Ogden Family: Rochdale's preferred bidders submit offer to buy National League club

Rochdale are 11th in the National League table with one game remaining

Rochdale's preferred bidders the Ogden family have submitted an offer to buy the National League side and invest £2m in the club.

The family were announced as the preferred bidder after World Soccer Holdings' period of exclusivity ended.

World Soccer Holdings had said they intended to buy Dale in February.

Existing shareholder loans provided by chairman Simon Gauge and Richard Knight will be turned into ordinary shares, according to the family's proposals.

"Our primary ambition is that the club should achieve a financially sustainable position without needing to rely on footballing success," the family's statement said.

"To do this, the club will need to materially increase both matchday and non-matchday revenues, whilst maintaining a prudent and efficient cost base."

Amongst their other plans are to establish "a new sports facility", to be used by the first team and academy, while they also pledged to mount a first-team budget befitting a promotion challenge for next season.

Rochdale are 11th in the National League table, with one game remaining, in their first season outside of the English Football League following relegation last term.