1971–72 Rochdale A.F.C. season

Rochdale 1971–72 football season

Rochdale
1971–72 season
Manager	Dick Conner
League Division Three	18th
FA Cup	1st Round
League Cup	1st Round
Top goalscorer	League: Peter Gowans All: David Cross
← 1970–71 1972–73 →

The 1971–72 season saw Rochdale compete for their 3rd consecutive season in the Football League Third Division.

Statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division 3		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	Rod Jones	11	0	5+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0	3+0	0	0+1	0
	DF	NIR	Ronnie Blair	38	1	29+1	1	1+0	0	3+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Derek Ryder	40	0	32+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Graham Smith	52	0	44+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Colin Parry	36	1	28+2	1	1+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Joe Ashworth	16	1	12+0	1	0+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	Tony Buck	34	5	24+3	4	1+0	0	1+1	0	3+0	1	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	Reg Jenkins	27	8	20+0	6	1+0	0	3+0	0	2+0	2	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	David Cross	14	10	10+0	8	0+0	0	3+0	2	0+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Bobby Downes	41	1	35+1	1	0+0	0	3+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Dennis Butler	22	0	17+1	0	0+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
	MF	SCO	Peter Gowans	42	10	36+2	9	0+1	0	0+0	0	3+0	1	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Norman Whitehead	35	4	27+0	4	1+0	0	3+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Paul Clarke	6	0	5+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	GK	ENG	Tony Godfrey	44	0	41+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Hughen Riley	6	0	2+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	SCO	Len Kinsella	39	3	32+3	3	1+0	0	0+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	Alf Arrowsmith	18	4	13+2	2	1+0	1	0+0	0	1+1	1	0+0	0
	FW	SCO	Malcolm Darling	36	6	30+4	6	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Arthur Marsh	28	0	28+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	Jack Howarth	21	8	21+0	8	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Lee Brogden	16	1	15+1	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

Final League Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
16	Wrexham	46	16	8	22	59	63	0.937	40	Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
17	Halifax Town	46	13	12	21	48	61	0.787	38
18	Rochdale	46	12	13	21	57	83	0.687	37
19	York City	46	12	12	22	57	66	0.864	36
20	Tranmere Rovers	46	10	16	20	50	71	0.704	36

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Competitions

Football League Third Division

Notts County v Rochdale

14 August 1971 (1971 -08-14) 1	Notts County	4–0	Rochdale	Nottingham
	Mansley 6' Masson 18' Stubbs 32' Hateley 40'	Report	Ashworth 71'	Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 10879

Rochdale v Mansfield Town

21 August 1971 (1971 -08-21) 2	Rochdale	2–1	Mansfield Town	Rochdale
	Cross 1' Jenkins 61'	Report	Ryder 12' (o.g.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3554

Aston Villa v Rochdale

28 August 1971 (1971 -08-28) 3	Aston Villa	2–0	Rochdale	Aston
	Lochhead 8' Graydon 40'	Report		Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 24280

Rochdale v Tranmere Rovers

3 September 1971 (1971 -09-03) 4	Rochdale	2–1	Tranmere Rovers	Rochdale
	Cross (pen.) Ashworth	Report	Beamish	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3691 Referee: H Williams

Bournemouth v Rochdale

11 September 1971 (1971 -09-11) 5	Bournemouth	4–1	Rochdale	Bournemouth
	Boyer 33' MacDougall 38', 48' (pen.), 74'	Report	Cross 70'	Stadium: Dean Court Attendance: 8856

Torquay United v Rochdale

13 September 1971 (1971 -09-13) 6	Torquay United	1–1	Rochdale	Torquay
	Welsh	Report	Cross	Stadium: Plainmoor Attendance: 8885

Rochdale v Oldham Athletic

18 September 1971 (1971 -09-18) 7	Rochdale	1–1	Oldham Athletic	Rochdale
	Gowans 23'	Report	Fryatt 37'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 10926

Barnsley v Rochdale

25 September 1971 (1971 -09-25) 8	Barnsley	3–3	Rochdale	Barnsley
	Seal 58' Millar 67' Waddell 85'	Report	Jenkins 24', 82' Cross 55'	Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 5805

Rochdale v Plymouth Argyle

27 September 1971 (1971 -09-27) 9	Rochdale	3–2	Plymouth Argyle	Rochdale
	Kinsella Cross Davey (o.g.)	Report	Hutchins Hinch	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4519 Referee: V James

Rochdale v Torquay United

2 October 1971 (1971 -10-02) 10	Rochdale	5–0	Torquay United	Rochdale
	Cross 31', 82' (pen.) Arrowsmith 37' Gowans 67' Whitehead 72'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4551

Blackburn Rovers v Rochdale

9 October 1971 (1971 -10-09) 11	Blackburn Rovers	3–0	Rochdale	Blackburn
	Shanahan 8', 42' McDonald 20'	Report		Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 8492

Rochdale v Notts County

16 October 1971 (1971 -10-16) 12	Rochdale	1–1	Notts County	Rochdale
	Darling 57'	Report	Bradd 77'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4848

Halifax Town v Rochdale

19 October 1971 (1971 -10-19) 13	Halifax Town	2–2	Rochdale	Halifax
	Brierley 30' Farley 50' Robertson 81'	Report	Kinsella 61', 71'	Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 3288

Rochdale v Bristol Rovers

23 October 1971 (1971 -10-23) 14	Rochdale	3–1	Bristol Rovers	Rochdale
	Whitehead 29' Downes 33' Buck 52'	Report	Stephens 76'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4753

Swansea City v Rochdale

30 October 1971 (1971 -10-30) 15	Swansea City	1–0	Rochdale	Swansea
	Gwyther 5'	Report		Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 7743

Rochdale v Chesterfield

6 November 1971 (1971 -11-06) 16	Rochdale	0–2	Chesterfield	Rochdale
		Report	Wilson 12', 33'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4818

Wrexham v Rochdale

13 November 1971 (1971 -11-13) 17	Wrexham	1–3	Rochdale	Wrexham
	Tinnion 70'	Report	Whitehead 10' Buck 63', 89'	Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 7749

Walsall v Rochdale

26 November 1971 (1971 -11-26) 18	Walsall	3–0	Rochdale	Walsall
	Woodward Jones Wright	Report		Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 3575 Referee: J Hunting

Rochdale v Rotherham United

4 December 1971 (1971 -12-04) 19	Rochdale	2–1	Rotherham United	Rochdale
	Jenkins 16' Gowans 70'	Report	Bentley 1'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3384

Tranmere Rovers v Rochdale

17 December 1971 (1971 -12-17) 20	Tranmere Rovers	2–0	Rochdale	Birkenhead
	Russell Beamish	Report		Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 2800

Rochdale v Bradford City

27 December 1971 (1971 -12-27) 21	Rochdale	0–1	Bradford City	Rochdale
		Report	Hall	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4722

Oldham Athletic v Rochdale

1 January 1972 (1972 -01-01) 22	Oldham Athletic	3–2	Rochdale	Oldham
	Shaw 2' McNeill 50' Robins 82'	Report	Gowans 44', 89'	Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 8885

Rochdale v Aston Villa

8 January 1972 (1972 -01-08) 23	Rochdale	1–0	Aston Villa	Rochdale
	Whitehead 65' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5874

Plymouth Argyle v Rochdale

22 January 1972 (1972 -01-22) 24	Plymouth Argyle	4–1	Rochdale	Plymouth
	Hinch 6' Rickard 55', 67' Hutchins 83'	Report	Darling 70'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 9187

Rochdale v Halifax Town

29 January 1972 (1972 -01-29) 25	Rochdale	3–2	Halifax Town	Rochdale
	Parry 22' Howarth 68', 89'	Report	Atkins 32' Wallace 79'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3124

Rochdale v Shrewsbury Town

5 February 1972 (1972 -02-05) 26	Rochdale	0–0	Shrewsbury Town	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3502

Bristol Rovers v Rochdale

12 February 1972 (1972 -02-12) 27	Bristol Rovers	5–2	Rochdale	Bristol
	Stephens 34' Bannister 38', 47' Jones 65' Prince 86'	Report	Darling 23', 63'	Stadium: Eastville Stadium Attendance: 7344

Rochdale v Swansea Town

19 February 1972 (1972 -02-19) 28	Rochdale	1–1	Swansea Town	Rochdale
	Arrowsmith 81'	Report	Slattery 21'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3097 Referee: V James

Chesterfield v Rochdale

26 February 1972 (1972 -02-26) 29	Chesterfield	2–0	Rochdale	Chesterfield
	Randall 77' Wilson 89'	Report		Stadium: Saltergate Recreation Ground Attendance: 6599

Rochdale v Wrexham

4 March 1972 (1972 -03-04) 30	Rochdale	1–0	Wrexham	Rochdale
	Davies 21' (o.g.)	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2643 Referee: NP Paget

Rochdale v Blackburn Rovers

11 March 1972 (1972 -03-11) 31	Rochdale	2–1	Blackburn Rovers	Rochdale
	Howarth 8' Gowans 35'	Report	Field 24'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6542

Rochdale v Port Vale

13 March 1972 (1972 -03-13) 32	Rochdale	3–2	Port Vale	Rochdale
	Howarth Gowans	Report	James Parry (o.g.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3157

Mansfield Town v Rochdale

18 March 1972 (1972 -03-18) 33	Mansfield Town	3–1	Rochdale	Mansfield
	Fairbrother 15' Wignall 73' Saunders 83'	Report	Darling 53'	Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 5121

York City v Rochdale

20 March 1972 (1972 -03-20) 34	York City	2–0	Rochdale	York
	Swallow Calloway	Report		Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 4539

Rochdale v Bournemouth

25 March 1972 (1972 -03-25) 35	Rochdale	1–1	Bournemouth	Rochdale
	Howarth 63'	Report	MacDougall 33'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4437

Bradford City v Rochdale

1 April 1972 (1972 -04-01) 36	Bradford City	1–1	Rochdale	Bradford
	O'Neill 90'	Report	Brogden 17'	Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 4889

Rochdale v Barnsley

3 April 1972 (1972 -04-03) 37	Rochdale	0–2	Barnsley	Rochdale
		Report	Mahoney Seal	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3848 Referee: RB Lee

Shrewsbury Town v Rochdale

8 April 1972 (1972 -04-08) 38	Shrewsbury Town	2–1	Rochdale	Shrewsbury
	Wood 23' Andrews 36'	Report	Blair 43'	Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 2539

Bolton Wanderers v Rochdale

12 April 1972 (1972 -04-12) 39	Bolton Wanderers	2–1	Rochdale	Bolton
	Byrom Jones	Report	Howarth	Stadium: Burnden Park Attendance: 6057 Referee: WS Castle

Rochdale v Walsall

15 April 1972 (1972 -04-15) 40	Rochdale	0–0	Walsall	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3027 Referee: H Williams

Rochdale v York City

17 April 1972 (1972 -04-17) 41	Rochdale	1–2	York City	Rochdale
	Buck	Report	Burrows Henderson	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2776

Rotherham United v Rochdale

22 April 1972 (1972 -04-22) 42	Rotherham United	5–1	Rochdale	Rotherham
	Gilbert 33', 69' Swift 51' Mielczarek 67' Ham 90'	Report	Gowans 23'	Stadium: Millmoor Attendance: 4569

Rochdale v Bolton Wanderers

24 April 1972 (1972 -04-24) 43	Rochdale	2–2	Bolton Wanderers	Rochdale
	Howarth Darling	Report	Jones Phillips	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4826 Referee: JD Williams

Rochdale v Brighton & Hove Albion

29 April 1972 (1972 -04-29) 44	Rochdale	1–2	Brighton & Hove Albion	Rochdale
	Jenkins 81' (pen.)	Report	Napier 49' Beamish 89'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4283 Referee: P Baldwin

Brighton & Hove Albion v Rochdale

3 May 1972 (1972 -05-03) 45	Brighton & Hove Albion	1–1	Rochdale	Brighton and Hove
	Templeman	Report	Gowans	Stadium: Goldstone Ground Attendance: 34644

Port Vale v Rochdale

12 May 1972 (1972 -05-12) 46	Port Vale	1–1	Rochdale	Stoke-on-Trent
	Horton (pen.)	Report	Jenkins (pen.)	Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 2475

F.A. Cup

Rochdale v Barnsley

20 November 1971 (1971 -11-20) 1	Rochdale	1–3	Barnsley	Rochdale
	Arrowsmith 20'	Report	Winstanley 27', 55' Seal 81'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5185

League Cup

Halifax Town v Rochdale

18 August 1971 (1971 -08-18) 1	Halifax Town	1–1	Rochdale	Halifax
	Lennard 17'	Report	Rhodes 31' (o.g.)	Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 5195

Rochdale v Halifax Town

24 August 1971 (1971 -08-24) 1	Rochdale	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Halifax Town	Rochdale
	Cross 74', 82 '	Report	Chadwick 25' Atkins 50'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6016

Rochdale v Halifax Town

31 August 1971 (1971 -08-31) 1	Rochdale	0–2	Halifax Town	Rochdale
		Report	Wallace 85' Brierley 89'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5718

Lancashire Cup

Rochdale v Blackpool

13 October 1971 (1971 -10-13)	Rochdale	3–0	Blackpool	Rochdale
	Gowans Buck Arrowsmith			Stadium: Spotland Stadium

Rochdale v Manchester United

6 December 1971 (1971 -12-06)	Rochdale	1–1	Manchester United	Rochdale
	Jenkins			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3764

Manchester United v Rochdale

22 December 1971 (1971 -12-22)	Manchester United	4–1	Rochdale	Manchester
			Jenkins	Stadium: Old Trafford

Rose Bowl

Oldham Athletic v Rochdale

31 July 1971 (1971 -07-31)	Oldham Athletic	4–0	Rochdale	Oldham
				Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 4946

^[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]}

v t e Rochdale A.F.C. seasons
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2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
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1971–72 in English football

« 1970–71

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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 North, One South)
Levels 7–9	Athenian League (Premier, One, Two) Cheshire County League (level 7 only) Eastern Counties League (level 7 only) Essex Senior League (level 7 only) Hellenic League (Premier, One A, One B) 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, Three) West Midlands (Regional) League (level 7 only) Western League (level 7 only) Yorkshire League (One, Two, Three)

Cup competitions

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

European competitions

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