day success, development success and financial success. In order to do that there has got be a team behind the team so we can utilise every facet that we’ve got at this football club.”