With most footballing eyes turned away from the domestic scene this weekend, Rochdale and Bury will lock horns in the first Greater Manchester derby of the season.
The two sides met in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy last year, with Bury prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shoot-out, but Saturday’s clash will be the first league game between the two since January 2012, a game which Rochdale won 3-0.
Since then, both sides have suffered relegation to League Two, but that doesn’t mean the game bears any less significance for both sets of fans.
And the age-old rivalry between the two clubs is a concept not lost on Bury’s Nathan Cameron.
Having joined the Shakers from Coventry in the summer, he says that he and the rest of the players are fully aware of what a victory would mean to the supporters.
He told BBC Sport: “I don’t know much about [the rivalry] coming from down south, but I know it will mean a lot to the fans to get a victory and that’s what we’ll be going out there to do.”
Having enjoyed a slightly more solid start, Bury are likely to go into the match in better spirits. At this early stage of the season, the Shakers sit tenth in the League Two table, two points and seven places above Rochdale after an impressive 4-1 win over Cheltenham Town last time out.
However, despite a slightly stuttering start to the season, Dale fans will be optimistic that they can turn recent encouraging performances into a derby day victory.
They gained a very credible point away at unbeaten Oxford United last weekend to arrest a run of three straight defeats in all competitions after beating Hartlepool on the opening day of the season.
Dale manager Keith Hill appears in bullish mood ahead of Saturday’s match, insisting that things are coming together despite what the league table may suggest.
Speaking to the club’s website, he said: “I’ve got characters out there and I’ve got good footballers who try and manipulate the ball and who play the right way. There will be games when we lose, but we’re always going to be competitive.”
Dale managed to strengthen their squad on transfer deadline day with the addition of Preston striker Graham Cummins. The Irishman signed in on loan with the Spotland outfit until January and is likely to go straight into the squad for the derby.
The home side are also boosted by the return of captain Peter Cavanagh, who has completed a three-match suspension after being sent off against Burton Albion last month.
New Bury keeper Brian Jensen made his debut in the JPT game against Port Vale in midweek and the 38-year-old is in line to make his league debut at Spotland tomorrow.
Joining Jensen in the Shakers squad should be former Rochdale striker Ashley Grimes, who joined Bury having been released by Dale at the end of last season.
Grimes scored three goals in two games against Bury for Rochdale, including two in the last league meeting between the sides.
Image courtesy of Texaco via YouTube, with thanks.
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