DAVID FLITCROFT FACTFILE

Born: Bolton, 1974 (Age 39)

North Playing career: Flitcroft was an apprentice at Preston End, where he signed professional forms in May 1992. But he struggled to make a first-team br eakthrough and joined

a midfieldChester City the following Christmas. Flitcr oft was er like his brother, Garry, who notably played for Manchester City and Blackburn. He enjoyed his best spell with Chester, amassing 187 appearances for the club before rejecting a new deal in favour of Rochdale. He spent six years ther e during which the Dale reached the FA Cup fifth round, only to lose to Wolves. Flitcroft spent practically all of his playing career in Greater Manchester after spells with both Macclesfield and later Bury before moving into nonleague football with Hyde. Flitcroft returned to Spotland under good friend Keith Hill in 2006. During the final spell of his playing career he did still manage to dig out his boots one last time in the black and blue strip of Rochdale, appearing as a substitute in the final home game of the 2008-2009 season. Managerial career: After finally hanging up his boots on an 18-year playing car eer Flitcroft joined the coaching staff at Rochdale and was appointed assistant manager under Hill – who later took Flitcroft with him to the Championship when Hill landed the Bar nsley post in June 2011. Hill was sacked earlier this season after his side plunged to the bottom of the league and the club asked Flitcroft to take temporary charge

as a perfrom New Year’s Day. Flitcroft was then appointed manent manager in January following his side’s 2-0 home win over Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.