The Current BURKS Season

Thanks to our roving reporter 'Bomber' for the following snippets from our trips and excursions watching the Dale this season...

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Season 2025-26
The 2025/2026 season saw Rochdale win promotion back to the Football League. A season of dramatic late goals, heartbreak against York on the final league game of the season, followed by euphoria in the Playoff Final at Wembley with the penalty shootout win over Boreham Wood, having been 2-0 down with 13 minutes remaining. 18 matches were attended, 150 caps were awarded and 15 new BURKS attended their first game. Chris Bates was BURK of the Year with 16 matches attended.
To get the season under way, three BURKS were at newly promoted Boreham Wood for the first game. Dale won the game 2-0, with two goals from new signing Emmanuel Dieseruvwe.
Four BURKS attended the game at Brackley, where Dale made 11 changes to the lineup and lost the game 2-1. Would this defeat prove costly come the end of the season?
Four BURKS went to the game at Wealdstone, where Dale had lost in the 2 previous seasons. They won the game comfortably 3-1, giving a sign that the season was shaping up to be a successful one. After the game, we bumped into Jim McNuty by the team coach and to Casey Pettit at the Tube Station.
Seven BURKS made a long weekend trip to Truro for the furthest away game of the season. Dale won the game 1-0 in an away end that was very difficult to watch the game from ("All this way to see F' All").
After starting the season with 9 wins from 10 matches, Dale recored their first draw of the season. Seven BURKS saw the 0-0 draw at Woking.
The first midweek overnight stay of the season started at York, and the game was attended by 6 BURKS. A clash of the top 2 teams in the league saw Dale, from drawing 1-1 at half-time, conceed 3 early second half goals lose the match 4-1.
The Bates family and friends attended the home game against Aldershot, where they saw Dale win 1-0.
The second midweek overnight stay of the season was at Solihull Moors and attended by 3 BURKS. A cold, windy and damp night in January was made memorable by a 90+4 minute winner, when Joe Pritchard's "shot" into the top right hand corner won Dale the game 1-0.
With promtion fever growing, Chris Bates got a solo cap for attending the midweek home game against Forest Green Rovers, which Dale won 2-1.
Seven BURKS, including new caps David & Vicki Addey, attended the 1-1 draw at Yeovil.
The third midweek overnight stay of the season was at Halifax and attended by 5 BURKS. Despite going 2-0 up in the 86th minute, Dale conceeded two stoppage time goals to draw 2-2, which totally deflated Dale fans earlier celebrations.
Fourteen BURKS, including new cap Una Glaistor, attended the game at Aldershot, where Dale won 2-0.
The Saturday early evening kick-off game at Eastleigh was attended by 7 BURKS, where Dale won 3-1.
The "game in hand" midweek match against Southend United was attended by 4 BURKS. Dale never really recovered from being 3-1 down after 27 minutes and lost the game 3-2. A crucial loss perhaps?
The first of the many subsequent crazy finishes to games this season started at Sutton United was seen by 7 BURKS. Despite being 1-0 down and not playing well, Dale somehow turned the game round and won the game with goals in the 89th and 90+7th minutes.
An unbelievable finish at Braintree was seen by four BURKS. Having conceeded a 90+1 minute equaliser and their title hopes seemingly gone, Dale won the match with a goal with the last kick of the game to set up a title decider at home to York City the following week.
Sporting triumph and tragedy was witnessed at the title decider home game against York and was seen by 21 BURKS. Those who were there know what happened and is too painful to describe here.
Redemption for the York loss was achieved by Dale winning the playoff final at Wembley and was seen by 37 BURKS. In a season of crazy finishes Dale looked "dead and buried" at 2-0 down with 12 minutes remaining. Dale pulled one goal back in the 78th minute and with the seconds left on the clock, scored a 90+7th minute equaliser to take the game into extra time, then penalties. Dale won the shootout 3-1 to spark scenes never witnessed before, thus ending a season that will live in the memory.

The BURKS