Rochdale give head coach Watson vote of confidence

Rochdale's board of directors have given head coach Ian Watson a vote of confidence after a poor start to the season. The 40-year-old took over as Dale boss in June after Jim McNulty's departure for Stockport County and has overseen just five league matches so far. The club are sitting just outside the League Two relegation zone on goal difference with three points from a possible 15. Watson moved from National League North club South Shields and is experiencing his first taste of EFL management with Rochdale. "Clearly, results have not gone how we would have liked. There is no escaping that," a statement on the club's website read. "Ian and the coaching staff, as well as the board, are all keenly aware that we will need to see an improvement in our performances. "It is disappointing for everyone associated with the club that, after the recent positivity, there is now, understandably, frustration and this is finding its way into the stands. "However, we would also like to make the club's position clear. We are now embarking on a second three-year journey, in which our aim is to win promotion to League One. "After a shortened pre-season and recruitment period, through no fault of the head coach, we have also suffered an exceptional number of injuries – in some cases very serious – which has significantly hampered our ability to field a consistent first 11. "Ultimately, football is a results business. The very minimum of our ambitions this season is to ensure we remain in the league. However, given our longer-term plans, we do not intend to make any knee-jerk reactions. "Our priority as a board is to give Ian the time to develop the team and improve our results, and we intend to fully support him in his efforts to do so." Rochdale continue their League Two campaign with a trip to Walsall on Saturday. All the latest Rochdale news