Mark Yates has praised Rochdale boss Keith Hill for the job he did in his first spell at Spotland.
Hill will tonight take charge of Dale for the first time since returning to the club he led to promotion in 2010.
The ex-Robins defender was sacked by Championship club Barnsley in December, but he was not out of work long, succeeding John Coleman in the Rochdale hot-seat earlier this week.
Yates said of his former team mate at Whaddon Road: "Keith did a fantastic job at Rochdale when he was there before and he went on to bigger and better things.
"He was a great character to have around here too. He was a good player and we all knew that, but he didn't have the best of times.
"What he did do was get the best out of Julian Alsop and that's what he'll be remembered best for at Cheltenham.
"He taught Jules about how to look after himself and how to be a model pro.
"I was shocked that he left Barnsley, but he's another good manager in League Two now.
"He is a good lad who is very dry and Neil (Howarth) speaks to him quite regularly.
"He is a good football man, he's his own man and he will want to see Rochdale surging up the table."
Hill spent one season at Cheltenham, making two starts and three substitutes during the 2001/02 promotion campaign.
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