2003–04 Rochdale A.F.C. season

The 2003–04 Rochdale A.F.C. season was the club's 83rd season in the Football League, and the 30th consecutive season in the fourth tier (League Division Three). Rochdale finished the season in 21st place.

Rochdale

2003–04 season
Chairman	David Kilpatrick
Manager	Alan Buckley/Steve Parkin
League Division Three	21st
FA Cup	Second Round
League Cup	First Round
Top goalscorer	League: Kevin Townson All: Kevin Townson

Statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		League Division 3		FA Cup		League Cup		League Trophy
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	WAL	Neil Edwards	37	0	34+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
2	DF	WAL	Wayne Evans	49	0	45+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
3	DF	ENG	Michael Simpkins	30	0	25+2	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
4	MF	IRL	Sean McClare	41	0	33+5	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
5	DF	WAL	Gareth Griffiths	35	1	29+4	1	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
6	DF	ENG	Daryl Burgess	38	0	33+2	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
7	MF	NZL	Leo Bertos	43	10	40+0	9	1+0	1	1+0	0	1+0	0
8	MF	ENG	Chris Beech	16	0	9+5	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
9	FW	ENG	Andy Bishop	11	1	8+2	1	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
9	FW	ENG	Grant Holt	14	3	14+0	3	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
9	MF	ENG	Chris Shuker	15	1	14+0	1	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
10	DF	ENG	Matt Doughty	35	0	25+6	0	1+1	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
11	MF	ENG	Ged Brannan	13	1	11+0	1	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
11	MF	ENG	Gary Jones	27	4	26+0	4	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
11	MF	ENG	Martin Pemberton	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
12	FW	GLP	Mickael Antoine-Curier	10	1	5+3	1	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
12	MF	ENG	Kevin Donovan	7	0	4+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
12	DF	ENG	Danny Livesey	13	0	11+2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
13	GK	SCO	Matt Gilks	14	0	12+0	0	0+1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
14	DF	ENG	Kevin Gibbins	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
14	MF	SWE	Kangana Ndiwa	1	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
15	MF	ENG	Robert Betts	6	2	4+1	2	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
15	DF	ENG	Shaun Smith	13	0	13+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
15	MF	ENG	Jeff Smith	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
16	DF	ENG	Greg Heald	10	1	10+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
16	MF	SCO	Craig Strachan	1	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
17	MF	NIR	Paddy McCourt	28	2	6+18	2	2+0	0	0+1	0	0+1	0
18	FW	NIR	Lee McEvilly	32	6	15+15	6	1+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
19	FW	ENG	Kevin Townson	37	12	17+16	10	1+1	1	0+1	1	1+0	0
20	DF	ENG	Lee Duffy	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
20	MF	IRL	Willo Flood	6	0	6+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
23	DF	ENG	Stephen Hill	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
26	DF	ENG	Simon Grand	21	0	11+6	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
27	FW	ENG	Paul Connor	26	6	21+3	6	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
28	FW	NIR	Rory Patterson	9	0	3+4	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
29	DF	ENG	Scott Warner	14	1	10+4	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
38	MF	ENG	Neil Redfearn	9	0	9+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

League Division Three

Rochdale v Yeovil Town

9 August  2003 (2003 -08-09) 1	Rochdale	1–3	Yeovil Town	Rochdale
	Grand   17 ' McClare   31 ' Shuker   37 ' Connor 45 '   45 ' Burgess   54 '	Report	Gall 26', 67 ' Johnson 55 ' Rodrigues   57 ' Gosling   62 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,611 Referee: Mark Warren

Bristol Rovers v Rochdale

16 August  2003 (2003 -08-16) 2	Bristol Rovers	0–0	Rochdale	Bristol
	Barrett  14'  45 ' Anderson   16 '	Report	Shuker   71 ' Grand   83 '	Stadium: Memorial Stadium Attendance: 7,575 Referee: Paul Taylor

Rochdale v Cambridge United

23 August  2003 (2003 -08-23) 3	Rochdale	2–2	Cambridge United	Rochdale
	Grand   37 ' Burgess   45 ' McEvilly 67' (pen.) Shuker  67 ' Connor 79 '	Report	Revell 32 ' Kitson 38 '   88 ' Walker   72 ' Tann   90 ' Angus   90 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,204 Referee: Kevin Friend

Torquay United v Rochdale

25 August  2003 (2003 -08-25) 4	Torquay United	1–3	Rochdale	Torquay
	Hockley  53'  74 ' Van Heusden   59 ' Graham 75 ' Fowler   79 ' Gritton   87 '	Report	Simpkins  43'  45 ' McEvilly 59' (pen.)   90 ' Betts 63', 78 '   64 ' Gilks   90 '	Stadium: Plainmoor Attendance: 3,003 Referee: Trevor Kettle

Rochdale v Darlington

30 August  2003 (2003 -08-30) 5	Rochdale	4–2	Darlington	Rochdale
	McEvilly 37' (pen.), 41 ' Connor 59 ' Bertos 65 '	Report	McGurk 30 ' Keltie   32 ' Pearson 43 ' Robson   60 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,518 Referee: Paul Robinson

York City v Rochdale

6 September  2003 (2003 -09-06) 6	York City	1–2	Rochdale	York
	Wise  70 ' Wilford 73 '	Report	Townson 15 ' Bertos 19 ' Simpkins   64 ' Connor   70 ' Griffiths   86 ' Betts   90 '	Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 3,982 Referee: Martin Atkinson

Carlisle United v Rochdale

13 September  2003 (2003 -09-13) 7	Carlisle United	3–2	Rochdale	Carlisle
	Simpson 10 ' Foran 17 ' McGill 22 ' Byrne   90 '	Report	McClare   48 ' Connor 76 ' Townson 79 '	Stadium: Brunton Park Attendance: 4,532 Referee: Mike Ryan

Rochdale v Huddersfield Town

16 September  2003 (2003 -09-16) 8	Rochdale	1–1	Huddersfield Town	Rochdale
	Connor 1 ' Townson   8 ' Brannan   75 ' Simpkins   86 ' Burgess   90 '	Report	Worthington 23 '   86 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,626 Referee: Howard Webb

Rochdale v Hull City

20 September  2003 (2003 -09-20) 9	Rochdale	0–2	Hull City	Rochdale
	Burgess   41 '	Report	Green 63 ' Burgess 67 ' Elliott   72 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,215 Referee: Alan Kaye

Lincoln City v Rochdale

27 September  2003 (2003 -09-27) 10	Lincoln City	1–1	Rochdale	Lincoln
	Mayo   15 ' Richardson 44 ' Futcher   90 '	Report	Burgess   23 ' Antoine-Curier 40 ' McEvilly   53 ' Bertos   87 '	Stadium: Sincil Bank Attendance: 4,141 Referee: Eddie Ilderton

Macclesfield Town v Rochdale

30 September  2003 (2003 -09-30) 11	Macclesfield Town	2–1	Rochdale	Macclesfield
	Welch   66 ' Burgess 67' (o.g.) Whitaker 74 '	Report	Evans   40 ' Shuker 51 ' Brannan   71 ' Simpkins   73 '	Stadium: Moss Rose Attendance: 2,152 Referee: Lee Probert

Rochdale v Scunthorpe United

4 October  2003 (2003 -10-04) 12	Rochdale	2–0	Scunthorpe United	Rochdale
	Bertos 82 ' Brannan 89' (pen.)	Report	Kell   38 ' Beagrie   39 ' Russell   88 ' Sparrow   90 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,838 Referee: Kevin Wright

Rochdale v Northampton Town

11 October  2003 (2003 -10-11) 13	Rochdale	1–1	Northampton Town	Rochdale
	Townson   69 ' 72 '	Report	Smith 51 ' Hargreaves   51 ' Burgess   87 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,710 Referee: Colin Webster

Cheltenham Town v Rochdale

18 October  2003 (2003 -10-18) 14	Cheltenham Town	0–2	Rochdale	Cheltenham
	Finnigan   49 ' McCann   90 '	Report	Townson 31 ' Bertos 85 '	Stadium: Whaddon Road Attendance: 3,105 Referee: Frazer Stretton

Doncaster Rovers v Rochdale

21 October  2003 (2003 -10-21) 15	Doncaster Rovers	2–1	Rochdale	Doncaster
	Tierney 2 ' Brown 75 ' Albrighton   81 '	Report	Townson 4 ' Burgess   53 ' Bertos   68 ' Simpkins   79 ' Evans   90 '	Stadium: Belle Vue Attendance: 5,890 Referee: Mike Thorpe

Rochdale v Swansea City

25 October  2003 (2003 -10-25) 16	Rochdale	0–1	Swansea City	Rochdale
	Simpkins   45 ' Burgess   51 '	Report	Wilson 16 ' Nardiello   54 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,646 Referee: Mike Pike

Leyton Orient v Rochdale

1 November  2003 (2003 -11-01) 17	Leyton Orient	2–1	Rochdale	London
	Lockwood 23' (pen.) Newey   32 ' Hunt   34 ' Alexander 88 '	Report	McEvilly   42 ' 59' (pen.) Burgess   47 ' Shuker   76 ' McCourt   87 '	Stadium: Brisbane Road Attendance: 3,623 Referee: Iain Williamson

Rochdale v Kidderminster Harriers

15 November  2003 (2003 -11-15) 18	Rochdale	0–1	Kidderminster Harriers	Rochdale
	Bertos   54 ' Griffiths   56 '	Report	Gadsby 35 ' Hatswell   54 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,498 Referee: Phil Prosser

Southend United v Rochdale

22 November  2003 (2003 -11-22) 19	Southend United	4–0	Rochdale	Southend
	Bramble 34', 36 '   58 ' Corbett 67' (pen.) Constantine 90 '	Report	Grand   59 ' Bertos   78 ' McClare   85 '	Stadium: Roots Hall Attendance: 3,169 Referee: Steve Tomlin

Rochdale v Oxford United

29 November  2003 (2003 -11-29) 20	Rochdale	1–2	Oxford United	Rochdale
	Jones 54 ' Simpkins   77 '	Report	Basham 30 ' Alsop 51 '   62 ' Whitehead   75 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,282 Referee: Mark Cooper

Bury v Rochdale

13 December  2003 (2003 -12-13) 21	Bury	1–2	Rochdale	Bury
	Dunfield 49 '	Report	Bishop 18 ' Evans   67 ' Simpkins   78 ' Townson 83 '	Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 3,646 Referee: Graham Laws

Rochdale v Boston United

20 December  2003 (2003 -12-20) 22	Rochdale	1–0	Boston United	Rochdale
	Griffiths 42 ' Townson   87 '	Report	Rusk   9 ' Boyd   36 ' Beevers   74 ' Weatherstone   82 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,049 Referee: Nigel Miller

Mansfield Town v Rochdale

26 December  2003 (2003 -12-26) 23	Mansfield Town	1–0	Rochdale	Mansfield
	Larkin 56 '	Report	Jones   42 ' Simpkins   90 '	Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 6,963 Referee: Paul Robinson

Rochdale v York City

28 December  2003 (2003 -12-28) 24	Rochdale	1–2	York City	Rochdale
	Simpkins   40 ' Evans   43 ' Townson 49' (pen.) Grand   61 ' Beech   65 '	Report	Edmondson   22 ' Nogan 28', 76 ' Smith   35 ' Shaw   90 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,764 Referee: Mike Ryan

Rochdale v Torquay United

3 January  2004 (2004 -01-03) 25	Rochdale	1–0	Torquay United	Rochdale
	McClare   29 ' Townson 36' (pen.)	Report	Hockley   49 ' Hill   53 ' Woods   82 ' Canoville   87 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,559 Referee: Martin Atkinson

Yeovil Town v Rochdale

10 January  2004 (2004 -01-10) 26	Yeovil Town	1–0	Rochdale	Yeovil
	Williams 13 '	Report	Burgess   49 ' McCourt   83 '	Stadium: Huish Park Attendance: 5,806 Referee: Lee Probert

Rochdale v Bristol Rovers

17 January  2004 (2004 -01-17) 27	Rochdale	2–2	Bristol Rovers	Rochdale
	McCourt 20 ' Townson 37 '	Report	Doughty 74' (o.g.) Agogo 83 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,497 Referee: Paul Danson

Cambridge United v Rochdale

24 January  2004 (2004 -01-24) 28	Cambridge United	0–0	Rochdale	Cambridge
	Murray   65 '	Report	Townson   32 '	Stadium: Abbey Stadium Attendance: 3,221 Referee: Richard Beeby

Darlington v Rochdale

31 January  2004 (2004 -01-31) 29	Darlington	1–0	Rochdale	Darlington
	Hughes 80 ' McGurk   90 '	Report	Holt   12 ' Simpkins   45 '	Stadium: The Darlington Arena Attendance: 5,689 Referee: Alan Butler

Rochdale v Mansfield Town

7 February  2004 (2004 -02-07) 30	Rochdale	3–0	Mansfield Town	Rochdale
	Jones 12' (pen.) Connor 27 ' McClare   33 ' Bertos 54 ' Burgess   58 '	Report	Pilkington   11 ' Lawrence   72 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3,157 Referee: Tony Bates

Northampton Town v Rochdale

14 February  2004 (2004 -02-14) 31	Northampton Town	3–1	Rochdale	Northampton
	Hargreaves   56 ' 69 ' Reid 80 ' Vieira 86 '	Report	Simpkins   25 ' Townson 32 ' Jones   61 ' Livesey   68 '	Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 4,540 Referee: Ray Olivier

Rochdale v Cheltenham Town

21 February  2004 (2004 -02-21) 32	Rochdale	0–0	Cheltenham Town	Rochdale
	Griffiths   35 '	Report	Duff   86 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,449 Referee: Trevor Parkes

Boston United v Rochdale

6 March  2004 (2004 -03-06) 33	Boston United	2–0	Rochdale	Boston
	Bennett   18 ' Ellender 20 ' Jones 76 ' Chapman   90 '	Report	Doughty   50 ' Smith   51 ' McClare   64 ' Livesey   75 ' Holt   90 '	Stadium: York Street Attendance: 2,466 Referee: Colin Webster

Swansea City v Rochdale

9 March  2004 (2004 -03-09) 34	Swansea City	1–1	Rochdale	Swansea
	Iriekpen   36 ' Maylett 78 ' Pritchard   88 '	Report	Bertos 26 '   76 '	Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 5,819 Referee: David Crick

Rochdale v Bury

13 March  2004 (2004 -03-13) 35	Rochdale	0–0	Bury	Rochdale
	Griffiths   22 '	Report	Woodthorpe   18 ' Challinor   26 ' Nugent   29 ' Duxbury   45 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,225 Referee: Alan Kaye

Huddersfield Town v Rochdale

16 March  2004 (2004 -03-16) 36	Huddersfield Town	1–1	Rochdale	Huddersfield
	Lloyd 49 ' Sodje   73 ' Holdsworth   80 ' Carss   82 '	Report	Bertos 39 ' Holt   45 '	Stadium: Kirklees Stadium Attendance: 10,884 Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Rochdale v Carlisle United

20 March  2004 (2004 -03-20) 37	Rochdale	2–0	Carlisle United	Rochdale
	Redfearn   3 ' Jones 34' (pen.) Holt 64 ' Bertos   77 '	Report	Boyd   18 ' Glennon   32 ' Gray   60 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,755 Referee: Brian Curson

Hull City v Rochdale

27 March  2004 (2004 -03-27) 38	Hull City	1–0	Rochdale	Hull
	Delaney 79 '	Report	Doughty   56 ' Heald   83 '	Stadium: KC Stadium Attendance: 16,050 Referee: Andre Marriner

Rochdale v Doncaster Rovers

30 March  2004 (2004 -03-30) 39	Rochdale	1–1	Doncaster Rovers	Rochdale
	Smith   25 ' Holt   31 ' Jones   65 ' Heald   70 ' McEvilly 73 '	Report	Ryan   72 ' Albrighton 90 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,601 Referee: Keith Hill

Rochdale v Lincoln City

3 April  2004 (2004 -04-03) 40	Rochdale	0–3	Lincoln City	Rochdale
	Jones   85 '	Report	Taylor-Fletcher 58', 67 ' Green   62 ' Yeo 66 ' Ellison   71 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,224 Referee: Scott Mathieson

Scunthorpe United v Rochdale

10 April  2004 (2004 -04-10) 41	Scunthorpe United	2–2	Rochdale	Scunthorpe
	MacLean 5 '   53 ' Butler 22 ' Sparrow   32 ' Torpey   36 ' Featherstone   40 ' Stanton   43 ' Barwick   85 '	Report	Bertos 3 '   90 ' Holt   22 ' Warner 24 ' Flood   63 ' Redfearn   64 ' Burgess   68 '	Stadium: Glanford Park Attendance: 3,564 Referee: Trevor Kettle

Rochdale v Macclesfield Town

12 April  2004 (2004 -04-12) 42	Rochdale	1–2	Macclesfield Town	Rochdale
	Heald 32 '   80 '	Report	Widdrington   52 ' Tipton 62', 82 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4,942 Referee: Mark Cowburn

Rochdale v Leyton Orient

17 April  2004 (2004 -04-17) 43	Rochdale	3–0	Leyton Orient	Rochdale
	Holt 23', 58 ' McCourt 90 '	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,417 Referee: George Cain

Kidderminster Harriers v Rochdale

24 April  2004 (2004 -04-24) 44	Kidderminster Harriers	0–1	Rochdale	Kidderminster
		Report	Bertos 38 ' Smith   82 '	Stadium: Aggborough Stadium Attendance: 3,580 Referee: Mike Pike

Rochdale v Southend United

1 May  2004 (2004 -05-01) 45	Rochdale	1–1	Southend United	Rochdale
	Jones 58 '	Report	Constantine 48 ' Bramble   62 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3,591 Referee: Phil Prosser

Oxford United v Rochdale

8 May  2004 (2004 -05-08) 46	Oxford United	2–0	Rochdale	Oxford
	Basham 33 ' Whitehead 39 '	Report		Stadium: Kassam Stadium Attendance: 5,134 Referee: Barry Knight

FA Cup

Bury v Rochdale

8 November  2003 (2003 -11-08) 1	Bury	1–2	Rochdale	Bury
	Connell   45 ' Singh   55 ' Porter 71 ' O'Neill   90 '	Report	Bertos 27 '   74 ' Townson 50 '   51 ' Brannan   58 '	Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 5,464 Referee: Mick Fletcher

Rochdale v Luton Town

6 December  2003 (2003 -12-06) 2	Rochdale	0–2	Luton Town	Rochdale
	Jones   27 ' Simpkins   65 '	Report	Robinson 20 '   31 ' Holmes   47 ' Mansell 77 '	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2,807 Referee: Andy Hall

League Cup

Stoke City v Rochdale

9 August  2003 (2003 -08-09) 1	Stoke City	2–1	Rochdale	Stoke
	Iwelumo 13 ' Goodfellow 90 '	Report	McClare   41 ' Shuker   67 ' Townson 76 '	Stadium: Britannia Stadium Attendance: 4,687 Referee: Scott Mathieson

League Trophy

Carlisle United v Rochdale

14 October  2003 (2003 -10-14) 1	Carlisle United	2–0	Rochdale	Carlisle
	Rundle 39 ' Wake 89 ' Andrews   90 '	Report	Simpkins   59 '	Stadium: Brunton Park Attendance: 1,828 Referee: Tony Leake