McClaren oversaw a training session at the club earlier this week as the Quakers bid to address a run of one win from their last nine games at the end of the regular season.

Penney and McClaren, who has been out of work since November after failing to guide England to this year's European Championships, were team-mates together at Oxford.

Penney is now banking on the presence of the former Middlesbrough manager to lift his squad ahead of the semi-final first-leg visit of Dale to the Darlington Arena (kick-off 5.35pm on Saturday).

A 2-0 victory over promoted Peterborough last Saturday - a game in which several key players were rested - has given Penney hope his side can banish their end-of-season slump and go on to seal promotion to League One.

"Saturday's win has given me selection problems of the right kind for a nice change," said Penney.

"I don't read too much into the result because Peterborough had already won promotion, but the performance was very good.

"The players showed that they had the character and ability to spoil Peterborough's party.

"We now have options and will look at things carefully before Saturday."

Penney is boosted by the return to fitness of striker Julian Joachim (ankle) and defender Ryan Valentine (knee) ahead of the match.

First-choice goalkeeper David Stockdale, who is expected to join Fulham in the summer, is expected to recover from a bruised foot to play, while midfielder Ben Parker returns from a one-match ban.

Rochdale, meanwhile, have not won promotion since 1969 and have been in the bottom tier since 1974 - the longest-ever residency in the Football League's basement division.

But boss Keith Hill has urged his men to make history by clinching a place in League One.

Hill has fashioned a talented young side but has urged them not to freeze as they bid to secure a positive result before next weekend's return at Spotland.

He said: "The players have got a lot to play for and have assured me that they are up for it.

"There is a lot of confidence as we approach the game but no arrogance and we are in good form having lost just once in our final 12 games.

"You are in the lap of the footballing Gods in the play-offs and we have to make sure that we don't under-react or overreact to situations that might develop up at Darlington.

"This is a three-hour cup tie and that is how we are going to play it."

Hill will again be missing defender Nathan Stanton through suspension and Marcus Holness and Nathan D'Laryea are competing against each other to replace him.