Following a number of seasons of precious little note, this particular campaign provided much to enjoy, and although the Rovers finished the season in ninth place in Division Four, they had done much to re-kindle the interest of their supporters.

New Player/Manager Bill Leivars had organised many changes in the playing staff. A number of players had left Belle Vue at the end of the previous season and there were many new faces on parade as the new season opened. The opening game, at Bradford Park Avenue, produced a heavy defeat which came as a big shock, as did a further loss in the first home game, but the team did contain a large number of new players, so perhaps there was room for a little understanding.

The situation changed within days as the Rovers registered three wins in the space of seven days, the best of these being a handsome victory over Southport at Haig Avenue. This obviously made up for the Sandgrounders' win at Belle Vue in the second game of the season. Wrexham nicked a point at Belle Vue, before the Rovers lost by the only goal of the match at Chesterfield. Undeterred, the Rovers then went on an unbeaten run of six games, during which time they won the return game at Wrexham, and also at Halifax Town.

A pleasing feature of the Rovers' play at this time was their excellent goal record, withonly two 'blanks' in their opening 13 fixtures, during which time they scored 27 goals. The promising start stuttered a little during October when a run of five games realised only two points, but it ended in the first week in November with a good win at Barrow.

The Christmas/New Year games saw the Rovers win two games out of three, with the victory down at Torquay on New Year's Day especially pleasing. Not so pleasing was the heavy defeat at Notts County at the end of January, but the Rovers roared back with six wins from the next seven games and promotion in Bill Leivers' first season as manager was starting to look a distinct possibility. What was needed now was a last concerted effort in the remaining few weeks of the season. Sadly, it failed to materialise, with the Rovers dropping many points in draws - five in the last 11 games. Although they also won three of the remaining six fixtures, those dropped points and good from from the teams above them meant that the Rovers missed out by 10 points. However, the Rovers' turn for glory was but a few short months away; had their supporters only known it…

Mention must be made of Alick Jeffrey, who ended the season as the leading scorer in the Football League with 36 goals - the first Rovers player to achieve the feat since Clarrie Jordan in 1946/47. Jeffery also added a further three goals in the Cup games for good measure.

The FA Cup proved reasonably successful with the Rovers progressing to the third round, having defeated Bradford Park Avenue and then non-league Scarborough in the early rounds. Once again, they failed to draw a big club and eventually went out to Huddersfield Town at Belle Vue. The Rovers also made the third round in the League Cup. Bradford Park Avenue (again!) and Preston North End were defeated before Bradford City won at Belle Vue.

Leading scorers: Jeffrey 36, Hale 13