1968–69 Rochdale A.F.C. season

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.

Rochdale
1968–69 season
ManagerBob Stokoe
Len Richley
League Division Four3rd
FA Cup1st Round
League Cup1st Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Dennis Butler
All: Dennis Butler

Statistics

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Division 4 F.A. Cup League Cup Lancashire Cup Rose Bowl
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

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Pos Team 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

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Football League Fourth Division

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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
17 August  1968 (1968 -08-17) 2 Colchester United 0–0 Rochdale Colchester
Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 3969
24 August  1968 (1968 -08-24) 3 Rochdale 1–1 Exeter City Rochdale
Melledew   70' Report Mitten   55' (pen.) Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3225
26 August  1968 (1968 -08-26) 4 Brentford 1–1 Rochdale Brentford
Deakin   16' Report Melledew   70' Stadium: Griffin Park
Attendance: 9149
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
7 September  1968 (1968 -09-07) 6 Rochdale 1–1 Peterborough United Rochdale
Melledew   43' Report Hall   66' Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4030
14 September  1968 (1968 -09-14) 7 Chesterfield 1–1 Rochdale Chesterfield
Hollett   58' Report Melledew   80' Stadium: Saltergate Recreation Ground
Attendance: 5903
17 September  1968 (1968 -09-17) 8 Doncaster Rovers 2–0 Rochdale Doncaster
Johnson  
Gilfillan  
Report Stadium: Belle Vue
Attendance: 12183
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
28 September  1968 (1968 -09-28) 10 York City 0–0 Rochdale York
Report Stadium: Bootham Crescent
Attendance: 3509
5 October  1968 (1968 -10-05) 11 Rochdale 0–0 Workington Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4535
7 October  1968 (1968 -10-07) 12 Rochdale 0–0 Brentford Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 5181
12 October  1968 (1968 -10-12) 13 Darlington 0–0 Rochdale Darlington
Report Stadium: Feethams
Attendance: 7113
19 October  1968 (1968 -10-19) 14 Rochdale 0–1 Swansea Town Rochdale
Report Gwyther   53' (pen.) Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4771
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
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
4 November  1968 (1968 -11-04) 17 Rochdale 0–1 Newport County Rochdale
Report Hill   Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4223
9 November  1968 (1968 -11-09) 18 Aldershot 0–0 Rochdale Aldershot
Report Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 5185
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
30 November  1968 (1968 -11-30) 20 Rochdale 0–0 Notts County Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2673
7 December  1968 (1968 -12-07) 21 Grimsby Town 2–0 Rochdale Cleethorpes
Walker   22', 81' Report Stadium: Blundell Park
Attendance: 2714
21 December  1968 (1968 -12-21) 22 Swansea Town 3–0 Rochdale Swansea
Williams   7', 51'
Biggs   58'
Report Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 5703
26 December  1968 (1968 -12-26) 23 Workington 1–2 Rochdale Workington
Ogilvie   Report Jenkins    Stadium: Borough Park
Attendance: 2921
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
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
18 January  1969 (1969 -01-18) 26 Rochdale 3–0 Aldershot Rochdale
Melling   32'
Butler   39', 59' (pen.)
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3305
1 February  1969 (1969 -02-01) 27 Lincoln City 0–0 Rochdale Lincoln
Report Stadium: Sincil Bank
Attendance: 8621
10 February  1969 (1969 -02-10) 28 Newport County 1–1 Rochdale Newport
Wood   Report Butler   Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 2607
24 February  1969 (1969 -02-24) 29 Rochdale 2–0 Darlington Rochdale
Jenkins    Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 3815
1 March  1969 (1969 -03-01) 30 Scunthorpe United 0–0 Rochdale Scunthorpe
Report Stadium: Old Show Ground
Attendance: 3102
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
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
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
22 March  1969 (1969 -03-22) 34 Rochdale 1–0 Port Vale Rochdale
Butler   82' Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4860
29 March  1969 (1969 -03-29) 35 Peterborough United 0–1 Rochdale Peterborough
Report Buck   52'
Melledew   89'
Stadium: London Road Stadium
Attendance: 4107
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
7 April  1969 (1969 -04-07) 37 Rochdale 0–0 Doncaster Rovers Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 12647
8 April  1969 (1969 -04-08) 38 Chester 2–1 Rochdale Chester
Provan  
Dearden  
Report Melledew   Stadium: Sealand Road
Attendance: 3820
12 April  1969 (1969 -04-12) 39 Bradford City 1–1 Rochdale Bradford
Ham   66' Report Ashworth   74' Stadium: Valley Parade
Attendance: 9449
14 April  1969 (1969 -04-14) 40 Rochdale 4–1 Chester Rochdale
Buck  
Butler   
Melledew  
Report Talbot   Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 4884
19 April  1969 (1969 -04-19) 41 Rochdale 0–0 Chesterfield Rochdale
Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 7600
23 April  1969 (1969 -04-23) 42 Rochdale 2–1 Wrexham Rochdale
Buck  
Butler   (pen.)
Report Purdie   Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 6635
28 April  1969 (1969 -04-28) 43 Notts County 1–1 Rochdale Nottingham
Butlin   Report Jenkins   Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 3678
30 April  1969 (1969 -04-30) 44 Rochdale 1–0 Halifax Town Rochdale
Butler   30' Report Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 12806
8 May  1969 (1969 -05-08) 45 Halifax Town 1–0 Rochdale Halifax
Massie   76' Report Stadium: The Shay
Attendance: 17186
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

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16 November  1968 (1968 -11-16) 1 Barnsley 0–0 Rochdale Barnsley
Report Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 11414
18 November  1968 (1968 -11-18) 1 Rochdale 0–1 Barnsley Rochdale
Report Dean   Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 7340

League Cup

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

Lancashire Cup

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22 October  1968 (1968 -10-22) Oldham Athletic 1–1 Rochdale Oldham
  Melledew   Stadium: Boundary Park
28 October  1968 (1968 -10-28) Rochdale 2–2 Oldham Athletic Rochdale
Melledew  
Hunter   (o.g.)
 
 
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1977
25 November  1968 (1968 -11-25) Rochdale 0–1 Oldham Athletic Rochdale
  Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 2458

Rose Bowl

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

[1] [2]

References

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  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]