The big story: Rochdale on the brink -
Top line: The by-election in Rochdale this week isn’t the only story in town. Far from it. The future of Rochdale AFC, the town’s 117-year-old, fan-owned football club, is in peril. Without a £2m cash injection, its chairman says it will face liquidation by the end of next month.
George Galloway mentioned the problem yesterday in his election campaign. I didn't hear any solutions though.
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I spent much of yesterday afternoon trying to do a post on the subect and comparing and contrasting the chairman of Manchester United with a former chairman of Rochdale FC. The connection being that they were both named Ratcliffe. I mentioned the fact that Fred Ratcliffe was a regular at the discrete after hours drinks sessions at the club, and during one such - on learning I was in the army, he bought me a drink - about 1970 'ish.
I contrasted that with the unlikelihood of (Failsworth lad, Chairman of Ineos, and multi billionaire) Sir Jim Ratcliffe doing the same. I gave up when I couldn't blag a picture of Fred as it was in the format file.webp . He had a spring manufacturing business and gave Cyril Smith his big break into business. It would not surprise me to hear that Stanley knew him.
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Here's a link, for anyone interested in this nonsense, which is the next best thing. Fred Ratcliffe