Rochdaleafc.com starts the build up to this weekend’s
clash against Wycombe with Tommo’s Opposition Watch…

Well this has quite possibly been the strangest week I’ve experienced as a Rochdale fan so far. From trekking round the Yorkshire hills looking for a pub called The Bolton, to helping out at Spotland being surrounded by a scene not dissimilar to when the Iraqi oilfields were all set alight in the Gulf War.

I suppose that’s what comes with the territory of being a Rochdale supporter. There is no other club like Rochdale in the world, that’s why you get hooked to this club. I could spend all day trying to explain what would possess a person to support a club like us… But at the end of the day, only a Rochdale fan would know and it’s something none of us would swap for the world.

But anyway it's back to the matter on hand, the visit of Paul Lambert's Wycombe Wanderers this Saturday.

Rochdale v Wycombe is a match that both sides have been looking forward to for weeks. Which can be shown on the Dreaming of Wembley article on the Wycombe official site, with the first and only related paragraph saying "It goes without saying that the biggest game of the weekend will take place at Spotland on Saturday, when Wycombe Wanderers take on the in form Rochdale."

Paul Lambert's side have been enduring a run of mixed form at the moment with only three wins from the last nine fixtures since we beat them 1-0 at Adams Park. Despite the lack of results, Lambert's side still sit two places above Rochdale AFC in the play off places, with Rochdale have three more fixtures left to play than Wycombe.

However the Chairboys received a massive boost to their play off hopes when 'captain fantastic' David McCracken hit the winner against Rotherham United in a 1-0 win. The result came as much needed relief for everyone at Wycombe after two disappointing performances including a 2-1 defeat to relegation battlers Mansfield Town as well as a 2-2 draw away at also relegation strugglers bury.

The relief was certainly shared by manager Paul Lambert, who told his official site after the win "Getting the first goal was very important and I'm delighted that we've bounced back after a difficult week. The lads have been unbelievable and we're right in it."

McCracken was also delighted with the Wycombe result at weekend, but what pleased their captain most was the performance by the team. Speaking to the Wycombe official site he said "I'm happy to get the goal, but more than that, I was happy to get the three points. It doesn't matter who scores as long as you get the result and we were really happy to get the clean sheet too."

Team news for Wycombe is that first team defenders Mike Williamson and Sam Stockley, midfielder Martin Bullock and striker John Sutton all played for the reserves ahead of the weekend. Wycombe lost 2-1 to Southampton with Saint's midfielder Mario Licka scoring the second after a Cedric Baseya header on Wednesday afternoon. Goalkeeper Scott Shearer is out for the long term due to a broken ankle, with the game against ourselves coming to soon for fellow midfielders Will Antwi and Stefan Oakes.

Players that fans should recognise start with the highly rated goalkeeper Frank Fielding, who has impressed many during his loan spell from Blackburn Rovers. There's Scott McGleish who has been on fire this season with Wycombe already having 20 goals to his name. There's also the Argentinean midfielder Sergio Torres who copped for a bit of caravan abuse during the last game. Also there's former everyone ginger midfielder Neil Lennon. And not to forget one of the latest examples of how to nosedive down the leagues, in the form of striker, Leon Knight.

Wycombe (6th) form: W D L W L W D L

And to add some useless information to the opposition watch, here's three famous people from the town of High Wycombe

• Dusty Springfield

• Matt Dawson

• Jimmy Carr

For more build up to the Wycombe game as well as the message board's opinions on the game click here.

Photo: Action Images

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