I SLEPT in the Pearl Street for a night - here's what it was like

That question was certainly running through my mind as I pulled up outside the Crown Oil Arena on a cold, wet and windy Friday evening in the knowledge that I was to spend the night sleeping there.

Joining in the second annual Rochdale Sleep Out seemed like a great idea at the time – as a journalist, I’ll do most things (within reason) for good content, and I like to think of myself as pretty charitable having done my bit on the fundraising front over the years including the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge and hosting lockdown pub quizzes essentially in drag.

So this was a chance to do both, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive – I’m no stranger to camping but sleeping fully outside would be a new one for me, and it came at the end of a busy few weeks that had left me feeling a little run-down.

However, that feeling was quick to dissipate once I got inside and vibes took over – a hardy band of around 30 of us from Rochdale and beyond did their bit to keep spirits high.

Having been given an introductory chat by the Rochdale AFC Community Trust and Petrus, who together operate the Changing Lives campaign aimed at helping the town’s homeless community, the mayor of Rochdale stood up to give his best wishes before we were unleashed into the Pearl Street End to set up camp via the rather impressive snack station that had been set up.

I’d told myself that I’d bed down where my season ticket is – I’ve been left almost snoozing in that seat several times on a Saturday afternoon over the years, but this was taking the biscuit!

My seat is a couple of rows from the very back of the stand and for that, I was grateful as if you went any lower than halfway down, you ran the risk of a soaking.

Stories were swapped and bonds were made – it was good, for example, to link up at length for the first time with the Dale 1907 crew, who have done so much to aid the matchday experience at home games. Stay tuned for a feature very soon!

One chap whipped a guitar out and played a few tunes before we all took part in a pub quiz with rounds about Rochdale, homelessness and football interspersed with some general knowledge. My team came fourth out of five, so happy to get a Champions League place!

From that point, it was time to do what we all came to do and get some sleep and having applied all of my layers, I clambered into my abode for the evening and after a couple of episodes of “Benidorm” on my phone, felt my eyes start to shut.

You could hear the rain driving onto the roof of the stand and the wind made merry with some peoples’ cardboard shelters, but I can honestly say I never felt truly cold apart from on the extremities of my face, which definitely felt the chill.

In saying that, I was acutely aware that I was not in a natural sleeping place and as a side sleeper, my hips soon started to ache.

Did I actually sleep? I think I did a little – I’d liken it to the kind of sleep you have on a plane in which you’re constantly aware of what’s going on around you.

I think there was a good two or three hours where I was in a deep sleep, which I’d have definitely taken but I was tossing and turning quite a bit to give my sides a break and spread out the pain!

It brought home exactly why we were all doing this because for some of the more unfortunate people in our community, this is a daily reality.

There’s no shutting your eyes and muddling through until you could go and get some proper sleep in a bed for them and if what we were doing helps them in any way, then it was more than worthwhile.

At just before 7am, the lights of the stand flickered on – wakey wakey! I must admit, opening your eyes and glancing out onto the hallowed turf was quite the way to rise from your slumber.

Amid questions on whether the noises some heard during the night was people snoring or the fox that is known to frequent the Spotland pitch from time to time, we packed up and were given a very welcome coffee and a bacon sandwich to send us on our way.

Was it the best sleep I’ve ever had? Far from it. Would I do it again? You bet!

As part of our efforts to help the Changing Lives campaign, we will be donating 20 per cent of all new subscriptions in the month of October to the fund.

That means £1 from every monthly subscription and £10 for every annual subscription we get this month will be donated to the fundraising effort.

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