OVERVIEW
The Lincolnshire based outfit are back in the National League after just two seasons away. Their 2-1 playoff victory over Chester in extra-time sealed promotion after end-of-season heartbreak in 2024, losing in the semi-final to Boston United on penalties. After a 72-year stint in the EFL, the 2021/22 season ended with the Iron winning just four of their 46 games in League Two, then suffering back-to-back relegations with 12 wins from their 92 games in the relegation seasons. From 2006-2014, the club managed three promotions and three relegations which saw them spend three seasons in the Championship, with their highest finish being 20th.
2024/25 SEASON
Into a second season at the lowest level the club found itself at, it needed to start positively and did, going undefeated in the first eight games and conceding just twice, as every victory came with a clean sheet. Manager and former Iron man Andy Butler won the League’s Manager of the Month for August, before the away form took a slight knock into October with no wins on the road during the month. However, from the 18th January onwards, they lost just once in 16 games, pushing them up to second with hopes of title success. This took a dent away at King’s Lynn with a 1-0 defeat and combined with Brackley Town’s form, Butler’s side had to settle for consecutive second-placed finishes. Despite an early scare in the final four, they overcame Chorley 4-2 to seal a final spot with Carlton Ubaezuonu striking in the 105th minute to seal the deal in the showpiece event.
Last Match – Sun 18th May – Scunthorpe 2-1 Chester (AET) (20′ D.Whitehall, 105+1′ C.Ubaezuonu).
Scunthorpe XI – R.Fitzsimons, J.Starbuck, W.Evans, J.Rowley (111′ M.Brogan), M.Kelly, T.Denton (84′ K.Scales), M.Kouogun, M.Clunan, C.Ubaezuonu (120+3′ S.Fishburn), A.Beestin (107′ A.Boyce), D.Whitehall (96′ M.Fadera).
Unused subs – M.Campbell, J.Law.
MANAGER
41-year-old Andy Butler took the reigns at Scunthorpe in May of last year, stepping up from his previous role of First Team Coach and before that, Youth Development Phase Coach. The ex-defender started his career at Glanford Park in 2002 as he went on to make almost 150 appearances in a six-year spell before his return to the club in 2019 for a season. His Doncaster spell produced a first coaching role, taking the baton from Darren Moore during his playing career as well as stints coaching the women’s team.
In his first full season in charge, Butler won 26 of his 46 matches, becoming even more of a favourite amongst the fans with promotion sealed.
NEW SIGNINGS (TO BE UPDATED)
9th June – Joey Dawson (Celtic) & Declan Howe (Gainsborough Trinity).
20th June – Branden Horton (Gateshead).
30th June – Dubem Eze (Bolton Wanderers).
1st July – Jean Belehouan (Gateshead) & Oliver Ewing (Leicester City).
14th July – Billy Chadwick (York City).
PLAYED FOR BOTH
There have been exactly 30 players who have appeared at the respective clubs with two of those involved at Dale today. Both Jimmy McNulty and Josh Lillis wore claret and blue, with the goalkeeper joining us initially on loan from the Iron, whereas our gaffer spent two loan spells and made nine appearances in the 2009-10 season in the same squad as his now coaching partner. Other standout players include Matt Gilks, Rory McArdle, Scott Wiseman, Chris Dagnall and academy graduate Luke Matheson.
WE’VE MET BEFORE
Games Played – 105
Rochdale Wins – 36
Draws – 28
Scunthorpe Wins – 41
Our recent encounter – Scunthorpe 1-2 Dale (19 Feb 2022)
First ever encounter – Scunthorpe 2-1 Dale (28 Nov 1931)
Biggest Dale win – Dale 5-0 Scunthorpe (22 Jan 1977)
Biggest Scunthorpe win – Scunthorpe 5-1 Dale (13 Sep 1952), Scunthorpe 4-0 Dale (4 Mar 1989), Scunthorpe 6-2 Dale (5 Nov 1991), Scunthorpe 5-1 Dale (10 Apr 1993) & Dale 0-4 Scunthorpe (26 Nov 2013)
Last Dale line-up – J.Lynch, M.Taylor, E.O’Connell, J.Dorsett, C.O’Keeffe, L.Kelly, J.Ball (89′ G.Broadbent), M.Clark, S.Dooley (70′ C.Grant), T.Campbell, L.Charman (46′ A.Newby).
Unused subs – J.Coleman, J.McNulty, M.Done, A.Odoh.
THE ATTIS ARENA
Better known as Glanford Park, Scunny’s stadium opened in 1988 and currently holds a capacity of 9,088. It was the first new purpose-built Football League stadium to be built in England for 33 years, since Southend United moved to Roots Hall in 1955. The ground set its record attendance in May’s Playoff final with 9,086 packing into the arena, which is nine more than the previous record when Manchester United ran out 5-2 winners in the League Cup in 2010. Several international youth fixtures have taken place here with England U21s hosting Germany in 1991, with the likes of David James, Kevin Campbell and Alan Shearer lining up for the Three Lions.
