Can hi-tech enterprises make home town of Gracie Fields and the Rochdale Pioneers a mini Silicon Valley?
It all kicks off not long after the start of the rugby league game between Rochdale Hornets and Leigh Centurions. There is a melee involving all 26 players after a Leigh player holds down an opponent and thumps him in the face with a straight right. The culprit gets a yellow card and 10 minutes in the sin bin rather than a red, and the incident seems to knock the stuffing out of the Hornets, who go down to a 72-22 defeat to a team that is fitter, faster and on better money.
It is the same story off the pitch. The battle for economic survival is tough and Rochdale is up against rivals who are fit, fast and have more cash to splash.
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