The U’s return to Vanarama National League action after being knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup last weekend, making the long trip up north to take on Rochdale AFC.
Last Time Out
Willum Willumsson’s first half opener was enough to seal victory at the VBS Community Stadium, as Sutton United were knocked out the Emirates FA Cup at the First Round stage at the hands of League One leaders Birmingham City.
The U’s held their third tier visitors for large portions of the first half, but were pegged back just after the half-hour mark when Willumsson turned home a cross from the left.
The Blues subsequently dominated the ball throughout the match, and despite a late chance for substitute Ashley Nadesan and a penalty shout at the death, couldn’t find a leveller as Birmingham progressed to the Second Round.
Watch the highlights here.
The Opposition
Rochdale AFC are a side who have struggled in recent years, and their turmoil off the pitch ended with the club being relegated from League Two in 2023, bringing a close to a 103-year stint in the EFL.
The former League Cup runners-up had competed as high as the third tier just two seasons prior, but found themselves in non-league ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. A difficult season ensued on the pitch, with Jim McNulty unable to guide Dale towards a promotion push having been appointed player-manager at the end of the previous season.
However, the Greater Manchester-based outfit recruited wisely in the summer, bringing in established National League figures in Liam Hogan from Oldham Athletic, Courtney Senior from Barnet, Tarryn Allarakhia from Wealdstone, Sam Beckwith from Maidenhead United, Ody Alfa from Chelmsford City, Connor McBride from Gateshead and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling from Notts County. These incomings would be joined by a handful of young players as well, in the form of Finlay Armstrong, Aidan Barlow and David Robson along with loanees Aaron Henry, Luke McNicholas, Leon Ayinde, Dan Sassi, Joe Westley, Jill Buyabu, Matthew Dennis and Jid Okeke.
Spearheaded by top scorer Kairo Mitchell in attack, Dale have seemingly recruited well enough to avoid any effects from high profile departures in George Nevett, Jimmy Keohane, Cameron John and Jesurun Uchegbulam, with the club currently sitting sixth in the Vanarama National League.
Recent Form
Rochdale 4-1 Blackburn Rovers Academy
Rochdale 3-4 Bromley
Barnet 2-1 Rochdale
Rochdale 2-1 FC Halifax Town
Rochdale 0-1 Southend United
AFC Fylde 1-4 Rochdale
The Manager
Jimmy McNulty
Player-manager Jimmy McNulty is enjoying his first spell in coaching after being appointed at the end of the 2022/23 season, taking charge of the club where he had spent almost ten years as a player.
After spending time in the academies of both Liverpool and Everton, McNulty began his senior career at Wrexham AFC, becoming reserve team captain and making one senior appearance for the Red Dragons before departing in 2004, having spent a brief stint on loan at Bangor City in the League of Wales. He would join another League of Wales side, Caernarfon Town the following summer, going on to make 63 appearances for the club over two seasons, scoring twice, whilst also reaching the position of captain.
This would see the defender rise into the Football League, with further spells at Macclesfield Town and Stockport County preceding a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he played a handful of times before moving on loan to Scunthorpe United. McNulty would later turn out for Barnsley, Tranmere Rovers and Bury, making the switch across Greater Manchester to Rochdale, where he would end his playing career with an eight-year stint.
McNulty made over 200 appearances for Dale, helping the club to establish themselves in League One over six seasons, before two relegations in two years saw him twice take on the role of caretaker manager following the sackings of David Stockdale and later Jim Bentley. Although he was unable to guide the club away from the League Two drop zone, he would be appointed as Dale’s permanent manager, and has overseen their rise into the National League play-off places this season.
One to Watch
Kairo Mitchell
Danger man Kairo Mitchell has proven a thorn in many sides in the lower leagues, and is on course to be Rochdale’s top scorer for two seasons running.
The Leicester City academy product broke out at Nuneaton Borough in 2017/18, and enjoyed further stints at Coalville Town, Dartford and King’s Lynn Town before making the step up to promotion hopefuls Chesterfield in 2021. Mitchell would appear eight times for the Spireites, being enjoying an improved spell at Notts County the following season.
The forward would make 42 appearances for the Magpies, including an important role in their run to the play-offs during 2021/22. He would later miss the club’s eventual promotion back to League Two the following season due to a loan spell at Eastleigh, which would precede his permanent release from Meadow Lane.
The 27-year old made the switch to Rochdale in 2023, and has enjoyed his best run of form in his career so far since moving north. 14 goals in his debut season for the club ensured he would finish the campaign as Dale’s top scorer, and he is already just five goals away from matching that tally this season, with seven goals in six matches seeing him named the National League Player of the Month for September.
Head-to-Head
Rochdale 3-2 Sutton United (23/10/2021)
Sutton United 3-0 Rochdale (05/03/2022)
Sutton United 1-0 Rochdale (19/11/2022)
Rochdale 4-1 Sutton United (29/04/2023)
Played for Both
Sam Hart
Bolton-born defender Sam Hart enjoyed two successful loan spells at Rochdale, looking to aid his development at the start of his career whilst at Blackburn Rovers. Having spent time in the academies of Manchester United and Liverpool, Hart had moved to Ewood Park in search of a clearer route to the first team, and featured seven times for the club under Tony Mowbray.
Looking for frequent first team minutes though, Hart joined Rochdale on loan while the club were in League One, appearing a handful of times at the end of the season and contributing on the final day to a victory over Charlton Athletic which would secure Dale’s third tier status. He would remain at Spotland during the following campaign and made a further 13 appearances, before returning to Blackburn in January 2019.
Further loan spells at Southend United and Shrewsbury Town preceded a permanent departure from Blackburn, seeing him return to Southend on a permanent basis before spending a season at Oldham Athletic.
However, following the Latics’ relegation to the National League, Hart joined Sutton United ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as manager Matt Gray looked to add competition for long-serving player Rob Milsom. He would feature 24 times for the club as they secured another campaign in just their second ever season in the EFL, with a 14th place finish. This would be followed by a bittersweet campaign in 2023/24, with Hart featuring 32 times and being named as the Supporters’ Club Player of the Season despite the U’s relegation back to the National League after three seasons in League Two. This saw him depart the VBS Community Stadium after two successful seasons, with the 28-year old returning to Port Vale after opting against a new contract in South London.
Team News
Hayden Muller returned to the bench during Sunday’s FA Cup defeat to Birmingham City, having recovered from a hamstring injury picked up at the start of September, and could be in line for a start against Rochdale.
Harry Ransom, Ryan Jackson, Edwin Agbaje and Lewis Simper remain absent.
Steve Morison’s full pre-match interview to follow.
Officials
Richard Aspinall is the man with the whistle on Saturday. The Lancashire-based official is in his second season as a National League referee, with his only previous involvement in a Sutton game being as fourth official in last season’s League Two match at Morecambe.
How to Follow
Video
Overseas-based supporters can follow the action on National League TV, by a purchasing a match pass here for £9.99.
Audio
Supporters will also be able to listen to all the action, with a Mixlr audio commentary being available and will be posted on social media accounts before kick-off.
At the Crown Oil Arena
Away supporters will be housed in Block U in the Pearl Street Stand (seated) and can purchase these here.
An e-ticket will be sent to your email, which can either be printed at home (the recommended option) to use on Rochdale’s automated turnstiles or can be scanned directly from your phone (screen brightness needs to be maximum).
The link is live and will remain live until the day of the game.
Tickets can be purchased using cash or card. Supporters are advised to purchase online for a speedy purchase, as Rochdale only have the only two windows to sell on the day with tickets points being extremely busy, and fans will have to be prepared to queue.
Turnstiles will open at 2pm (Turnstile entry point 19-22)
For more information, supporters can access the below links:
Disabled & Car Parking information
Club Policies – Ground Regulations
Ticket Prices:
Adults: £22
65 + (Senior): £17
21 & Under: £10
13 & Under: £5 (Require a responsible Adult Minimum age of 18 to be purchased with)
2 Years & Under still require a ticket but this is FOC with a paying Adult
Sales on the day will be available (online as above). Any hard ticket requests can be purchased but this is at the cost of an extra £1.00 per ticket.
Wheelchair Accessibility
Rochdale have 6 Wheelchair spaces & Carer available allocated in the same U Block – Pearl Street Family Stand.
Wheelchairs and Carers will need to contact the ticket office 01706 644648 (option 1)
Travel Information
The Supporters’ Coach leaves at 6.30am, fare £60 return. You can book by emailing suttonunitedcoachtravel@hotmail.com. Payment required when booking.
By Car:
Leave the M62 at junction 20 and follow signs for Rochdale along the A627(M). At the first set of traffic lights keep left, sign posted Bury and Rochdale Town Centre. Bunnings Warehouse will be on your right hand side, follow this road until the next set of traffic lights.
Here you need to be in the second lane of four lanes, to head straight across (sign posted Blackburn). Follow this road (Roch Valley Way) until the next set of traffic lights, remaining in the left-hand lane. At the traffic lights go straight ahead on to Sandy Lane (the Cemetery pub should be on your right-hand side).
Continue along this road and the Stadium is on your right-hand side after approximately half a mile. There is no on-site parking for supporters but side street parking is available. Parking restrictions are in place in yellow coned areas.
By Rail:
Travel from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, transfer to Manchester Victoria and then get a train to Rochdale. The station in Rochdale is about two and a half miles from the ground so you can take a tram to Rochdale Town Centre and then bus 468 which goes close to the ground – you can also take the tram all the way from Manchester Victoria if you wish.
Total journey time is just over three hours. Suitable trains leave Euston at 09.33, 09.51 and 10.32, and return from Rochdale by the same route at 17.37 (extra change at Crewe), 17.52 or 18.19.
Further details at www.nationalrail.co.uk and www.tfgm.com. If you have previously travelled to Rochdale via Leeds from Kings Cross, engineering works mean a reduced service and extended journey times between London and Leeds, but leaving at 08.33 and returning at 18.10 via that route is an option.
Kit Watch
The U’s will be wearing their white away kit in Greater Manchester. You can purchase a replica version here.
