Hill willing to play cat and mouse before the transfer window shuts

KEITH Hill is hoping to continue his bid to freshen up the Rochdale squad this month – but faces a game of cat and mouse if he’s to catch his man.

The Dale boss has already recruited Alex Dobre, Sam Hart, Billy Knott and Ryan Delaney this month, while Joe Bunney joined Northampton last week, Jordan Williams has gone out on loan to Lincoln and Jordan Slew was released after his short-term contract came to an end.

Hill is confident the moves have freshened things up already for Dale – whose game against Southend on Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at the Crown Oil Arena.

“I would like to add further recruits before the window closes, but there is a little bit of cat and mouse going on,” said the Dale boss.

“We are not in the same league as the rest of League One when it comes to recruiting, so we have to be clever, astute and make sure we get the best players poundfor-pound.

“Some of the business that’s going on and some of the players I’ve spoken to, their demands make it difficult, but we will make the best bid with the money we have available to get the players we feel will make us better and add that little bit of newness to the squad, and it could give everybody a positive spike.”

Hill said supporters should not expect to see all the new arrivals pitched into the starting line-up immediately.