John Coleman will lead Rochdale’s fight for League One survival after agreeing terms on a move to Spotland this week.

Having spent the last 13 years as manager of Accrington Stanley, orchestrating three promotions during his time at the Crown Ground, Coleman has accepted the challenge of staving off a return to the Football League’s basement division for struggling Dale.

He takes over a side languishing one points off the bottom of the League One table, with just one win from their last 16 league games and the worst goals difference in the division.

If Chesterfield get a result at home against Bournemouth on Friday evening, Dale will be bottom of the pile when Coleman makes his Spotland bow in Saturday’s derby against Bury.

That is the size of the task facing Coleman and his long-term number two Jimmy Bell, who also made the move to Spotland.

The change of management comes after caretaker boss Chris Beech ended his brief spell in charge with a 3-0 defeat against Wycombe Wanderers at the weekend.

By that stage, rumours of Coleman’s imminent arrival were already well documented and talks took place on Sunday and Monday.

Though Coleman was contracted to Stanley until 2015, the club said that, should he wish to move on, they would not block the switch to Spotland given his achievements over the last decade.

Rochdale were officially given permission to speak to Coleman on Sunday night and left the decision whether or not to move down to the 49-year-old.

"John has been such a wonderful servant to the club that if he wants to go, then we will not stand in his way," said Accrington chairman Ilyas Khan.

"This is not the first time that another club has shown interest in him and it is only right and proper that we take these things seriously and act professionally.

"The compensation for a manager under contract in the Football League is relatively well established and easy issue to resolve – it’s not like a player."

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