1970–71 Rochdale A.F.C. season

Rochdale
1970–71 season
Manager	Dick Conner
League Division Three	16th
FA Cup	4th Round
League Cup	2nd Round
Top goalscorer	League: Reg Jenkins; All: Reg Jenkins
	← 1969–70 1971–72 →

The 1970–71 season saw Rochdale compete for their second consecutive season in the Football League Third Division. The season also saw Rochdale win the Lancashire Cup for the first time since 1949.

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	Tony Godfrey	39	0	30+0	0	2+0	0	3+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Graham Smith	45	2	31+0	1	5+0	0	3+0	1	5+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Derek Ryder	60	0	44+0	0	5+0	0	3+0	0	7+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Hughen Riley	57	5	41+1	4	5+0	0	3+0	0	5+1	1	1+0	0
	DF	ENG	Colin Parry	46	0	35+0	0	5+0	0	1+0	0	4+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Joe Ashworth	53	2	38+0	0	5+0	1	3+0	0	6+0	1	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Norman Whitehead	61	6	45+0	4	5+0	0	3+0	1	7+0	1	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	Alf Arrowsmith	37	17	27+4	12	1+0	2	1+0	0	3+0	2	1+0	1
	FW	ENG	Reg Jenkins	42	19	28+2	13	1+0	0	3+0	2	7+0	4	1+0	0
	MF	SCO	Peter Gowans	44	6	31+2	5	1+0	0	3+0	1	6+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	ENG	Dennis Butler	39	10	29+1	8	3+0	1	1+0	0	3+1	1	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	David Cross	44	13	30+3	9	4+1	1	2+1	0	2+0	2	0+1	1
	DF	ENG	Paul Clarke	4	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
	DF	NIR	Ronnie Blair	47	2	33+3	1	2+1	1	2+0	0	6+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Bobby Downes	49	1	35+2	0	5+0	1	2+0	0	5+0	0	0+0	0
	GK	ENG	Dave Tennant	23	0	16+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	4+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	WAL	Dave Pearson	4	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	Tony Buck	12	3	4+3	1	3+0	2	0+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Vince Leech	4	0	3+1	0	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
14	Brighton & Hove Albion	46	14	16	16	50	47	1.064	44
15	Plymouth Argyle	46	12	19	15	63	63	1.000	43
16	Rochdale	46	14	15	17	61	68	0.897	43
17	Port Vale	46	15	12	19	52	59	0.881	42
18	Tranmere Rovers	46	10	22	14	45	55	0.818	42

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

Competitions

Football League Third Division

15 August 1970 (1970 -08-15) 1	Rochdale	1–1	Bristol Rovers	Rochdale
	Butler 36'	Report	Jarman 60'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4628

22 August 1970 (1970 -08-22) 2	Port Vale	4–1	Rochdale	Stoke-on-Trent
	James 16' Morris 26' McLaren 27', 89'	Report	Jenkins 73' (pen.)	Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 6196

29 August 1970 (1970 -08-29) 3	Rochdale	0–0	Bradford City	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5600

31 August 1970 (1970 -08-31) 4	Rochdale	1–0	Doncaster Rovers	Rochdale
	Robertson (o.g.)	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3551

4 September 1970 (1970 -09-04) 5	Torquay United	3–0	Rochdale	Torquay
	Welsh Jackson	Report		Stadium: Plainmoor Attendance: 6165

12 September 1970 (1970 -09-12) 6	Rochdale	1–2	Fulham	Rochdale
	Gowans 20'	Report	Barrett 9' Conway 70'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4429

19 September 1970 (1970 -09-19) 7	Rotherham United	5–1	Rochdale	Rotherham
	Watson 13', 70', 82' Fantham 29' Brogden 77'	Report	Butler 34'	Stadium: Millmoor Attendance: 6928

26 September 1970 (1970 -09-26) 8	Rochdale	1–2	Reading	Rochdale
	Jenkins 62'	Report	Cumming 41' (Pen.) Williams 86'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3840

3 October 1970 (1970 -10-03) 9	Mansfield Town	3–2	Rochdale	Mansfield
	Stenson 34', 65' Jones 89'	Report	Butler 75' Jenkins 90'	Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 7038 Referee: BJ Homewood

10 October 1970 (1970 -10-10) 10	Rochdale	1–1	Aston Villa	Rochdale
	Jenkins 23'	Report	Lochhead 10'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7537

17 October 1970 (1970 -10-17) 11	Bristol Rovers	2–2	Rochdale	Bristol
	Stubbs 37' Jones 45'	Report	Jenkins 81' Sheppard 85' (o.g.)	Stadium: Eastville Stadium Attendance: 11794 Referee: G Hartley

21 October 1970 (1970 -10-21) 12	Brighton & Hove Albion	1–1	Rochdale	Brighton and Hove
	O'Sullivan	Report	Arrowsmith	Stadium: Goldstone Ground Attendance: 7551

24 October 1970 (1970 -10-24) 13	Rochdale	1–0	Barnsley	Rochdale
	Arrowsmith 36'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5462 Referee: RB Lee

31 October 1970 (1970 -10-31) 14	Walsall	0–3	Rochdale	Walsall
		Report	Arrowsmith 17' Butler 45' Gowans 65'	Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 4667 Referee: L Callaghan

2 November 1970 (1970 -11-02) 15	Rochdale	1–1	Plymouth Argyle	Rochdale
	Whitehead	Report	Rickard	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5033

7 November 1970 (1970 -11-07) 16	Rochdale	4–1	Wrexham	Rochdale
	Smith 10' Gowans 37' Riley 78' Arrowsmith 87'	Report	Griffiths	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4591

10 November 1970 (1970 -11-10) 17	Rochdale	0–1	Gillingham	Rochdale
		Report	Watson	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3291

14 November 1970 (1970 -11-14) 18	Preston North End	3–1	Rochdale	Preston
	Wilson 20' Ham 40' Lyall 87'	Report	Whitehead 49'	Stadium: Deepdale Attendance: 13451

28 November 1970 (1970 -11-28) 19	Swansea Town	4–2	Rochdale	Swansea
	A. Williams 25' (pen.) Allchurch 40' H. Williams 47' Nurse 89'	Report	Cross 67' Whitehead 80'	Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 7178 Referee: KE Walker

5 December 1970 (1970 -12-05) 20	Rochdale	1–2	Shrewsbury Town	Rochdale
	Jenkins 83'	Report	Harkin 18' Andrews 88'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3217 Referee: ME Washer

19 December 1970 (1970 -12-19) 21	Rochdale	0–3	Port Vale	Rochdale
		Report	James 7' Summerscales 39' Morris 75'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3619 Referee: TP Gill

26 December 1970 (1970 -12-26) 22	Halifax Town	1–4	Rochdale	Halifax
	Brierley 18'	Report	Butler 35', 63', 69' Cross 37'	Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 5584 Referee: A Bone

9 January 1971 (1971 -01-09) 23	Plymouth Argyle	2–2	Rochdale	Plymouth
	Davey 69' Sullivan 90'	Report	Whitehead 48' Buck 53'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 6140

16 January 1971 (1971 -01-16) 24	Rochdale	3–3	Brighton & Hove Albion	Rochdale
	Riley 6', 23', 80'	Report	Wilkinson 4' Gilliver 21', 40'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4938 Referee: RE Raby

30 January 1971 (1971 -01-30) 25	Rochdale	0–0	Swansea Town	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3220

6 February 1971 (1971 -02-06) 26	Shrewsbury Town	0–2	Rochdale	Shrewsbury
		Report	Cross 1', 21'	Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 3759 Referee: R Capey

10 February 1971 (1971 -02-10) 27	Chesterfield	1–1	Rochdale	Chesterfield
	Cliff	Report	Arrowsmith	Stadium: Saltergate Recreation Ground Attendance: 10466

13 February 1971 (1971 -02-13) 28	Rochdale	2–0	Chesterfield	Rochdale
	Gowans 26' Arrowsmith 60'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3750

20 February 1971 (1971 -02-20) 29	Gillingham	0–0	Rochdale	Gillingham
		Report		Stadium: Priestfield Stadium Attendance: 3979 Referee: WS Castle

22 February 1971 (1971 -02-22) 30	Rochdale	2–0	Bury	Rochdale
	Arrowsmith	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 9088

27 February 1971 (1971 -02-27) 31	Rochdale	2–0	Walsall	Rochdale
	Jenkins 30' Arrowsmith 84'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4369 Referee: K Howley

6 March 1971 (1971 -03-06) 32	Barnsley	2–2	Rochdale	Barnsley
	Lea 17', 51'	Report	Arrowsmith 67' Gowans 89'	Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 4872

8 March 1971 (1971 -03-08) 33	Rochdale	0–0	Tranmere Rovers	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4498 Referee: JE Thacker

13 March 1971 (1971 -03-13) 34	Rochdale	1–2	Preston North End	Rochdale
	Cross 89'	Report	Heppolette 18' Ingram 57'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 10345

16 March 1971 (1971 -03-16) 35	Bury	0–2	Rochdale	Bury
		Report	Blair Arrowsmith	Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 8047

20 March 1971 (1971 -03-20) 36	Wrexham	3–1	Rochdale	Wrexham
	Provan 7', 56' Kinsey 39'	Report	Jenkins 16'	Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 4152 Referee: WB Johnson

27 March 1971 (1971 -03-27) 37	Rochdale	2–0	Tranmere Rovers	Rochdale
	Jenkins 44' Cross 53'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3704 Referee: RB Kirkpatrick

3 April 1971 (1971 -04-03) 38	Bradford City	3–0	Rochdale	Bradford
	Middleton 67', 69' Bannister 88'	Report		Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 4536

7 April 1971 (1971 -04-07) 39	Fulham	2–0	Rochdale	London
	Earle 53' Conway 76' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Craven Cottage Attendance: 10054

10 April 1971 (1971 -04-10) 40	Rochdale	0–3	Halifax Town	Rochdale
		Report	Rhodes 27' Lennard 34' Atkins 42'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5756

12 April 1971 (1971 -04-12) 41	Rochdale	1–1	Mansfield Town	Rochdale
	Arrowsmith	Report	Roberts	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3898

17 April 1971 (1971 -04-17) 42	Aston Villa	1–0	Rochdale	Aston
	Vowden 6'	Report		Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 18406 Referee: P Partridge

19 April 1971 (1971 -04-19) 43	Tranmere Rovers	0–2	Rochdale	Birkenhead
		Report	Jenkins 66', 73'	Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 3357

24 April 1971 (1971 -04-24) 44	Rochdale	4–3	Rotherham United	Rochdale
	Cross 44' Jenkins 63', 80' (pen.) Mielczarek 87' (o.g.)	Report	Blair 70' (o.g.) Gilbert 77' Swift 89'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3561

27 April 1971 (1971 -04-27) 45	Doncaster Rovers	1–2	Rochdale	Doncaster
	Kitchen	Report	Butler Cross	Stadium: Belle Vue Attendance: 2884

1 May 1971 (1971 -05-01) 46	Reading	1–1	Rochdale	Reading
	Wagstaff 82'	Report	Cross 66'	Stadium: Elm Park Attendance: 5746

F.A. Cup

21 November 1970 (1970 -11-21) 1	Rochdale	2–0	Oldham Athletic	Rochdale
	Arrowsmith 7', 50'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 13879 Referee: WB Johnson

12 December 1970 (1970 -12-12) 2	Darlington	0–2	Rochdale	Darlington
		Report	Blair 44' Downes 88'	Stadium: Feethams Attendance: 5595

11 January 1971 (1971 -01-11) 3	Rochdale	2–1	Coventry City	Rochdale
	Cross 39' Butler 80'	Report	Hunt 51'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 13011 Referee: JE Thacker

23 January 1971 (1971 -01-23) 4	Rochdale	3–3	Colchester United	Rochdale
	Ashworth 27' Buck 54', 61'	Report	Crawford 4' Lewis 85' Simmons 86'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 12321 Referee: R Capey

25 January 1971 (1971 -01-25) 4	Colchester United	5–0	Rochdale	Colchester
	Lewis 42' Simmons 44' Parry 50' (o.g.) Crawford 70' Mahon 76'	Report		Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 11205 Referee: R Capey

League Cup

19 August 1970 (1970 -08-19) 1	Rochdale	1–0	Southport	Rochdale
	Jenkins	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4057

9 September 1970 (1970 -09-09) 2	Crystal Palace	3–3	Rochdale	London
	Birchenall Jenkins (o.g.) Payne	Report	Jenkins Gowans Whitehead	Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 16265

14 September 1970 (1970 -09-14) 2	Rochdale	1–3	Crystal Palace	Rochdale
	Smith	Report	Taylor Scott Queen	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 8911

Lancashire Cup

16 September 1970 (1970 -09-16) 1	Burnley	1–1	Rochdale	Burnley
			Butler	Stadium: Turf Moor

23 September 1970 (1970 -09-23) 1	Rochdale	1–0	Burnley	Rochdale
	Jenkins			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1802

13 October 1970 (1970 -10-13) 2	Blackburn Rovers	0–2	Rochdale	Blackburn
			Arrowsmith	Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 561

3 February 1971 (1971 -02-03) 3	Rochdale	3–1	Everton	Rochdale
	Jenkins Riley			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1111

4 March 1971 (1971 -03-04) SF	Chorley	0–0	Rochdale	Chorley
				Stadium: Victory Park

29 March 1971 (1971 -03-29) SF	Rochdale	2–1	Chorley	Rochdale
	Jenkins Whitehead			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1410

3 May 1971 (1971 -05-03) F	Rochdale	3–2	Oldham Athletic	Rochdale
	Cross Ashworth			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7003

Rose Bowl

8 August 1970 (1970 -08-08)	Oldham Athletic	1–2	Rochdale	Oldham
			Arrowsmith Cross	Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 5078

^[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]}

[1] Rochdale AFC: The Official History 1907–2001 by Steven Phillipps. ISBN 1874427097

[2] "The English National Football Archive". Enfa.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2022. ^{[not specific enough to verify]}

[1]