| 1953–54 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Harry Catterick |
| Stadium | Spotland Stadium |
| Division 3 North | 19th |
| F.A. Cup | 1st Round |
| Top goalscorer | League:Jack Haines All:Jack Haines |
The1953–54 season wasRochdale A.F.C.'s 47th in existence and their 26th in theFootball League Third Division North.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Division 3 North | F.A. Cup | Lancashire Cup | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK | Graham Cordell | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| DF | Harry Potter | 23 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| DF | Harry Boyle | 44 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MF | Joe Lynn | 44 | 4 | 43 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| DF | Eric Downes | 19 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MF | Alistair Buchan | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| FW | Ken Rose | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Bobby Gilfillan | 10 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| FW | Fred Evans | 13 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| FW | Neville Black | 27 | 5 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MF | Jimmy Anders | 46 | 7 | 44 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| GK | Albert Morton | 39 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Ray Haddington | 13 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Adam Wasilewski | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Robert Priday | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Bill Morgan | 26 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Jackie Arthur | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Don Partridge | 19 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Danny Boxshall | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MF | Arnold Kendall | 33 | 10 | 32 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Brian Mottershead | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| DF | Bill Watson | 22 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Jack Haines | 32 | 11 | 31 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Frank Lord | 21 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Bill Tolson | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| FW | Des Frost | 10 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| DF | Eddie Lyons | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | George Lyons | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| DF | Bev Glover | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Ray Calderbank | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 51 | 77 | 0.662 | 41 |
| 18 | Hartlepools United | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 59 | 65 | 0.908 | 40 |
| 19 | Rochdale | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 59 | 77 | 0.766 | 40 |
| 20 | Workington | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 59 | 80 | 0.738 | 40 |
| 21 | Darlington | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 50 | 71 | 0.704 | 38 |
| 22 August 1953 (1953-08-22)1 | Carlisle United | 7–0 | Rochdale | Carlisle |
| Johnston Ashman Atkinson Whitehouse Drury | Report | Stadium:Brunton Park Attendance: 8378 |
| 25 August 1953 (1953-08-25)2 | Rochdale | 0–1 | Tranmere Rovers | Rochdale |
| Report | Done | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5689 |
| 29 August 1953 (1953-08-29)3 | Rochdale | 1–0 | Accrington Stanley | Rochdale |
| Haddington | Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 8375 |
| 1 September 1953 (1953-09-01)4 | Tranmere Rovers | 5–1 | Rochdale | Birkenhead |
| McDevitt Atkinson Done Bainbridge | Report | Priday | Stadium:Prenton Park Attendance: 6100 |
| 5 September 1953 (1953-09-05)5 | Grimsby Town | 3–2 | Rochdale | Cleethorpes |
| Wright Smith | Report | Haddington Anders | Stadium:Blundell Park Attendance: 12305 |
| 8 September 1953 (1953-09-08)6 | Rochdale | 0–1 | Halifax Town | Rochdale |
| Report | Horsman | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6105 |
| 12 September 1953 (1953-09-12)7 | Rochdale | 0–0 | Stockport County | Rochdale |
| Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7634 |
| 14 September 1953 (1953-09-14)8 | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Rochdale | Halifax |
| Priestley | Report | Haddington | Stadium:The Shay Attendance: 6186 |
| 19 September 1953 (1953-09-19)9 | Southport | 1–1 | Rochdale | Southport |
| Gaskell | Report | Wasilewski | Stadium:Haig Avenue Attendance: 5748 |
| 22 September 1953 (1953-09-22)10 | Rochdale | 0–1 | Chesterfield | Rochdale |
| Report | Smith | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3070 |
| 26 September 1953 (1953-09-26)11 | Wrexham | 2–0 | Rochdale | Wrexham |
| Hewitt Tilston | Report | Stadium:Racecourse Ground Attendance: 12602 |
| 28 September 1953 (1953-09-28)12 | Chesterfield | 2–1 | Rochdale | Chesterfield |
| McGoldrick | Report | Kendall | Stadium:Saltergate Recreation Ground Attendance: 8308 |
| 3 October 1953 (1953-10-03)13 | Rochdale | 1–0 | Mansfield Town | Rochdale |
| Haddington | Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7483 |
| 10 October 1953 (1953-10-10)14 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Scunthorpe United | Rochdale |
| Haines | Report | Mosby | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7873 |
| 17 October 1953 (1953-10-17)15 | Workington | 0–1 | Rochdale | Workington |
| Report | Kendall | Stadium:Borough Park Attendance: 7070 |
| 24 October 1953 (1953-10-24)16 | Rochdale | 0–1 | Gateshead | Rochdale |
| Report | Callender | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6308 |
| 31 October 1953 (1953-10-31)17 | Hartlepools United | 6–0 | Rochdale | Hartlepool |
| Linacre Harden Johnson | Report | Stadium:Victoria Park Attendance: 6763 |
| 7 November 1953 (1953-11-07)18 | Rochdale | 3–0 | Darlington | Rochdale |
| Haines Frost | Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2601 |
| 14 November 1953 (1953-11-14)19 | Barnsley | 2–1 | Rochdale | Barnsley |
| Brown Kaye | Report | Frost | Stadium:Oakwell Attendance: 8146 |
| 28 November 1953 (1953-11-28)20 | Port Vale | 6–0 | Rochdale | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Hayward Griffiths Leake | Report | Stadium:Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 16841 |
| 5 December 1953 (1953-12-05)21 | Rochdale | 4–1 | Crewe Alexandra | Rochdale |
| Haines Frost | Report | Mitcheson | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4451 |
| 12 December 1953 (1953-12-12)22 | Chester | 2–0 | Rochdale | Chester |
| Thomas Travis | Report | Stadium:Sealand Road Attendance: 3578 |
| 19 December 1953 (1953-12-19)23 | Rochdale | 2–1 | Carlisle United | Rochdale |
| Kendall Haines | Report | Bond | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4654 |
| 25 December 1953 (1953-12-25)24 | Rochdale | 3–2 | Bradford City | Rochdale |
| Black Anders | Report | Rosenthal Tunnicliffe | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5693 |
| 26 December 1953 (1953-12-26)25 | Bradford City | 4–0 | Rochdale | Bradford |
| Powell Tunnicliffe Williamson Woan | Report | Stadium:Valley Parade Attendance: 10366 |
| 28 December 1953 (1953-12-28)26 | Rochdale | 4–0 | Chester | Rochdale |
| Lord Anders Kendall | Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 7226 |
| 9 January 1954 (1954-01-09)27 | Rochdale | 1–2 | York City | Rochdale |
| Haines | Report | Dunmore Storey | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5575 |
| 16 January 1954 (1954-01-16)28 | Rochdale | 4–1 | Grimsby Town | Rochdale |
| Lord Haines Lynn | Report | Smith | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4936 |
| 23 January 1954 (1954-01-23)29 | Stockport County | 1–2 | Rochdale | Stockport |
| Murray | Report | Kendall Anders | Stadium:Edgeley Park Attendance: 6651 |
| 30 January 1954 (1954-01-30)30 | York City | 1–2 | Rochdale | York |
| Burgess | Report | Kendall Lynn | Stadium:Bootham Crescent Attendance: 5650 |
| 6 February 1954 (1954-02-06)31 | Rochdale | 2–0 | Southport | Rochdale |
| Black Kendall | Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6549 |
| 13 February 1954 (1954-02-13)32 | Rochdale | 6–2 | Wrexham | Rochdale |
| Lord Kendall Haines | Report | Hope Hewitt | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5078 |
| 20 February 1954 (1954-02-20)33 | Mansfield Town | 2–0 | Rochdale | Mansfield |
| Darwin Daley | Report | Stadium:Field Mill Attendance: 8234 |
| 27 February 1954 (1954-02-27)34 | Scunthorpe United | 1–1 | Rochdale | Scunthorpe |
| Mosby | Report | Arthur | Stadium:Old Show Ground Attendance: 7260 |
| 6 March 1954 (1954-03-06)35 | Rochdale | 4–2 | Workington | Rochdale |
| E. Lyons G. Lyons Lynn Anders | Report | Dunlop Dailey | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 4683 |
| 13 March 1954 (1954-03-13)36 | Gateshead | 2–1 | Rochdale | Gateshead |
| Robson Ingham | Report | Lord | Stadium:Redheugh Park Attendance: 4847 |
| 20 March 1954 (1954-03-20)37 | Rochdale | 2–2 | Hartlepools United | Rochdale |
| Black Haines | Report | Johnson McLaughlin | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 6583 |
| 27 March 1954 (1954-03-27)38 | Darlington | 0–0 | Rochdale | Darlington |
| Report | Stadium:Feethams Attendance: 3978 |
| 3 April 1954 (1954-04-03)39 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Barnsley | Rochdale |
| Lord | Report | Lumley | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5785 |
| 7 April 1954 (1954-04-07)40 | Accrington Stanley | 1–0 | Rochdale | Accrington |
| Brydon | Report | Stadium:Peel Park Attendance: 5124 |
| 10 April 1954 (1954-04-10)41 | Bradford Park Avenue | 2–2 | Rochdale | Bradford |
| Pickard | Report | Black Anders | Stadium:Park Avenue Attendance: 7099 |
| 16 April 1954 (1954-04-16)42 | Rochdale | 1–0 | Barrow | Rochdale |
| Kendall | Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 5865 |
| 17 April 1954 (1954-04-17)43 | Rochdale | 0–0 | Port Vale | Rochdale |
| Report | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 14749 |
| 19 April 1954 (1954-04-19)44 | Barrow | 4–2 | Rochdale | Barrow-in-Furness |
| Ormond Armstrong McLaren | Report | Partridge Lord | Stadium:Holker Street Attendance: 4306 |
| 24 April 1954 (1954-04-24)45 | Crewe Alexandra | 2–1 | Rochdale | Crewe |
| Bettany Murphy | Report | Anders | Stadium:Gresty Road Attendance: 2965 |
| 27 April 1954 (1954-04-27)46 | Rochdale | 0–1 | Bradford Park Avenue | Rochdale |
| Report | Pickard | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3818 |
| 1 | Grimsby Town | 2–0 | Rochdale | Cleethorpes |
| Maddison Smith | Report | Stadium:Blundell Park Attendance: 8536 |
| Rochdale | 0–2 | Southport | Rochdale | |
| Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 862 |