1968–69 Rochdale A.F.C. season

Rochdale 1968–69 football season

Rochdale
1968–69 season
Manager	Bob Stokoe Len Richley
League Division Four	3rd
FA Cup	1st Round
League Cup	1st Round
Top goalscorer	League: Dennis Butler All: Dennis Butler
← 1967–68 1969–70 →

The 1968–69 season saw Rochdale compete for their 10th consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division. The club finished in 3rd position and achieved promotion to Division Three.

Statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division 4		F.A. Cup		League Cup		Lancashire Cup		Rose Bowl
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	ENG	Chris Harker	53	0	46+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Vince Radcliffe	32	1	26+0	1	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Derek Ryder	53	0	46+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Vince Leech	50	0	43+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Colin Parry	51	0	45+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Joe Ashworth	44	1	39+0	1	2+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Norman Whitehead	49	2	41+1	2	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	Joe Fletcher	13	2	8+2	2	0+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	Reg Jenkins	38	13	28+5	13	0+1	0	1+0	0	1+1	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Billy Rudd	53	4	46+0	4	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Dennis Butler	53	16	44+2	16	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Hughen Riley	2	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	Steve Melledew	36	15	26+5	12	2+0	0	0+1	1	2+0	2	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Graham Smith	38	2	32+1	1	2+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0	0+1	1
	FW	ENG	Terry Melling	23	8	20+0	8	0+0	0	0+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	Tony Buck	17	8	15+2	8	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF		Steve Lee	1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0

Final League Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Doncaster Rovers (C)	46	21	17	8	65	38	1.711	59	Promotion to 1969–70 Third Division
2	Halifax Town (P)	46	20	17	9	53	37	1.432	57
3	Rochdale (P)	46	18	20	8	68	35	1.943	56
4	Bradford City (P)	46	18	20	8	65	46	1.413	56
5	Darlington	46	17	18	11	62	45	1.378	52

Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Competitions

Football League Fourth Division

Rochdale v Scunthorpe United

10 August 1968 (1968 -08-10) 1	Rochdale	3–2	Scunthorpe United	Rochdale
	Butler 31' Jenkins 44' (pen.), 64' (pen.)	Report	Kerr 76' Deere	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3253

Colchester United v Rochdale

17 August 1968 (1968 -08-17) 2	Colchester United	0–0	Rochdale	Colchester
		Report		Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3969

Rochdale v Exeter City

24 August 1968 (1968 -08-24) 3	Rochdale	1–1	Exeter City	Rochdale
	Melledew 70'	Report	Mitten 55' (pen.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3225

Brentford v Rochdale

26 August 1968 (1968 -08-26) 4	Brentford	1–1	Rochdale	Brentford
	Deakin 16'	Report	Melledew 70'	Stadium: Griffin Park Attendance: 9149

Port Vale v Rochdale

31 August 1968 (1968 -08-31) 5	Port Vale	1–1	Rochdale	Stoke-on-Trent
	Chapman 55'	Report	Melledew 36'	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 4591

Rochdale v Peterborough United

7 September 1968 (1968 -09-07) 6	Rochdale	1–1	Peterborough United	Rochdale
	Melledew 43'	Report	Hall 66'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4030

Chesterfield v Rochdale

14 September 1968 (1968 -09-14) 7	Chesterfield	1–1	Rochdale	Chesterfield
	Hollett 58'	Report	Melledew 80'	Stadium: Saltergate Recreation Ground Attendance: 5903

Doncaster Rovers v Rochdale

17 September 1968 (1968 -09-17) 8	Doncaster Rovers	2–0	Rochdale	Doncaster
	Johnson Gilfillan	Report		Stadium: Belle Vue Attendance: 12183

Rochdale v Bradford City

21 September 1968 (1968 -09-21) 9	Rochdale	6–0	Bradford City	Rochdale
	Butler 24' Rudd 31' Melledew 35', 71' Fletcher 68', 87'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4136

York City v Rochdale

28 September 1968 (1968 -09-28) 10	York City	0–0	Rochdale	York
		Report		Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 3509

Rochdale v Workington

5 October 1968 (1968 -10-05) 11	Rochdale	0–0	Workington	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4535

Rochdale v Brentford

7 October 1968 (1968 -10-07) 12	Rochdale	0–0	Brentford	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5181

Darlington v Rochdale

12 October 1968 (1968 -10-12) 13	Darlington	0–0	Rochdale	Darlington
		Report		Stadium: Feethams Attendance: 7113

Rochdale v Swansea Town

19 October 1968 (1968 -10-19) 14	Rochdale	0–1	Swansea Town	Rochdale
		Report	Gwyther 53' (pen.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4771

Southend United v Rochdale

26 October 1968 (1968 -10-26) 15	Southend United	1–3	Rochdale	Southend-on-Sea
	Best 73'	Report	Butler 76', 82' Melledew (89)	Stadium: Roots Hall Attendance: 9486

Rochdale v Bradford Park Avenue

2 November 1968 (1968 -11-02) 16	Rochdale	6–0	Bradford Park Avenue	Rochdale
	Melling 8' Rudd 14', 87' Melledew 29' Radcliffe 71' Butler 83' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2795

Rochdale v Newport County

4 November 1968 (1968 -11-04) 17	Rochdale	0–1	Newport County	Rochdale
		Report	Hill	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4223

Aldershot v Rochdale

9 November 1968 (1968 -11-09) 18	Aldershot	0–0	Rochdale	Aldershot
		Report		Stadium: Recreation Ground Attendance: 5185

Wrexham v Rochdale

23 November 1968 (1968 -11-23) 19	Wrexham	3–2	Rochdale	Wrexham
	Griffiths 23' May 24' Kinsey 82'	Report	Melling 26', 60'	Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 5663

Rochdale v Notts County

30 November 1968 (1968 -11-30) 20	Rochdale	0–0	Notts County	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2673

Grimsby Town v Rochdale

7 December 1968 (1968 -12-07) 21	Grimsby Town	2–0	Rochdale	Cleethorpes
	Walker 22', 81'	Report		Stadium: Blundell Park Attendance: 2714

Swansea Town v Rochdale

21 December 1968 (1968 -12-21) 22	Swansea Town	3–0	Rochdale	Swansea
	Williams 7', 51' Biggs 58'	Report		Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 5703

Workington v Rochdale

26 December 1968 (1968 -12-26) 23	Workington	1–2	Rochdale	Workington
	Ogilvie	Report	Jenkins	Stadium: Borough Park Attendance: 2921

Rochdale v Grimsby Town

4 January 1969 (1969 -01-04) 24	Rochdale	6–1	Grimsby Town	Rochdale
	Melling 24' Jenkins 38' (pen.), 51', 67' Whitehead 62' Rudd 79'	Report	Ross 27' (pen.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2038

Bradford Park Avenue v Rochdale

11 January 1969 (1969 -01-11) 25	Bradford Park Avenue	1–4	Rochdale	Bradford
	Andrews 28'	Report	Whitehead 44' Melling 47', 60', 70'	Stadium: Park Avenue Attendance: 5453

Rochdale v Aldershot

18 January 1969 (1969 -01-18) 26	Rochdale	3–0	Aldershot	Rochdale
	Melling 32' Butler 39', 59' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3305

Lincoln City v Rochdale

1 February 1969 (1969 -02-01) 27	Lincoln City	0–0	Rochdale	Lincoln
		Report		Stadium: Sincil Bank Attendance: 8621

Newport County v Rochdale

10 February 1969 (1969 -02-10) 28	Newport County	1–1	Rochdale	Newport
	Wood	Report	Butler	Stadium: Somerton Park Attendance: 2607

Rochdale v Darlington

24 February 1969 (1969 -02-24) 29	Rochdale	2–0	Darlington	Rochdale
	Jenkins	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3815

Scunthorpe United v Rochdale

1 March 1969 (1969 -03-01) 30	Scunthorpe United	0–0	Rochdale	Scunthorpe
		Report		Stadium: Old Show Ground Attendance: 3102

Rochdale v Colchester United

8 March 1969 (1969 -03-08) 31	Rochdale	4–0	Colchester United	Rochdale
	Jenkins 52' Butler 75', 90' Buck 82'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4988

Rochdale v Lincoln City

10 March 1969 (1969 -03-10) 32	Rochdale	2–1	Lincoln City	Rochdale
	Butler 25' Buck 55'	Report	Lewis 44'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5803

Exeter City v Rochdale

15 March 1969 (1969 -03-15) 33	Exeter City	2–2	Rochdale	Exeter
	Mitten 40' Binney 85'	Report	Buck 26', 47'	Stadium: St James Park Attendance: 4061

Rochdale v Port Vale

22 March 1969 (1969 -03-22) 34	Rochdale	1–0	Port Vale	Rochdale
	Butler 82'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4860

Peterborough United v Rochdale

29 March 1969 (1969 -03-29) 35	Peterborough United	0–1	Rochdale	Peterborough
		Report	Buck 52' Melledew 89'	Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 4107

Rochdale v York City

5 April 1969 (1969 -04-05) 36	Rochdale	2–1	York City	Rochdale
	Smith 62' Buck 65'	Report	MacDougall 8'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6886 Referee: R Barker

Rochdale v Doncaster Rovers

7 April 1969 (1969 -04-07) 37	Rochdale	0–0	Doncaster Rovers	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 12647

Chester v Rochdale

8 April 1969 (1969 -04-08) 38	Chester	2–1	Rochdale	Chester
	Provan Dearden	Report	Melledew	Stadium: Sealand Road Attendance: 3820

Bradford City v Rochdale

12 April 1969 (1969 -04-12) 39	Bradford City	1–1	Rochdale	Bradford
	Ham 66'	Report	Ashworth 74'	Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 9449

Rochdale v Chester

14 April 1969 (1969 -04-14) 40	Rochdale	4–1	Chester	Rochdale
	Buck Butler Melledew	Report	Talbot	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4884

Rochdale v Chesterfield

19 April 1969 (1969 -04-19) 41	Rochdale	0–0	Chesterfield	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7600

Rochdale v Wrexham

23 April 1969 (1969 -04-23) 42	Rochdale	2–1	Wrexham	Rochdale
	Buck Butler (pen.)	Report	Purdie	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6635

Notts County v Rochdale

28 April 1969 (1969 -04-28) 43	Notts County	1–1	Rochdale	Nottingham
	Butlin	Report	Jenkins	Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 3678

Rochdale v Halifax Town

30 April 1969 (1969 -04-30) 44	Rochdale	1–0	Halifax Town	Rochdale
	Butler 30'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 12806

Halifax Town v Rochdale

8 May 1969 (1969 -05-08) 45	Halifax Town	1–0	Rochdale	Halifax
	Massie 76'	Report		Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 17186

Rochdale v Southend United

10 May 1969 (1969 -05-10) 46	Rochdale	3–0	Southend United	Rochdale
	Melledew 15' Jenkins 67' (pen.), 80'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 9095

F.A. Cup

Barnsley v Rochdale

16 November 1968 (1968 -11-16) 1	Barnsley	0–0	Rochdale	Barnsley
		Report		Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 11414

Rochdale v Barnsley

18 November 1968 (1968 -11-18) 1	Rochdale	0–1	Barnsley	Rochdale
		Report	Dean	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7340

League Cup

Workington v Rochdale

14 August 1968 (1968 -08-14) 1	Workington	2–1	Rochdale	Workington
	Tinnion Ogilvie	Report	Melledew	Stadium: Borough Park Attendance: 2558

Lancashire Cup

Oldham Athletic v Rochdale

22 October 1968 (1968 -10-22)	Oldham Athletic	1–1	Rochdale	Oldham
			Melledew	Stadium: Boundary Park

Rochdale v Oldham Athletic

28 October 1968 (1968 -10-28)	Rochdale	2–2	Oldham Athletic	Rochdale
	Melledew Hunter (o.g.)			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1977

Rochdale v Oldham Athletic

25 November 1968 (1968 -11-25)	Rochdale	0–1	Oldham Athletic	Rochdale
				Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2458

Rose Bowl

Oldham Athletic v Rochdale

2 August 1968 (1968 -08-02)	Oldham Athletic	2–1	Rochdale	Oldham
			Smith	Stadium: Boundary Park

^[1] ^[2]

References

^ Rochdale AFC: The Official History 1907–2001 by Steven Phillipps. ISBN 1874427097
^ "The English National Football Archive". Enfa.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2022. ^{[not specific enough to verify]}

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1968–69 in English football

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National teams

League competitions

Levels 1–4	Football League (First Division, Second Division, Third Division, Fourth Division)
Levels 5–6	Isthmian League (level 5 only) Northern Premier League (level 5 only) Southern League (Premier, One)
Levels 7–9	Athenian League (Premier, One, Two) Cheshire County League (level 7 only) Eastern Counties League (level 7 only) Hellenic League (Premier, One) Kent League (level 7 only) Lancashire Combination (level 7 only) Midland Football Combination (level 7 only) Midland League (level 7 only) Northern League (level 7 only) South Midlands League (Premier, One) Spartan League (level 7 only) Sussex County League (One, Two) United Counties League (One, Two) West Midlands (Regional) League (level 7 only) Western League (level 7 only) Yorkshire League (One, Two)

Cup competitions

FA cups	FA Cup (Qualifying rounds, Final) Charity Shield FA Amateur Cup
Football League cups	League Cup (Final)

European competitions

Club seasons
First Division	Arsenal Burnley Chelsea Coventry City Everton Ipswich Town Leeds United Leicester City Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Queens Park Rangers Sheffield Wednesday Southampton Stoke City Sunderland Tottenham Hotspur West Bromwich Albion West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers
Second Division	Aston Villa Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Blackpool Bolton Wanderers Bristol City Bury Cardiff City Carlisle United Charlton Athletic Crystal Palace Derby County Fulham Huddersfield Town Hull City Middlesbrough Millwall Norwich City Oxford United Portsmouth Preston North End Sheffield United
Third Division	Barnsley Barrow Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Brighton & Hove Albion Bristol Rovers Crewe Alexandra Gillingham Hartlepool United Leyton Orient Luton Town Mansfield Town Northampton Town Oldham Athletic Plymouth Argyle Reading Rotherham United Shrewsbury Town Southport Stockport County Swindon Town Torquay United Tranmere Rovers Walsall Watford
Fourth Division	Aldershot Bradford City Bradford Park Avenue Brentford Chester Chesterfield Colchester United Darlington Doncaster Rovers Exeter City Grimsby Town Halifax Town Lincoln City Newport County Notts County Peterborough United Port Vale Rochdale Scunthorpe United Southend United Swansea Town Workington Wrexham York City