Since then there has been a complete turn around at the club. The facilities have been vastly improved, with new stands, perimeter fencing and terracing being installed as well as a complete revamp of the clubhouse.

Fortunes also changed on the field. After finishing fifth in 1999/2000, Jim McCluskie was installed as manager following a poor start to the 2000/01 season. Under his guidance the side embarked on a tremendous run which culminated in the lifting of the NWCFL Division Championship at Flixton on the last day of the season.

Promotion to the UniBond First Division came with the Championship, and an excellent start to the 2001/02 season saw Rossendale top the table in the early stages. Key players were lost through injury and the side dropped down to finish a highly respectable 9th place, their highest ever finish in the non-league pyramid.

2002/03 saw McCluskie resign following a poor start to the campaign and Jim McBride stepped up from Assistant to take over the reigns. McBride steered Rossendale away from the threat of relegation as well as guiding the club to the semi-final of the UniBond League Cup beating Premier League clubs Droylsden, Lancaster City and Vauxhall Motors along the way.

Unfortunately he failed to progress the club on the playing front and after a run of indifferent results he was sacked and replaced by former Rossendale player Paul Lynch, who on his appointment in September 2003 became the youngest ever manager of Rossendale United Football Club.

Despite bringing back recent Dark Lane favourites such as Steve Bird and Steve Cunningham results under Lynch were largely disappointing and the team were unable to re-create the heady days of the Championship winning side despite Lynch bringing back Jim McLuskie to assist him with coaching. Lynch eventually stepped down as manager to concentrate resurrecting his playing career. Once again Jim McLuskie stepped in and agreed to manage Rossendale until the end of the season.

With the much heralded restructing of the non-league football pyramid Rossendale would have gained promotion to the Unibond Premier division with a finish anywhere above 13th. Dale’s erratic form and small squad put pay to their dream of competing at the highest level in their history eventually finishing in 15th spot, a mere 4 points adrift of that all important promotion place.

‘Dale opted for a fresh approach during the close season, appointing former Burnley player Ashley Hoskin as their manager. Unfortunately, after a disastrous start Hoskin resigned at the end of September after just nine games in charge. Next to take up the Dark Lane challenge is Mark Molyneaux who had just been signed by Hoskin as the club’s goalkeeper. Hopefully , along with assistant Wayne Goodison, they can bring some much needed stability to the club.

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