There were a number of familiar faces missing at Belle Vue as the Rovers prepared for the new season. The name Keetley was absent for the first time in seven seasons, as all the four footballing brothers had finally moved on, as had Bob McLean, who had given many years of loyal service in the Rovers defence. The season itself proved to be a dour event with the Rovers eventually finishing well down the Third Division (North) in fifteenth place.

The first win of the new season did not arrive until the fourth game, when Halifax Town were beaten on their own ground, and the Rover had to wait until the second week in October before they could celebrate a home win, this coming at the expense of lowly Nelson.

The opening months of the campaign had been very poor, but a dramatic sequence of results in November and early December looked to have finally got the Rovers into gear. During that sequence of four successive victories, the Rovers scored no fewer than nineteen goals, with Wilf Bott twice a hat-trick hero. Perhaps the best of these results was a six goal hammering of Tranmere Rovers at Belle Vue - the same Tranmere outfit that ended the season in the top three of the Divison.

Although the next two games were drawn, the Rovers soon reverted to their previous form, and a poor run culminated in a horrendous 2-8 thrashing at Hull City in mid January. The Rovers seemed to be in free fall, but thre wins from the next four fixtures gave them a welcome boost, the pick of these being a handsome win over Wigan Borough at Belle Vue, with new signing Fred Castle weighing in with a hat-trick in only his third game for the Club.

There was further disappointment in store for the Rovers supporters in March, when leading scorer Wilf Bott was transferred to First Division Huddersfield Town. Poor attendances were given as the reason for his departure, but the Rovers rallied round and ended the season with a run of just one defeat in their last seven matches. Tranmere Rovers were beaten again, this time on their own ground, and two goals from Bobby Smith put paid to Carlisle United in the Rovers last home fixture.

In the FA Cup, Rochdale were defeated on their own ground in the first round, before the Rovers lost narrowly at home to Notts County in Round Two. Incidentally, Notts County would go on to take the Third Division (South) Championship at the end of the season.

Leading scorers: Bott 17, Smith 11

Division Three (North)
 1930-1931
 
P
W
D
L
F
A
Points
Chesterfield
42
26
6
10
102
57
58
Lincoln City
42
25
7
10
102
59
57
Tranmere Rovers
42
24
6
12
111
74
54
Wrexham
42
21
12
9
94
62
54
Southport
42
22
9
11
88
56
53
Hull City
42
20
10
12
99
55
50
Stockport County
42
20
9
13
77
61
49
Carlisle United
42
20
5
17
98
81
45
Gateshead
42
16
13
13
71
73
45
Wigan Borough
42
19
5
18
76
86
43
Darlington
42
16
10
16
71
59
42
York City
42
18
6
18
85
82
42
Accrington Stanley
42
15
9
18
84
108
39
Rotherham United
42
13
12
17
81
83
38
DONCASTER ROVERS
42
13
11
18
65
65
37
Barrow
42
15
7
20
68
89
37
Halifax Town
42
13
9
20
55
89
35
Crewe Alexandra
42
14
6
22
66
93
34
New Brighton
42
13
7
22
49
76
33
Hartlepool United
42
12
6
24
67
86
30
Rochdale
42
12
6
24
62
107
30
Nelson
42
6
7
29
43
113
19