The Bulls travel to Spotland for a League Two match against Rochdale on Saturday.
The two sides have a lengthy history thanks to Rochdale's inability to leave League Two. The two sides have met 44 times, all of them in 22 seasons in the bottom Football League level. The Bulls defend an 11 match unbeaten run stretching back to 1993 which includes their last visit to Spotland, a 4-2 win thanks largely to a Sherjill MacDonald hat-trick in February 2008.
Dale's retention of their League Two status is a running joke across the League, but boss Keith Hill has come closest of any in breaking free of their eternal hell. Two play-off campaigns in his two full seasons in charge have both been ended by the eventual promoted side, with 2008's loss being a final defeat to Stockport. The loss of Adam Le Fondre to Rotherham underlined the financial tightrope that many League Two clubs are walking, with the sale apparently necessary to keep the club on an even keel. They haven't done badly without him, currently lying in sixth place with Chris Dagnall having scored five goals.
The Bulls go to Greater Manchester with at least two faces to debut. Edrissa Sonko's arrival last week came just a little too late for John Trewick to give him a debut last Saturday, while Southend forward James Walker will seek a debut in replacing Bristol City pair Marlon Jackson and Tristan Plummer, probably alongside Leicester man Craig King. Walker will be the 28th player to be named in the eighteen man squad already this season.
Rochdale vs Hereford United, Spotland, Saturday 26th September, 3.00pm.