1983–84 Rochdale A.F.C. season

Rochdale

1983–84 season
Manager	Jimmy Greenhoff Les Chapman (C)
League Division Four	22nd
FA Cup	3rd Round
League Cup	1st Round
Top goalscorer	League: Peter Farrell Vernon Allatt All: Steve Johnson

The 1983–84 season saw Rochdale compete in their 10th consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division.

Statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division 4		F.A. Cup		League Cup		A.M. Cup		Lancashire Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	ENG	Steve Conroy	55	0	46+0	0	3+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0
	DF	ENG	Bob Oates	50	1	42+0	1	1+1	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0
	MF	ENG	Les Chapman	54	1	44+1	0	3+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	1
	MF	ENG	Peter Farrell	33	10	24+1	8	2+0	1	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	1
	DF	ENG	Bill Williams	31	2	27+0	2	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	3+0	0
	MF	ENG	Mike Doyle	33	1	24+1	1	2+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0
	MF	ENG	David Thompson	49	5	39+1	4	3+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	1
	MF	ENG	Neville Hamilton	48	1	38+1	1	3+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	0
	DF	ENG	Andy Higgins	30	6	20+2	4	2+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	3+0	2
	FW	ENG	Malcolm O'Connor	17	4	12+3	3	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	1
	MF	ENG	Ian Griffiths	49	6	39+2	5	2+0	0	1+1	1	1+1	0	2+0	0
	FW	ENG	Vernon Allatt	50	10	40+0	8	3+0	1	2+0	0	2+0	0	2+1	1
	FW	ENG	Jimmy Greenhoff	8	0	4+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	1+1	0	1+0	0
	FW	ENG	Steve Johnson	26	10	17+2	7	2+0	2	2+0	1	2+0	0	0+1	0
	FW	ENG	Stewart Thompson	20	5	13+6	5	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Geoff Thomas	10	1	10+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Gerry Keenan	5	0	5+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Brian Greenhoff	11	0	8+1	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Ian McMahon	21	1	21+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Shaun Reid	17	0	17+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Mark Ennis	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Jimmy Blake	2	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	ENG	Paul Heaton	5	0	2+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	John Humphreys	6	0	6+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	ENG	Jim McCluskie	5	0	4+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	ENG	Andy Dean	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

Kevin Mulholland | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 }}

Final League Table

Main article: 1983–84 Football League Fourth Division

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	HW	HD	HL	HGF	HGA	AW	AD	AL	AGF	AGA	GD	Pts	Promotion or qualification
20	Wrexham	46	7	6	10	34	33	4	9	10	25	41	−15	48	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85 First round[a]
21	Halifax Town	46	11	6	6	36	25	1	6	16	19	64	−34	48	Re-elected
22	Rochdale	46	8	9	6	35	31	3	4	16	17	49	−28	46
23	Hartlepool United	46	7	8	8	31	28	3	2	18	16	57	−38	40
24	Chester City	46	7	5	11	23	35	0	8	15	22	47	−37	34

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

1. Wrexham lost this year’s Welsh Cup final to Shrewsbury Town, but as the latter are an English side, Wrexham went on to represent Wales in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Competitions

Football League Fourth Division

Main article: 1983–84 Football League

Rochdale v Crewe Alexandra

27 August  1983 (1983 -08-27) 1	Rochdale	1–0	Crewe Alexandra	Rochdale
	Farrell 87' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1732 Referee: CN Seel

York City v Rochdale

3 September  1983 (1983 -09-03) 2	York City	2–0	Rochdale	York
	Ford 51' Walwyn 83'	Report		Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 2772 Referee: MP Scott

Wrexham v Rochdale

6 September  1983 (1983 -09-06) 3	Wrexham	5–1	Rochdale	Wrexham
	Arkwright 32', 81' Hunt 44' Gregory 60' Edwards 88'	Report	Higgins  41' Johnson 51'	Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 1684 Referee: LM Robinson

Rochdale v Reading

10 September  1983 (1983 -09-10) 4	Rochdale	4–1	Reading	Rochdale
	Farrell 12' Allatt 57', 60' Johnson 70'	Report	Crown 15'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1276 Referee: A Saunders

Colchester United v Rochdale

17 September  1983 (1983 -09-17) 5	Colchester United	4–0	Rochdale	Colchester
	Bowen 30' Adcock 38', 53' Wignall 55'	Report		Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 1955 Referee: C Downey

Rochdale v Northampton Town

24 September  1983 (1983 -09-24) 6	Rochdale	1–1	Northampton Town	Rochdale
	Johnson 82' Hamilton	Report	O'Neill	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1402 Referee: GM Tyson

Rochdale v Hartlepool United

27 September  1983 (1983 -09-27) 7	Rochdale	2–0	Hartlepool United	Rochdale
	Farrell 85', 87'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1380 Referee: TJ Holbrook

Swindon Town v Rochdale

1 October  1983 (1983 -10-01) 8	Swindon Town	2–1	Rochdale	Swindon
	Mayes 9' Quinn 82'	Report	Johnson 60'	Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 2808 Referee: AW Ward

Blackpool v Rochdale

8 October  1983 (1983 -10-08) 9	Blackpool	0–2	Rochdale	Blackpool
		Report	Farrell 84' S. Thompson 88'	Stadium: Bloomfield Road Attendance: 3216 Referee: G Courtney

Rochdale v Chesterfield

15 October  1983 (1983 -10-15) 10	Rochdale	2–4	Chesterfield	Rochdale
	Allatt 61' Scrimgeour 64' (o.g.)	Report	Bellamy 11', 88' Newton 15' Spooner 56'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1781 Referee: D Owen

Rochdale v Peterborough United

18 October  1983 (1983 -10-18) 11	Rochdale	2–1	Peterborough United	Rochdale
	Higgins 1' Doyle 90'	Report	Hankin 51'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1299 Referee: JM Key

Darlington v Rochdale

22 October  1983 (1983 -10-22) 12	Darlington	1–0	Rochdale	Darlington
	Todd 70'	Report		Stadium: Feethams Attendance: 1307 Referee: MG Peck

Rochdale v Chester City

29 October  1983 (1983 -10-29) 13	Rochdale	1–1	Chester City	Rochdale
	Hamilton 50'	Report	Parker 74'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1496 Referee: KA Redfern

Mansfield Town v Rochdale

1 November  1983 (1983 -11-01) 14	Mansfield Town	3–0	Rochdale	Mansfield
	Caldwell 7', 62' Dungworth 87'	Report		Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 2536 Referee: D Hutchinson

Rochdale v Stockport County

5 November  1983 (1983 -11-05) 15	Rochdale	2–2	Stockport County	Rochdale
	Farrell 12' (pen.) Oates 89'	Report	Sword 36' Quinn 62'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1682 Referee: R Bridges

Tranmere Rovers v Rochdale

12 November  1983 (1983 -11-12) 16	Tranmere Rovers	2–2	Rochdale	Birkenhead
	Aspinall 37' Ferguson 43'	Report	Farrell 1' (pen.) Johnson 20'	Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 2457 Referee: KP Barratt

Aldershot v Rochdale

26 November  1983 (1983 -11-26) 17	Aldershot	2–1	Rochdale	Aldershot
	Burvill 68' Mazzon 71'	Report	Johnson 55'	Stadium: Recreation Ground Attendance: 1686 Referee: M Dimblebee

Rochdale v Hereford United

3 December  1983 (1983 -12-03) 18	Rochdale	3–3	Hereford United	Rochdale
	O'Connor 51' Higgins 80' Farrell 89'	Report	Beacock 30' Phillips 50', 54'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1261 Referee: F Roberts

Rochdale v Bristol City

17 December  1983 (1983 -12-17) 19	Rochdale	0–1	Bristol City	Rochdale
		Report	Pritchard 86'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1501 Referee: RF Nixon

Bury v Rochdale

26 December  1983 (1983 -12-26) 20	Bury	3–1	Rochdale	Bury
	Jakub 38' (pen.) Entwistle 46' Park 86'	Report	Johnson 26'	Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 4097 Referee: NL Wilson

Rochdale v Halifax Town

27 December  1983 (1983 -12-27) 21	Rochdale	1–1	Halifax Town	Rochdale
	Higgins 20'	Report	Cook 87'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1870 Referee: MJ Heath

Torquay United v Rochdale

31 December  1984 (1984 -12-31) 22	Torquay United	4–2	Rochdale	Torquay
	Anderson 45' Curle 61' Higgins 67' (o.g.) Sims 90'	Report	S. Thompson 19' Williams 68'	Stadium: Plainmoor Attendance: 1801 Referee: DV Reeves

Rochdale v Doncaster Rovers

2 January  1984 (1984 -01-02) 23	Rochdale	3–3	Doncaster Rovers	Rochdale
	D. Thompson 55' S. Thompson 68', 79'	Report	Higgins 36' (o.g.) Douglas 53' Moss 73'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2001 Referee: A Saunders

Crewe Alexandra v Rochdale

14 January  1984 (1984 -01-14) 24	Crewe Alexandra	0–1	Rochdale	Crewe
		Report	Thomas 35'	Stadium: Gresty Road Attendance: 2640 Referee: HW King

Reading v Rochdale

28 January  1984 (1984 -01-28) 25	Reading	0–0	Rochdale	Reading
		Report	McMahon  75'	Stadium: Elm Park Attendance: 4162 Referee: K Cooper

Rochdale v Swindon Town

4 February  1984 (1984 -02-04) 26	Rochdale	3–3	Swindon Town	Rochdale
	Griffiths 11' D. Thompson 14' Allatt 52' (pen.)	Report	Gibson 9' Mayes 30' (pen.), 59' (pen.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1297 Referee: GM Tyson

Northampton Town v Rochdale

11 February  1984 (1984 -02-11) 27	Northampton Town	1–1	Rochdale	Northampton
	Hayes 49'	Report	S. Thompson 57'	Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 2022 Referee: EA Crickmore

Rochdale v Mansfield Town

14 February  1984 (1984 -02-14) 28	Rochdale	0–0	Mansfield Town	Rochdale
		Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1095 Referee: CN Seel

Chester City v Rochdale

18 February  1984 (1984 -02-18) 29	Chester City	1–0	Rochdale	Chester
	Zelem 61'	Report		Stadium: Sealand Road Attendance: 1383 Referee: J Ashworth

Rochdale v Darlington

25 February  1984 (1984 -02-25) 30	Rochdale	2–0	Darlington	Rochdale
	Higgins 68' Allatt 78'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 995 Referee: JE Bray

Peterborough United v Rochdale

3 March  1984 (1984 -03-03) 31	Peterborough United	2–0	Rochdale	Peterborough
	Chapman 47' (o.g.) Wile 50'	Report		Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 2835 Referee: ML James

Stockport County v Rochdale

5 March  1984 (1984 -03-05) 32	Stockport County	2–1	Rochdale	Stockport
	Kerr 49' Evans 54' (pen.)	Report	McMahon 35'	Stadium: Edgeley Park Attendance: 2115 Referee: T Mills

Rochdale v Tranmere Rovers

10 March  1984 (1984 -03-10) 33	Rochdale	2–3	Tranmere Rovers	Rochdale
	Griffiths 75' D. Thompson 86'	Report	Powell 28' Hilditch 45' Aspinall 63'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1263 Referee: KW Baker

Bristol City v Rochdale

13 March  1984 (1984 -03-13) 34	Bristol City	1–1	Rochdale	Bristol
	Riley 80'	Report	O'Connor 42'	Stadium: Ashton Gate Stadium Attendance: 7101 Referee: RS Lewis

Rochdale v Blackpool

17 March  1984 (1984 -03-17) 35	Rochdale	1–0	Blackpool	Rochdale
	Griffiths 62'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3147 Referee: GJ Napthine

Chesterfield v Rochdale

24 March  1984 (1984 -03-24) 36	Chesterfield	3–0	Rochdale	Chesterfield
	Brown 25' Newton 65', 82' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Saltergate Recreation Ground Attendance: 2955 Referee: AN Buksh

Rochdale v York City

27 March  1984 (1984 -03-27) 37	Rochdale	0–2	York City	Rochdale
		Report	Byrne 53', 89'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1786 Referee: NJ Ashley

Hartlepool United v Rochdale

31 March  1984 (1984 -03-31) 38	Hartlepool United	1–2	Rochdale	Hartlepool
	Linacre 88' (pen.)	Report	Griffiths 40' O'Connor 81'	Stadium: Victoria Park Attendance: 1245 Referee: JM Key

Rochdale v Wrexham

7 April  1984 (1984 -04-07) 39	Rochdale	1–2	Wrexham	Rochdale
	Allatt 25'	Report	Hunt 16' Gregory 41'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1228 Referee: MG Peck

Hereford United v Rochdale

14 April  1984 (1984 -04-14) 40	Hereford United	2–1	Rochdale	Hereford
	Harvey 41' Delve 61'	Report	Allatt 36'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 2796 Referee: DA Hedges

Rochdale v Colchester United

17 April  1984 (1984 -04-17) 41	Rochdale	0–0	Colchester United	Rochdale
	Allatt	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 809 Referee: PN Willis

Rochdale v Bury

21 April  1984 (1984 -04-21) 42	Rochdale	0–2	Bury	Rochdale
		Report	White 72' Entwistle 75' (pen.)	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2203 Referee: D Shaw

Halifax Town v Rochdale

23 April  1984 (1984 -04-23) 43	Halifax Town	5–0	Rochdale	Halifax
	Mell 15' Gallagher 35', 53', 82', 87'	Report		Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 1422 Referee: RF Nixon

Rochdale v Aldershot

28 April  1984 (1984 -04-28) 44	Rochdale	3–1	Aldershot	Rochdale
	Allatt 6' Griffiths 18' D. Thompson 73'	Report	Banton	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 853 Referee: F Roberts

Doncaster Rovers v Rochdale

5 May  1984 (1984 -05-05) 45	Doncaster Rovers	3–0	Rochdale	Doncaster
	Snodin 4' Brown 36' Moss 83'	Report		Stadium: Belle Vue Attendance: 3396 Referee: A Seville

Rochdale v Torquay United

7 May  1984 (1984 -05-07) 46	Rochdale	1–0	Torquay United	Rochdale
	Williams 51'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 943 Referee: G Courtney

F.A. Cup

Main article: 1983–84 FA Cup

Rochdale v Crewe Alexandra

19 November  1983 (1983 -11-19) 1	Rochdale	1–0	Crewe Alexandra	Rochdale
	Farrell 44'	Report		Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2465 Referee: DB Allison

York City v Rochdale

13 December  1983 (1983 -12-13) 2	York City	0–2	Rochdale	York
		Report	Johnson 1', 49'	Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 5203 Referee: LM Robinson

Rochdale v Telford United

7 January  1984 (1984 -01-07) 3	Rochdale	1–4	Telford United	Rochdale
	Allatt 34'	Report	Edwards 35' Bailey 39' Hogan 60' C. Williams 80'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4889 Referee: H Taylor

League Cup (Milk Cup)

Main article: 1983–84 Football League Cup

Rochdale v Stockport County

30 August  1983 (1983 -08-30) 1	Rochdale	0–3	Stockport County	Rochdale
		Report	Quinn 25' (pen.), 63' Sword 30'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1839 Referee: T Mills

Stockport County v Rochdale

12 September  1983 (1983 -09-12) 1	Stockport County	2–2 (5–2 agg.)	Rochdale	Stockport
	Williams 61', 90'	Report	Griffiths 20' Johnson 52'	Stadium: Edgeley Park Attendance: 2167 Referee: A Challinor

Associate Members' Cup

Main article: 1983–84 Associate Members' Cup

Rochdale v Preston North End

22 February  1984 (1984 -02-22) 1	Rochdale	0–3	Preston North End	Rochdale
		Report	Elliott 10', 14', 82'	Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1300 Referee: R Bridges

Lancashire Cup

Rochdale v Bolton Wanderers

13 August  1983 (1983 -08-13)	Rochdale	3–3	Bolton Wanderers	Rochdale
	O'Connor Chapman D. Thompson			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1550

Bury v Rochdale

16 August  1983 (1983 -08-16)	Bury	2–2	Rochdale	Bury
			Allatt Higgins	Stadium: Gigg Lane

Rochdale v Wigan Athletic

20 August  1983 (1983 -08-20)	Rochdale	2–3	Wigan Athletic	Rochdale
	Higgins Farrell			Stadium: Spotland Stadium

^{[1] [2]}

References

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]}