FORMER Colchester United forward Ian Henderson has re-signed for Rochdale.

The 37-year-old, who spent three and a half years at Colchester, has signed an initial one-year deal with Dale, two years after leaving them to join Salford City.

Henderson told the Rochdale website: “I’m really, really happy to be back here at Rochdale Football Club.

“I’m really looking forward to working under Robbie Stockdale. I see it as a new challenge and working with new people with new ideas.

 

"All I can say is I’m really excited to be back at the football club to help it progress.

“[I met with the manager] last Monday and I really enjoyed spending my time with him and hearing his ideas and his philosophies, and the way he wants to progress his team and football club over the next season. I was excited by that opportunity.

“Things have progressed in such a quick period of time, to the point where eight days later I’m sat here. What Robbie said and the aims and objectives of the football club was so attractive for me to want to come back.

“There’s [also] a little bit [of unfinished business] left to do. First and foremost, I want to help the team and, secondly, I want to break that [goals] record.

 

"It’s been there for a long time and I think I owe it to myself but also to the fans to be a part of some history in this day of age.

“It feels good and I feel really happy to be back here. All I want to do it help this football club progress.”

Henderson made 130 appearances for the U’s during his spell at the JobServe Community Stadium, between January 2010 and July, 2013.

The versatile forward hit the net 27 times during that spell but it was during his time at Colchester that the most productive spell of his career arguably blossomed.

 

A loan move to Rochdale in the latter months of Henderson’s U’s spell proved to be the beginning of a highly fruitful seven-year association with the Spotland outfit, one which saw him clock up more than 300 appearances and more than a century of goals, in addition to captaining the club.

Henderson joined Salford in July 2020 and made 52 league starts for the club, scoring 20 goals and was released, this summer.