The Dale chairman, who owns Connolly Demolitions, took over at Dark Lane two years ago and has so far celebrated great success on the field: Jim McCluskie's side clinched promotion last season and currently lie fifth in the UniBond First Division.

And off the field Connolly is now hoping to oversee the development of a new £750,000 sports complex at Dark Lane.

The club are still waiting for planning permission which is due around mid-November and they will then begin work behind one stand on a complex modelled on Wigan's JJB Sports complex and the Academy at Blackburn Rovers.

"I thought about the complex because I have ten-year-old and seven-year-old boys who go to football training but are limited by some of the facilities," said the 38-year-old. "They tend to go for six or seven months of the year, are outside on astroturf and the wind can make it difficult.

"I went to look at the JJB Sports Stadium complex and saw how that had developed and decided I wanted to do something like that for the kids around here.

"The Football Foundation has been to look around and they are optimistic but we are waiting on planning permission from Rossendale Council. We need this to progress.

"We want it for the community but it will also be a boost for us as a non-League club."

Dale hope to get around 65 per cent of the cost for the 3,000 square metre complex from the Football Foundation.

"It will be about half the size of a football pitch and contain a surface like the one at Blackburn's Academy, the most up-to-date.

"There will also be a lecture theatre, a physiotherapy department, a cafe and we will also be developing the full length of the side of the ground with a stand for 500."

Both Connolly, manager McCluskie and the rest of the staff have begun to put Rossendale on the map and a sports complex is another step in getting the club noticed.

"It is a massive development and we are all excited about it," he said. "We could have something in non-League football that will set us apart.

"The idea is to get the kids from a young age attached to Rossendale. We know the best ones will be signed up with League clubs but we hope to offer some the chance to progress from a young age all the way up to the senior squad.

"And hopefully we will be in the UniBond Premier or Conference by then. We have a good youth policy already. When I came here there were two teams, now there are 26 from Under Sevens to the senior squad.

"Senior players like Craig Sargeson and Liam Denning have progressed through the ranks and the complex would keep it going."

It shows how far Dale have come. When Connolly took over the club it was celebrating it's centenary but was in danger of folding.

He cleared the debts and bought the ground and club house. "We want to build solid foundations so the club is here in 20 years.

"Clubs spent a lot of money on wages compared to us in the North West Counties yet we won the league.

"It is important to get it right on and off the pitch."

ROSSENDALE are at home to North Ferriby United tomorrow in the UniBond First Division.