1972–73 Rochdale A.F.C. season

The 1972–73 season saw Rochdale compete for their 4th consecutive season in the Football League Third Division.

Rochdale
1972–73 season
ManagerDick Conner
League Division Three13th
FA Cup1st Round
League Cup1st Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Malcolm Darling
Reg Jenkins

All: Malcolm Darling
Reg Jenkins

Statistics edit

No. Pos Nat Player Total Division 3 F.A. Cup League Cup Lancashire Cup Rose Bowl
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Gordon Morritt 33 0 31+0 0 0+0 0 2+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF   ENG Graham Smith 53 1 45+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0 4+0 1 1+0 0
MF   ENG Bobby Downes 34 1 27+2 1 0+0 0 2+0 0 2+0 0 1+0 0
MF   SCO Peter Gowans 52 6 44+0 6 1+0 0 2+0 0 4+0 0 0+1 0
DF   ENG Colin Blant 47 0 42+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
MF   SCO Len Kinsella 50 0 43+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0 3+0 0 1+0 0
MF   ENG Dennis Butler 5 0 3+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
FW   SCO Malcolm Darling 53 12 45+0 8 1+0 0 2+0 1 4+0 2 0+1 1
FW   ENG Jack Howarth 25 5 19+0 4 1+0 0 2+0 0 2+0 1 1+0 0
FW   ENG Reg Jenkins 31 11 22+3 8 1+0 1 2+0 0 2+0 2 1+0 0
MF   ENG Keith Bebbington 44 3 34+3 3 1+0 0 2+0 0 3+0 0 0+1 0
DF   ENG Arthur Marsh 43 0 36+1 0 0+0 0 0+1 0 4+0 0 1+0 0
MF   ENG Lee Brogden 31 3 26+2 3 1+0 0 0+0 0 1+1 0 0+0 0
FW   ENG Tony Buck 8 1 3+2 1 0+1 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
DF   ENG Dick Renwick 47 0 41+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 3+0 0 1+0 0
DF   ENG Barry Bradbury 6 0 4+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
GK   ENG Harry Wainman 10 0 9+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Jim Bowie 5 0 1+2 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 2+0 0 0+0 0
GK   ENG Rod Jones 9 0 6+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
MF   ENG Paul Fielding 1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   ENG Bill Atkins 22 7 21+0 7 0+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
MF   ENG Charlie Simpson 2 1 1+0 1 0+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
FW   ENG Leo Skeete 3 3 3+0 3 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   ENG Dave Hunt 3 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 2+1 0 0+0 0
GK   ENG Mike Poole 2 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 2+0 0 0+0 0

Final League Table edit

Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GAv Pts
11 Charlton Athletic 46 12 7 4 46 24 5 4 14 23 43 1.030 45
12 Wrexham 46 11 9 3 39 23 3 8 12 16 31 1.019 45
13 Rochdale 46 8 8 7 22 26 6 9 8 26 28 0.889 45
14 Southend United 46 13 6 4 40 14 4 4 15 21 40 1.130 44
15 Shrewsbury Town 46 10 10 3 31 21 5 4 14 15 33 0.852 44
Source: rsssf.com

Competitions edit

Football League Third Division edit

12 August  1972 (1972 -08-12) 1 Rochdale 0–0 Port Vale Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2661
19 August  1972 (1972 -08-19) 2 Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Rochdale Blackburn
Endean   56' Report Howarth   83' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 6172
26 August  1972 (1972 -08-26) 3 Rochdale 0–2 Charlton Athletic Rochdale
Report Horsfield   7'
Peacock   75'
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2584
28 August  1972 (1972 -08-28) 4 Southend United 1–2 Rochdale Southend-on-Sea
Moore   90' Report Jenkins   11'
Howarth   30'
Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 8862
2 September  1972 (1972 -09-02) 5 Swansea City 2–3 Rochdale Swansea
Williams   20'
Evans   79'
Report Jenkins   48'
Gowans   69'
Howarth   80'
Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 2457
9 September  1972 (1972 -09-09) 6 Rochdale 1–1 Tranmere Rovers Rochdale
Jenkins   25' Report Crossley   28' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2326
16 September  1972 (1972 -09-16) 7 Notts County 2–2 Rochdale Nottingham
Needham   36'
Nixon   88'
Report Brogden   48'
Gowans   74'
Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 7991
Referee: AP Oliver
19 September  1972 (1972 -09-19) 8 Scunthorpe United 1–2 Rochdale Scunthorpe
McDonald   Report Darling    Stadium: Old Show Ground
Attendance: 3710
23 September  1972 (1972 -09-23) 9 Rochdale 1–0 Wrexham Rochdale
Brogden   88' Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3412
25 September  1972 (1972 -09-25) 10 Rochdale 2–1 Walsall Rochdale
Brogden  
Bebbington  
Report Morris   Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4749
Referee: H Davey
30 September  1972 (1972 -09-30) 11 Grimsby Town 1–0 Rochdale Cleethorpes
Worthington   65' Report Stadium: Blundell Park
Attendance: 12173
7 October  1972 (1972 -10-07) 12 Rochdale 1–0 Watford Rochdale
Franks   64' (o.g.) Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3871
9 October  1972 (1972 -10-09) 13 Rochdale 0–0 Halifax Town Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 5425
14 October  1972 (1972 -10-14) 14 Shrewsbury Town 3–2 Rochdale Shrewsbury
Hughes   20'
Bridgwood   49'
Blant   88' (o.g.)
Report Darling   21'
Jenkins   51' (pen.)
Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 2502
21 October  1972 (1972 -10-21) 15 Rochdale 2–2 Bolton Wanderers Rochdale
Gowans   28'
Jenkins   47'
Report Byrom   44'
Nicholson   78'
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 7168
Referee: DW Smith
24 October  1972 (1972 -10-24) 16 Bournemouth 4–2 Rochdale Bournemouth
Boyer   
Gabriel  
Machin  
Report Bebbington  
Gowans  
Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 11741
28 October  1972 (1972 -10-28) 17 Brentford 1–0 Rochdale Brentford
Docherty   5' Report Stadium: Griffin Park
Attendance: 9201
4 November  1972 (1972 -11-04) 18 Walsall 0–2 Rochdale Walsall
Report Howarth   84'
Jenkins   86'
Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 5682
Referee: KE Walker
11 November  1972 (1972 -11-11) 19 Rochdale 0–2 Scunthorpe United Rochdale
Report Heath   21'
Kirk   58'
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2551
25 November  1972 (1972 -11-25) 20 Rochdale 1–2 Chesterfield Rochdale
Buck   84' Report Large   41'
Smith   48' (o.g.)
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1982
2 December  1972 (1972 -12-02) 21 Rotherham United 0–0 Rochdale Rotherham
Report Stadium: Millmoor
Attendance: 4590
9 December  1972 (1972 -12-09) 22 Rochdale 0–0 Bristol Rovers Rochdale
Report Taylor   79' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1792
23 December  1972 (1972 -12-23) 23 Rochdale 0–0 Oldham Athletic Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 6702
26 December  1972 (1972 -12-26) 24 Wrexham 3–3 Rochdale Wrexham
Ashcroft   49', 64'
May   58'
Report Atkins   23', 42'
Darling   39'
Stadium: Racecourse Ground
Attendance: 3958
30 December  1972 (1972 -12-30) 25 Rochdale 0–1 Blackburn Rovers Rochdale
Report Field   28' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 5116
6 January  1973 (1973 -01-06) 26 Charlton Athletic 1–0 Rochdale London
Horsfield   38' Report Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 5048
29 January  1973 (1973 -01-29) 27 Rochdale 1–0 Bournemouth Rochdale
Darling   Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3575
3 February  1973 (1973 -02-03) 28 Halifax Town 0–0 Rochdale Halifax
Report Stadium: The Shay
Attendance: 2422
6 February  1973 (1973 -02-06) 29 Tranmere Rovers 0–1 Rochdale Birkenhead
Report Atkins   Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 8329
10 February  1973 (1973 -02-10) 30 Rochdale 4–1 Notts County Rochdale
Jenkins   33', 88'
Downes   43'
Brindley   76' (o.g.)
Report Nixon   32' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3092
24 February  1973 (1973 -02-24) 31 Rochdale 0–6 Plymouth Argyle Rochdale
Report Rickard   23', 54 '
Welsh   26', 75'
Provan   31' (pen.)
Latcham   66'
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2622
2 March  1973 (1973 -03-02) 32 Watford 0–0 Rochdale Watford
Report Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5338
6 March  1973 (1973 -03-06) 33 Bristol Rovers 0–0 Rochdale Bristol
Report Stadium: Eastville Stadium
Attendance: 11767
10 March  1973 (1973 -03-10) 34 Rochdale 1–1 Shrewsbury Town Rochdale
Darling   16' Report Calloway   73' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2195
12 March  1973 (1973 -03-12) 35 Rochdale 1–1 Swansea City Rochdale
Darling   81' Report Gwyther   79' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2037
17 March  1973 (1973 -03-17) 36 Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Rochdale Bolton
Byrom   51'
Jones   68'
Report Atkins   6' Stadium: Burnden Park
Attendance: 18154
Referee: R Tinkler
19 March  1973 (1973 -03-19) 37 Rochdale 1–0 York City Rochdale
Bebbington   Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2100
24 March  1973 (1973 -03-24) 38 Rochdale 0–1 Brentford Rochdale
Report Allen   35' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1747
31 March  1973 (1973 -03-31) 39 Chesterfield 2–1 Rochdale Chesterfield
Sinclair   44'
Large   87'
Report Simpson   13' Stadium: Saltergate Recreation Ground
Attendance: 3576
7 April  1973 (1973 -04-07) 40 Rochdale 0–1 Rotherham United Rochdale
Report Mullen   20' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1588
9 April  1973 (1973 -04-09) 41 Port Vale 0–0 Rochdale Stoke-on-Trent
Report Stadium: Vale Park
Attendance: 6413
14 April  1973 (1973 -04-14) 42 York City 1–2 Rochdale York
Stone   1' Report Gowans   51'
Atkins   54'
Stadium: Bootham Crescent
Attendance: 2387
20 April  1973 (1973 -04-20) 43 Oldham Athletic 0–0 Rochdale Oldham
Report Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 9829
23 April  1973 (1973 -04-23) 44 Rochdale 3–2 Grimsby Town Rochdale
Wigginton   (o.g.)
Atkins  
Skeete  
Report Hubbard  
Brace  
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1911
28 April  1973 (1973 -04-28) 45 Rochdale 3–2 Southend United Rochdale
Darling   67'
Skeete   78'
Atkins   87'
Report Best   26'
Johnson   88'
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2081
Referee: R Capey
1 May  1973 (1973 -05-01) 46 Plymouth Argyle 3–2 Rochdale Plymouth
Hague   
Hore  
Report Skeete  
Gowans  
Stadium: Home Park
Attendance: 9917

F.A. Cup edit

18 November  1972 (1972 -11-18) 1 Rochdale 1–2 Bangor City Rochdale
Jenkins   33' (pen.) Report Brodie  
Marsden  
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3181

League Cup edit

16 August  1972 (1972 -08-16) 1 Blackburn Rovers 0–1 Rochdale Blackburn
Report Darling   67' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 6292
6 September  1972 (1972 -09-06) 2 Manchester City 4–0 Rochdale Manchester
Marsh   
Lee  
Bell  
Report Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 17222

Lancashire Cup edit

16 October  1972 (1972 -10-16) 2 Rochdale 1–1 Manchester City Rochdale
Smith     Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1521
8 November  1972 (1972 -11-08) 2 Manchester City 2–4 Rochdale Manchester
 
 
Howarth  
Darling  
Jenkins   
Stadium: Maine Road
13 December  1972 (1972 -12-13) 3 Rochdale 0–0 Bury Rochdale
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
13 January  1973 (1973 -01-13) 3 Bury 5–1 Rochdale Bury
 
 
 
 
 
Darling   Stadium: Gigg Lane

Rose Bowl edit

28 July  1972 (1972 -07-28) Rochdale 1–2 Oldham Athletic Rochdale
Darling    
 
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2973

[1] [2]

References edit

  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]