The 19-year-old, who has featured in two of our pre-season fixtures, has penned an initial one-year deal.
He joins Nils Ramming and Sam Waller as part of the goalkeeping unit, led by coach Josh Lillis.
“I’m really happy to have signed,” commented Spaven.
“Getting to work with the lads over the last three weeks has been really good. The intensity has helped me improve my game so much already.
“Playing in front of the fans has been amazing, and I loved the trip to Spain. We’ve got a good goalkeeping union going on, and I think working with them all is really going to help me develop.”
Head Coach Ian Watson added:
“Jake has really impressed us. His attitude in training has been outstanding. Every day he comes in wanting to grow and develop.
“In terms of profile, he plays well with the ball at his feet, which is matched by his shot-stopping qualities.
“We’ve loved having him in and look forward to working with him further.”
Spaven spent time in the Manchester City Academy as a youngster before joining Wigan Athletic at Under-16 level.
He went on to sign professional terms with the League One club in the summer of 2025, before departing earlier this year.
The goalkeeper has been training with Dale throughout pre-season, featuring in our friendlies against FC United of Manchester and Farnham Town, as well as travelling to Spain for our warm weather training camp.
Welcome to the Crown Oil Arena, Jake!
