Thank you - Hornets Chairman in message to fans.

Hornets Chairman's sends an end of season message to supporters.

Following yesterday’s disappointing away defeat in Cornwall which brought the curtain down on our 2023 Betfred League 1 campaign, I just wanted to write personally to say thank you for your patience and support in what has been an important reset and transitional year for Rochdale Hornets.

I won’t go over old ground, but it is important for balance and perspective to remember that in 2021 and 2022, despite being one of the higher spending and more ambitious clubs in League 1, we disappointingly only managed 7th and 5th placed finishes in this league. This was largely due to poor performance and ill-discipline meaning changes had to be made.

Gary Thornton has not only taken on the challenge of changing that culture, creating a more professional environment, and rebuilding an entire playing squad, but has done so with a vastly reduced playing budget this year and therefore our expectations have remained realistic. While we are all disappointed not to have delivered play off football, I can assure you we remain committed, confident in the plan we have, and I can assure supporters that we are in a much better place and WILL be much stronger in 2024 as a result of the hard work that’s been done this past 12 months.

We have ambitions for this club, and we are realistic enough to know that our ambitions will not be realised overnight. In my three years at the club, we have faced an unprecedented global pandemic, overcome major central funding cuts, seismic change within the sport, and documented off field issues which we have hopefully now seen the end of. I think most people appreciate and understand the direction of travel we are taking and what we have done as a board and as owners to ensure that there is still a Rochdale Hornets to be able to support and the steps, we are taking to be relevant, and part of the new IMG and RL commercial led era.

We believe in Gary, our staff and the core of the group we have assembled this year and thanks to the stability created by Gary’s professional management I have had the confidence to commit even more personally along with the support of others to an increased playing budget for 2024. This is despite poor season ticket uptake, poor crowds generally and plenty work yet to be done in terms of increasing the clubs’ numbers and revenues. This front foot approach has enabled us to get out of the traps early this past few months, not only securing the talented players we already have and who where attracting interest elsewhere, but also successfully securing some real quality and experienced targets who Gary believes will significantly improve the team in 2024.

We are determined that this club be something on and off the pitch that this whole town can be proud of. Great work is going on within our foundation and our wider club family and this will only pick up pace in 2024. I've said many times that we believe in intelligent, long-term building with a focus on financial sustainability, this will never change while I’m here.

I also wish to say my heartfelt thanks to RMBC, our business community and individuals who continue to back us via sponsorship, advertising and hospitality which is invaluable in helping us achieve the targets we are setting to grow the club.

Over the coming days and weeks, we will release further positive news on player retentions and we will soon begin to announce news of exciting new signings who will be joining for 2024 once their commitments with Championship and League 1 rival clubs are concluded. We also intend to put on a fans forum so we can update you face to face on our vision for the club in 2024 and beyond, and open the floor to any questions and feedback you may have.

In summary we are all in this TOGETHER, through the good moments and the difficult, and I personally am very confident that we are building steadily to a brighter chapter in this club's history to come in 2024 and beyond.

Yours is Sport,

Andy Mazey