Stat Attack: Rochdale vs. Notts County, Tuesday 4 October 2016

Notts County and Rochdale have met a total of 40 times over the years, with the first meeting coming on the 10th December 1949. During this FA Cup clash at Spotland, the Magpies triumphed 2-1.

The last meeting between the two was on 17 March 2015, a League One clash at Meadow Lane which Notts lost 2-1.

Our record over the years is impressive though - 17 wins, 13 draws and 10 defeats.

Rochdale AFC was formed in 1907, and in their entire history, they have only ever switched divisions six times.

They have had three promotions and three relegations, with promotion coming in 1969, 2010 and 2014, while relegation came in 1959, 1974 and 2012.

The club reached the League Cup final in 1962 – the first time a club from the bottom league division has reached the final of a major competition – where they lost to Norwich City.

Rochdale played 36 consecutive seasons in the Football League's bottom division from 1974 to 2010, the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the League, with some even derisively renaming it "the Rochdale Division".

The club have the lowest average position of all the clubs which have existed continuously in the Football League since its expansion to four divisions in 1921–22 (76th), and since its expansion to 92 clubs in 1950–51 (79th).

Additionally, they share with Hartlepool United the distinction of having played the most seasons in the Football League without ever reaching the top two tiers (82 seasons through 2009–10).

Rochdale play their home matches at Spotland, which has a capacity of 10,249.

The stadium was built exclusively for the Dale in 1920, but since 1988 the ground has been jointly owned by the football club, Rochdale Council and Rochdale Hornets.

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Notts County are expected to make several changes to the team for the EFL Trophy trip to Rochdale.

Competition rules state that six players who started the abandoned game against Morecambe on Saturday must play.

Assistant boss Mark Crossley nonetheless wants the fringe players to give it their all and put themselves in contention for a starting spot in the derby against Mansfield Town.

"This is a chance for them to give the manager a problem to pick a team for Saturday," he said.

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