The winter months of 1962/63 were simply horrendous. Week after week of snow, ice and freezing temperatures effectively closed down League football all over Britain as we fought to contend with the worst cold snap since 1947. Indeed the Rovers played just one League game between Boxing Day 1962, and March 1963, and eventually concluded their League programme in mid-May. Their last 20 League fixtures were fitted into just 87 days, as the disrupted season drew to a close.

Back in August, the season commenced in a disappointing fashion, with just one draw to show from the first six League games. However, an away win at Exter City in mid-September was a welcome surprise and when the next home game, against Gillingham, was also won, hopes began to rise that the Rovers had turned the corner.

Those hopes wobbled a little when the team lost the next game at Stockport County, but the next three League games all yielded full points and the Rovers began to move up the table.

The run continued with two wins and a draw, but then the rot set in and they failed to register a further victory in the eight games up to Christmas.

As mentioned earlier, the bad weather then took a hold and football virtually shut down, with massive cancellation lists every week. The Rovers managed to get their pitch ready for the visit of Stockport County in early February and the visitors promptly showed their gratitude by taking the points.

The season re-started in the first week of March, with the Rovers still having 20 games to play. The remainder of the season meandered to a close without any undue excitement. There were a small number of successes, in particular a good away win at Newport County in late April, and a large number of draws.

Whilst there were only six defeats (which was reasonable), the large number of draws - no fewer than 10 at Belle Vue - meant that the Rovers finished in a modest 16th place in Division Four.

The biggest success story as far as the Rovers were concerned lay in the tremendous form shown by Colin Booth, who scored in 28 of the 46 League games, as well as in both of the Cup competitions. He ended the season with 38 goals in 51 first team appearances - a quite remarkable total for a player in his first season with the club.

The FA Cup saw the Rovers force a draw at non-League South Shields, before beating them in a replay at Belle Vue. The second round saw them lost at home to Tranmere Rovers - a team that they defeated twice during the course of the League season. The League Cup provided a first round win over Bradford City at Belle Vue (in a replay), before the Rovers lost heavily at Birmingham Cityin round two.

Leading scorers: Booth 34, Hale 9, Nibloe 5
Division Four
 1962-1963
 
P
W
D
L
F
A
Points
Brentford
46
27
8
11
98
64
62
Oldham Athletic
46
24
11
11
95
60
59
Crewe Alexandra
46
24
11
11
86
58
59
Mansfield Town
46
24
9
13
108
69
57
Gillingham
46
22
13
11
71
49
57
Torquay United
46
20
16
10
75
56
56
Rochdale
46
20
11
15
67
59
51
Tranmere Rovers
46
20
10
16
81
67
50
Barrow
46
19
12
15
82
80
50
Workington Town
46
17
13
16
76
68
47
Aldershot
46
15
17
14
73
69
47
Darlington
46
19
6
21
72
87
44
Southport
46
15
14
17
72
106
44
York City
46
16
11
19
67
62
43
Chesterfield
46
13
16
17
70
64
42
DONCASTER ROVERS
46
14
14
18
64
77
42
Exeter City
46
16
10
20
57
77
42
Oxford United
46
13
15
18
70
71
41
Stockport County
46
15
11
20
56
70
41
Newport County
46
14
11
21
76
90
39
Chester
46
15
9
22
51
66
39
Lincoln City
46
13
9
24
68
89
35
Bradford City
46
11
10
25
64
93
32
Hartlepool United
46
7
11
28
56
104
25