“TIME to believe,” says a sign above the players’ heads as they emerge from the tunnel of Rochdale’s Spotland stadium. After 34 years in England’s bottom tier, you wonder why it has taken them so long. Tomorrow’s League Two playoff final against Stockport County will be their first appearance at Wembley, and a chance to experience promotion for the first time since 1969. Better late than never.

Actually, until their recent transformation, “never” would have been on the optimistic side. Rochdale’s is the longest unbroken run in the country’s bottom division. Since they were established in 1907, they have enjoyed only six seasons in the one above, which is why they are known as the least successful club in the Football League. When they played Wycombe Wanderers earlier this season, a columnist in the matchday programme suggested League Two be renamed the Rochdale League.

All of which has caused the Lancashire club to drift like debris on the town’s canal. With no promotion to anticipate, and no relegation to fear, they became a club where journeymen could safely see out their careers. Even when they finished rock bottom, the old reelection system bailed them out, most notably in 1980, when they survived by a single vote. The delegates for Grimsby and Luton were ready to send them packing, but one got lost, the other stuck in a traffic jam.

“Forty years of nothing,” says Chris Dunphy, who has followed the club since 1959, and took over as chairman two years ago. “The directors had got themselves into a comfort zone. They were cosy just being here and knew what they needed to do to keep the club in this position. And I suppose there has always been a slight apathy in the town towards everything, not just the club. Now that we’ve changed, so have they.” For the second leg of Rochdale’s playoff semi-final against Darlington, about 8,000 locals turned up, four times more than usual at their tidy little ground, tucked away among the red-brick rows of this former mill town. It was, says Dunphy, more exciting than the 1962 League Cup final, a two-legged defeat by Norwich, which was the club’s only brush with glory. Dunphy, whose other business specialises in “church heating”, has had his prayers answered.

As many as 18,000 are expected at Wembley, where the sponsors, Coca-Cola, are to help them out with complimentary megaphones. With this also being the club’s centenary year, a civic reception is planned for Wednesday night. “Even the local authority has woken up to the fact that we are not doing too badly,” says Dunphy.

“Fever has taken over the town. I was on a train from London to Manchester recently, and I overheard people in the next seat talking about Rochdale FC. That’s absolutely incredible. It is going to be the biggest day in our history, the biggest day of my life. For these fans, it is the day the meek get their inheritance.”

Behind it all is the management team he appointed 18 months ago. Keith Hill and his assistant Dave Flitcroft, both former Rochdale players, have reduced the team’s average age, introduced the concept of sports science and, with no money to speak of, lifted their club from 90th in the rankings to the brink of League One. Just nine miles from Old Trafford and Eastlands, Rochdale are as squeezed out by the Premier League giants as the town is swamped by Greater Manchester. Even Burnley nick some of their supporters. They are without a permanent training ground, and Hill’s biggest outlay has been on Adam Le Fondre, whose fee was what’s known in the business as “nominal”. None of which bothers their bullish manager, who makes the most of a siege mentality.

“It would be nice to shut people up,” he says. “The fans would appreciate that more than anybody because they have been the butt of everybody’s jokes. But why shouldn’t we think big? We can get into League One, and possibly the Championship. Is that such a big ask? It wasn’t too big for Scunthorpe and Southend, so why should it be for Rochdale?” Hill, a dogged defender for Rochdale between 1996 and 2001, is holding forth in his office, wearing ripped jeans, a baseball cap and several days’ growth on his chin. He likes to remember who he is, and urges his squad to do the same. There will be no Wembley suits for the players, and no media work ahead of their finest hour.

“We have tried to protect them from the circus,” says Flitcroft. “We have had suits thrown at us, sponsors, the lot, but they will be wearing their tracksuits. We want them to do what they do every week.” Hill does not believe in distancing himself from the players. The hope is that if he looks out for them, they will look out for him. “We’re not afraid of a fight, are we?” he says, turning to Flitcroft. Neither was their striker, Lee Thorpe, who broke his arm in three places arm wrestling on the team bus to Darlington. This, though, is no Crazy Gang. Hill, who has enlisted dieticians and masseurs, has been praised for the fluency of his team’s football. “I couldn’t sleep if they were producing the kind of mediocrity I see elsewhere,” he says. “It’s bringing football down.” Rochdale, meanwhile, are on the up. The local MP’s slogan promises to “put Rochdale first”. Hill hasn’t quite done that with the football club, but after 34 years of finishing as near to last as makes no difference, it sure feels like it.

League Two playoff final

Rochdale v Stockport Monday, Sky Sports 2, 2.30pm, kick-off 3pm