Jim Wilkinson recalls John Coleman's Stanley years ...

THE memory blurs with passing years and I can’t remember the exact date I took over as Observer sports editor.

I would occasionally deputise for my predecessor Chris Lloyd and pitch up at places like Buxton or Burscough to watch teams managed by the likes of Leighton James, Billy Rodaway, Tony Greenwood and Wayne Harrison.

Stanley, if not quite a club going nowhere, were taking their time and a rather circuitous route if they were they heading anywhere of note.

I think it was one Boxing Day, maybe 1998, when I saw Stanley go down 5-0 at home to Bamber Bridge. And Stanley certainly weren’t in the greatest of shape when I saw them slip into the UniBond First Division in the spring of 1999.

Later that summer, chairman Eric Whalley appointed as manager a burly, centre-forward with more than 400 senior non-league goals under his belt.

It didn’t get off to the best of starts as Stanley lost 1-0 at Lincoln United but their improvement showed when they beat the same opposition 10-1 at home. My greatest memory of that era was a Bank Holiday Monday game at Radcliffe Borough where they trailed 2-0 before winning 3-2. They went on to clinch the title, beating Farsley 3-0 before a crowd of 2,468.

By April 2003, they were on their way to the Conference this time, and the rest is history.

I would be talking with hindsight if I said I always knew that John Coleman was a special manager who would chalk up an incredible record unlikely ever to be equalled.

Possibly because he had to make his way in the real world – giving up a teaching career when Stanley went full-time – he seemed to cherish every moment in the game. There was an absence of clichés and platitudes which I felt gave great value from interviews.

But the thing I admire him most for is the way he gave careers in the professional game to lads who no-one else would have believed in.

I’m amazed, with respect to a lovely, friendly club like Rochdale, that a bigger club hasn’t come in for him.

I hope Rochdale retain League One status and Stanley make a good appointment who will keep them competitive and push for better.

But I know two things. Unless there’s a miracle Stanley won’t find another manager who has an unbroken 13-year run of success.

And John and Jimmy won’t be at Spotland for the next 13 years – if they repeat the same formula, football people higher up the chain won’t be able to ignore them much longer.