
O'Neill: Any Celtic boss would be happy trio have signed new deals
Celtic's Martin O'Neill praises new contracts for players James Forrest and Liam Scales.
Rochdale and York City will face off in a crucial National League title decider, with York leading by two points. Both teams have surpassed 100 points this season, vying for automatic promotion to the Football League.
Rochdale striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe (left) has scored 25 National League goals this season while York's Ollie Pearce (right) is the division's top scorer with 34 [Getty Images]
York City boss Stuart Maynard has called his side's final day National League title decider at Rochdale "one of the biggest games in the English football pyramid".
The Minstermen top the table ahead of Dale by two points going into Saturday's match.
Both sides have broken the 100-point barrier in what has been a great battle for the lone automatic promotion place to the Football League.
"We've kept it normal but we know the magnitude of the game," Maynard told BBC Radio York when asked about his side's preparations.
"These are the games that we want to be involved in.
"We know from the outside it will be documented as probably one of the biggest games in the English football pyramid this weekend but for us nothing changes.
"The lads have been incredible but all that matters is that come the final whistle we're top of the league."
This is the second time in the past four seasons that two teams in the National League have won over 100 points after Wrexham and Notts County both achieved the feat in 2022-23. The Welsh side won the title with 111 points and Notts County went up through the play-offs, having finished on 107.
York were moments away from securing the title last Saturday before Dale striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe scored an injury-time winner at relegated Braintree to take the battle for promotion to the final day.
The match will determine the National League champion and the sole automatic promotion spot to the Football League.
Emmanuel Dieseruvwe has scored 25 goals for Rochdale, while Ollie Pearce leads York City with 34 goals.
York City tops the table with two points more than Rochdale, both having exceeded 100 points this season.
The match is scheduled for Saturday, marking the final day of the National League season.

Celtic's Martin O'Neill praises new contracts for players James Forrest and Liam Scales.
Eagles trade up to pick No. 20 and select USC's Makai Lemon, a standout wide receiver.
Jose Mourinho has an exit clause at Benfica with a deadline as he is linked to a potential return to Real Madrid. His agent, Jorge Mendes, is reportedly facilitating the move.
Who is the best high school football player in central Ohio? Vote now!
Como president Mirwan Suwarso announced that Cesc Fabregas can join Chelsea as their next head coach if he chooses. This comes after Chelsea sacked Liam Rosenior, marking the second coaching change this season.
BVB Women aim for victory against Mecklenbeck after frustrating draw
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
The Minstermen's home win over Yeovil had finished with Dale still level in their match and players had followed the final minutes of Rochdale's game on the pitch hoping they would be able to celebrate ending the club's 10-year wait for EFL football.
Boss Maynard said his side, who finished second with 96 points under Adam Hinshelwood last season before losing to Oldham in the play-offs, had moved on from that blow.
"The disappointment went very quickly," Maynard said.
"There was a natural reaction of feeling down because you think you've got your hands on it and then it is taken away from you but the minute we got in the dressing room we addressed the group and said 'look you've got to go away now and enjoy the weekend with your families and look at how far we've come'.
"The pressure does mount but I believe we have performed in the same way we have all season and that is a credit to the group."
Rochdale skipper Ethan Ebanks-Landell joked that "whoever put the fixtures out at the start of the year might be getting a little bonus for how it's ended" with the title race coming down to the final day.
The 33-year-old defender was part of the Dale squad who were relegated out of the Football League in 2022-23.
He credited the job boss Jimmy McNulty and the club's owners, the Ogden family -who took over in May 2024 - have done in turning things around for the Greater Manchester side.
They finished 11th in their first season in National League before coming fourth last time out.
"When we did get relegated it was a tough, tough pill to swallow," Ebanks-Landell told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I think the club was in a bad place and it was tough when we came into this league.
"Over the last two years we've grown and grown and it's been a project managed by the gaffer and the new owners coming in."
Ebanks-Landell, who played in the Championship for Wolves and won the League One title with Sheffield United at the start of his career, called the final-day decider "unique".
Two points behind their opponents, Rochdale must win to secure the title and he said he is not concerned how they get that result.
"As a defender a goal-fest doesn't sound great but whatever it takes for us to get the points and get promoted I'll take it. If it's 10-9 then I'll take 10-9 no issues!" he said.
Rochdale captain Ethan Ebanks-Landell has made 42 appearances in the National League this season [Shutterstock]
Tickets for the match sold out last month and more than 4,000 York fans will be watching the game on big screens at the club's LNER Stadium home.
Maynard, who took over from Hinshelwood in August, praised the level of support his side have received all season.
He also said the travelling fans at Spotland can "play a bigger part than they imagine" on Saturday.
"The way the York fans have travelled this season, they have been so loud and done the whole city proud," Maynard said.
"I back them and know they will be singing from minute one. They'll play a huge part on Saturday, more than they imagine.
"If they can get their early and make the atmosphere like they have in the last few home games it's going to play a big, big part."
The Minstermen have scored 113 goals so far this season, 19 more than anyone else in the league.
Although a draw would be enough for his side, the former Notts County boss has said York will approach the match as they have every other this campaign.
"We prepare to win games because I think if you prepare looking to draw games then you come off your intensity and the intent for how you want to attack," he said.
"That is not something that we as a management team have built our teams on. It's not something we intend to do.
"We want to be on the front foot for every passage of play from minute one."
BBC Sport will be running a live text commentary page of Rochdale v York (12:30 BST kick-off) on Saturday