After all the efforts of 2022/23, the success of last season’s campaign has yielded a new destination in a new environment for the Fleet as the 2023/24 National League campaign gets under way at the Crown Oil Arena, writes Katie Humphris. 

A new ground it may be for the Fleet but for the hosts, it’s an entirely new experience altogether, their relegation into non-league something they haven’t experienced before and it’s been over a century since they played any football outside the Football League.

For Fleet fans, it’s been four years since they last sampled the Vanarama National League when we waved goodbye to FC Halifax Town and the division as the pandemic prepared its grip on the world. Now Dennis Kutrieb brings the Fleet back with a trip to Greater Manchester. 

Fleet will, of course, face life back in the National League without top scorer Dominic Poleon who sits out the third and final match of his ban sustained after his sending-off at Braintree in April, but that gives Shaq Coulthirst and Nathan Odokonyero – who both registered on the scoresheet in pre-season – their chance to stake an early claim for a front berth.

The Fleet boss noted in his pre-match interview the status of Rochdale as a League Two club and Fleet as a National South side only three months ago, which makes this an intriguing coming together on the season’s first day. He will be confident having seen his side go head-to-head with Fleetwood Town last season and beaten FC Halifax Town in cup competition but the weekly rigours of league fixtures will be a different kind of adaptation – for both promoted and relegated clubs.

Both sides have ticked-off their pre-season goals – Fleet purred through games such as those against Leyton Orient and West Ham United, while learning lessons in the final showdown against Chelsea’s U21s.

Rochdale scored six goals and only conceded one in six matches while for the Fleet, it was an impressive 21 goals against 10 conceded, in eight matches. Both sides have brought in new men but at Rochdale, players aren’t the only fresh faces as Jimmy McNulty has taken the reins at the Dale as they – like so many before them – attempt to bounce straight back to the EFL. 

McNulty’s new recruits include popular former Fleet keeper Louie Moulden as he joins from Wolverhampton Wanders on a season-long loan. His father Paul played for the club and Moulden will get another go at the division he played in for half of last season with Solihull Moors.

Moulden is the only real familiar face for Fleet fans with our former midfielder James Ball having now departed Rochdale in the summer for AFC Wimbledon.

Another new boy is former Halifax midfielder Harvey Gilmour who featured in last season’s Emirates FA Cup tie for his old club at the Kuflink Stadium. And Fleet’s summer signings Hayden White and David Amoo both played alongside Rochdale’s main threat Devante Rodney during his spells at Walsall and Port Vale respectively. 

Despite their new status as a non-League side, the experience in Rochdale’s ranks shouldn’t go unnoticed. Rodney has clocked up appearances in the EFL, turning out for the likes of Hartlepool, Port Vale and Walsall and he also played for Salford City in their time in the National League. And captain Ethan Ebanks-Landell racked up over 100 EFL appearances for Shrewsbury Town before joining Rochdale last year.

Manager McNulty will have to weigh the experience he has alongside a blend of youth. There’s plenty of potential but as former EFL clubs have found on their early steps into non-league, such potential can take a while to bloom in the National League.

Rochdale will, however, have noted the fates of clubs such as Scunthorpe United, York City and Stockport County who all fell into the North and they’ll be fully prepared for the momentum and exuberance a promoted team of champions such as the Fleet will bring. Which makes it little surprise that the game has been selected for TNT Sports coverage – two new clubs where they are for different reasons, both striving to adjust to their new environment as quickly as possible. Don’t miss it – in person or on the screen!

Ticketing details for Rochdale are here.

The match at the Crown Oil Arena will be televised live on TNT Sports with a 5:30 kick-off. Supporters not travelling can watch the game at the Kuflink Stadium, more details here.