SET SIGHTS HIGH
Rochdale winger Matt Done says Spurs stars are an example to follow
MATT Done believes it’s not a distant dream for Rochdale’s youngsters to emulate the rise of Tottenham stars Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Kieran Trippier.
Dale are set to share a pitch with those three EFL-starletsturned-England-internationals this afternoon as they host Spurs in an eagerly-awaited BBC-televised FA Cup fifthround tie.
Done has shared dressing rooms with some of the brightest young talents in the country, so he knows potential when he sees it.
He played with Manchester City defender John Stones at Barnsley and was a Sheffield United team-mate of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, now leading the line for Everton.
And the 29-year-old constantly reminds his Rochdale colleagues they can reach the top.
Done said: “Myself and Ian Henderson tell the lads every week the Premier League is not a million miles away and it can be done.
“You could just tell John Stones would make it. He stepped into the first team at Barnsley from a young age like he was playing with his mates in the park. Stonesy was playing at right-back and gliding past people even then.
“Dom is scoring goals at the highest level for a great club week in, week out.
“There are several lads at Rochdale who can go on to have unbelievable careers. The club have always had players come through the ranks and, as a senior player, you tell them it’s not a distant dream.”
Midfielders Callum Camps, 22, and 21-year-old Andy Cannon have enviable experience, having already played against some of Tottenham’s world-beaters.
Alli played against Rochdale twice while at MK Dons, and the prolific Kane made his EFL debut as a late Leyton Orient substitute at Spotland in 2011.
Done will operate at left wing-back for Keith Hill’s side and should come up against a familiar foe in full-back Trippier.
“Trippier is a local lad, from Bury, so I played against him when he was at Burnley and in the Manchester City youth team,” he said.
“I’ve always had a really good battle playing against him. He’s fulfilling his potential and having a fantastic career.
“We’ve played against Alli and Kane in League One and it’s a credit they’ve all played at a lower level and gone on to become world-class.”
The state of the Spotland playing surface became a national sensation as Dale reached the fifth round for only the third time ever.
The pitch had to be smeared in sand to get the fourth-round replay against Millwall played.
The board eventually took the decision to relay it entirely for today’s 10,000 sell-out.
Done said: “I think we’ve proven in our cup run that the surface doesn’t matter.
“We played really well on an amazing pitch at The Den and we played our natural game, even on a difficult surface, in the replay.
“At Slough, in the second round (in December), we had to adapt and train on a 4G pitch in the lead-up.
“The last time we saw our pitch it was pure sand, so it’s an unknown quantity to us as well.”
The wide man’s personal cup fairytale came in his Sheffield United spell, facing boyhood club Manchester United in the third round in 2016.
But Done, in his third spell at the club, has a special relationship with Rochdale and can’t wait to reward fans with a day to remember against Spurs.
“The club deserve this tie and the fans do, too. They were with us at Slough on a Monday night,” he added. “It will be a special day and the club deserve the reward of a moment in the sun.”