| 1940–41 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Ted Goodier |
| Stadium | Spotland Stadium |
| North Regional League | 30th |
| League War Cup | 1st Round |
| Top goalscorer | League:Wally Sidebottom (11) All:Wally Sidebottom (11) |
The1940–41 season wasRochdale A.F.C.'s 34th in existence and their second in the wartime league. Due to the unequal number of games played by the various teams, the North Regional League was decided on goal average only. Rochdale finished 30th out of 36 clubs.
| 31 August 1940 (1940-08-31)1 | Rochdale | 1–3 | Manchester United | Rochdale |
| Cunliffe | Aston J. Carey Smith | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2827 |
| 7 September 1940 (1940-09-07)2 | Rochdale | 1–2 | Burnley | Rochdale |
| Sidebottom | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2100 |
| 14 September 1940 (1940-09-14)3 | Crewe Alexandra | 1–1 | Rochdale | Crewe |
| Duff | Stadium:Gresty Road Attendance: 1000 |
| 21 September 1940 (1940-09-21)4 | Stockport County | 4–0 | Rochdale | Stockport |
| Stadium:Edgeley Park Attendance: 2500 |
| 28 September 1940 (1940-09-28)5 | Bury | 7–3 | Rochdale | Bury |
| Vause Cunliffe Dutton | Stadium:Gigg Lane Attendance: 2365 |
| 5 October 1940 (1940-10-05)6 | Rochdale | 2–1 | Preston North End | Rochdale |
| Dutton Sidebottom | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1999 |
| 12 October 1940 (1940-10-12)7 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Rochdale |
| Dutton | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2246 |
| 19 October 1940 (1940-10-19)8 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–0 | Rochdale | Blackburn |
| Stadium:Ewood Park Attendance: 1200 |
| 26 October 1940 (1940-10-26)9 | Southport | 2–3 | Rochdale | Southport |
| Cunliffe Kershaw | Stadium:Haig Avenue Attendance: 1500 |
| 2 November 1940 (1940-11-02)10 | Rochdale | 1–1 | Bradford Park Avenue | Rochdale |
| Sidebottom | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 803 |
| 9 November 1940 (1940-11-09)11 | Preston North End | 5–0 | Rochdale | Preston |
| Stadium:Deepdale Attendance: 300 |
| 16 November 1940 (1940-11-16)12 | Rochdale | 5–3 | Stockport County | Rochdale |
| Sidebottom Rawlings S.W. Hunt Cunliffe | Catterick | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2130 |
| 23 November 1940 (1940-11-23)13 | Burnley | 0–1 | Rochdale | Burnley |
| S.W. Hunt | Stadium:Turf Moor Attendance: 1500 |
| 30 November 1940 (1940-11-30)14 | Rochdale | 10 – 0 | Southport | Rochdale |
| Sidebottom Rawlings S.W. Hunt Bellis | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1002 |
| 7 December 1940 (1940-12-07)15 | Bradford Park Avenue | 2–4 | Rochdale | Bradford |
| Rawlings Duff S.W. Hunt Stephen | Stadium:Park Avenue Attendance: 850 |
| 14 December 1940 (1940-12-14)16 | Manchester United | 3–4 | Rochdale | Manchester |
| Smith J. Carey | Sidebottom S.W. Hunt Cunliffe | Stadium:Old Trafford Attendance: 1000 |
| 21 December 1940 (1940-12-21)17 | Rochdale | 1–0 | Crewe Alexandra | Rochdale |
| Duff | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1300 |
| 25 December 1940 (1940-12-25)18 | Rochdale | 2–3 | Oldham Athletic | Rochdale |
| S.W. Hunt Rawlings | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 2806 |
| 28 December 1940 (1940-12-28)19 | Rochdale | 0–3 | Bury | Rochdale |
| Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1700 |
| 4 January 1941 (1941-01-04)20 | Manchester City | 9–1 | Rochdale | Manchester |
| Jimmy Currie | S.W. Hunt | Stadium:Maine Road Attendance: 2000 |
| 11 January 1941 (1941-01-11)21 | Rochdale | 1–6 | Manchester City | Rochdale |
| Wood | Jimmy Currie | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1588 |
| 15 January 1941 (1941-01-15)22 | Rochdale | 5–0 | Crewe Alexandra | Rochdale |
| Duff S.W. Hunt Ainsworth Seddon | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 523 |
| 8 March 1941 (1941-03-08)23 | Crewe Alexandra | 2–5 | Rochdale | Crewe |
| Horrabin J. Eastwood | Stadium:Gresty Road Attendance: 500 |
| 15 March 1941 (1941-03-15)24 | Rochdale | 2–1 | Bradford City | Rochdale |
| P. Taylor Horrabin | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1380 |
| 22 March 1941 (1941-03-22)25 | Huddersfield Town | 11 – 0 | Rochdale | Huddersfield |
| Metcalfe Price Lodge McKerrell Barclay | Stadium:Leeds Road Attendance: 386 |
| 29 March 1941 (1941-03-29)26 | Rochdale | 2–3 | Leeds United | Rochdale |
| Horrabin Duff | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 784 |
| 5 April 1941 (1941-04-05)27 | Stockport County | 1–1 | Rochdale | Stockport |
| Horrabin | Stadium:Edgeley Park Attendance: 820 |
| 12 April 1941 (1941-04-12)28 | Rochdale | 3–1 | Stockport County | Rochdale |
| P. Taylor Jones Horrabin | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1438 |
| 14 April 1941 (1941-04-14)29 | Rochdale | 0–4 | Oldham Athletic | Rochdale |
| Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1733 |
| 19 April 1941 (1941-04-19)30 | Rochdale | 1–3 | Bolton Wanderers | Rochdale |
| P. Taylor | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 726 |
| 26 April 1941 (1941-04-26)31 | Bradford City | 3–3 | Rochdale | Bradford |
| Richard Haworth Duff Harrison | Stadium:Valley Parade Attendance: 500 |
| 10 May 1941 (1941-05-10)32 | Oldham Athletic | 5–0 | Rochdale | Oldham |
| Stadium:Boundary Park Attendance: 1189 |
| 15 February 1941 (1941-02-15)33 | Newcastle United | 1–2 | Rochdale | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| P. Taylor Bellis | Stadium:St James' Park Attendance: 3000 |
| 22 February 1941 (1941-02-22)34 | Rochdale | 1–3 | Newcastle United | Rochdale |
| Wynn | Stubbins | Stadium:Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3000 |