Long journey to Rochdale

Last updated : 27 January 2012 By Tony Scholes

Long first joined Accrington in October 2010. He then spent the second half of last season with them in a second loan with the third covering the first half of this season. He made a total of 43 appearances for them with the last coming in Accrington's 4-0 New Year's Day Bank Holiday home win against Macclesfield Town.

He scored one of the goals in that game, his fourth goal for them, all coming this season.

When he returned to Burnley that week, manager Eddie Howe said: "Kevin has done really well at Accrington. He has been a really consistent performer for them and scored a few goals as well.

"We will have a look at home and see how he has progressed. We will see how much he has improved and where he's at right now and then perhaps look to get him back out, maybe to League One."

Long was back in a Burnley shirt last week when he played in the centre of defence for the reserves against Preston, but that move to League One has come after Coleman was appointed manager of Rochdale earlier this week.

The loan is for one month and he'll be in the Rochdale squad for their game at home to Bury tomorrow.