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Page last updated at 09:40 GMT, Monday, 24 August 2009 10:40 UK

Rochdale eye Don Valley complaint

Keith Hill
Hill's side lost 2-1 on Saturday

Rochdale are set to make an official complaint after glass and nails were found at Rotherham's Don Valley Stadium home on Saturday.

The Sheffield venue hosted the Millers' win days after staging a U2 concert.

"We should have had preference with respect of playing our game," Dale boss Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester.

"We should have had the fixture reversed because that's a sub-standard pitch. There's no sour grapes. We put our complaints in before the game."

"We're going to take the club route to dealing with that," he added.

We have a certain style that we want to play and it is difficult to play on that type of pitch

Rochdale boss Keith Hill

"The pitch was difficult but it was difficult for both sides.

"We have a certain style that we want to play and it is difficult to play on that type of pitch, especially one half of the pitch.

"That's why it was unsafe for me because it was so inconsistent compared to the other half."

Assistant manager David Flitcroft said: "We had a report done before the game at about 1320. We found shards of glass and we found two nails as we came off the pitch.

"Just doing a warm-down session with the players, I found five pieces of glass.

If I'd have brought my team down to a non-league venue or for a friendly and that was the state of the pitch, I would've just walked off

Rochdale assistant manager David Flitcroft

"I don't know where the blame lies for the state of the pitch but I do know the referee took responsibility for that game and, if one of our players had torn a big gash out of his leg due to glass or something, well.

"You can accept it with a tackle but when it's something that could be on the pitch, the groundsmen haven't had time to scan this thing.

"It's been an absolute shambles from an organisation point of view from this stadium. Before the game, we questioned whether the game should have been played.

"If I'd have brought my team down to a non-league venue and that was the state of the pitch, I would've just walked off. If it was a friendly, I would've just walked off.

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"Obviously, there are a lot of obligations and I think referees and clubs are scared of getting called off now because of the money implications and the revenue.

"Players' safety becomes an issue. So why this game got arranged to play on a Sunday straight after a concert is beyond me."



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see also
Rotherham 2-1 Rochdale
23 Aug 09 |  League Two
Sheffield hosts major U2 concert
20 Aug 09 |  England
Traffic warning ahead of U2 gig
20 Aug 09 |  South Yorkshire


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