Having won the Fourth Division Championship during the previous season, the Rovers were understandably hopeful that they could maintain their newly won higher league status at the very least, but no-one could have foreseen the tragedy and bad luck that enveloped the whole club during the 1966/67 season.

The campaign began in a promising fashion with a draw at Peterborough on the opening day of the season, backed up by a home win over Torquay. These results, coupled with League Cup success over Bradford City, promised much for the future, but fate was about to deal its first devastating blow.

The Rovers' skipper, John Nicholson, was killed in a car crash, whilst Alick Jeffery, his passenger, was badly injured. The Rovers did well to gain a point in their next game, at Brighton, and then beat Oxford at Belle Vue, before losing 10 goals in two heavy defeats at the hands of Darlington and QPR. October saw the Rovers gain their only away win of the season, at Swindon, and then come from two goals down to beat Bristol Rovers 3-2 at Belle Vue. Indeed, their home record was more than respectable, the trouble arose from their horrendous away record, with goals being conceded at an alarming rate.

December and January provided more of the same, with useful home performances being negated by a series of heavy away defeats. The month of January provided arguably the best Rovers performance of the season, when they held table-topping QPR to a draw at Belle Vue. However, the damage was already done, and the Rovers' Third Division future was largely in doubt.

As the season progressed to a close, the Rovers even surrendered their reasonable home record. Indeed, their last 22 League games realised just three wins and four draws. Losses were frequent and often heavy, and the final goals against tally of 117 was the worst in the history of the club. A final League placing of 23rd was hardly surprising.

A total of eight cup-ties were played, Bradford City and Darlington were defeated in the League Cup, before the Rovers lost to Swindon in a third round replay, whilst they lost to Halifax Town in the first round of the FA Cup, also after a replay.

Leading scorers: Ogden 10, Gilfillan 9

Division Three
1966-1967
 
P
W
D
L
F
A
Points
Queens Park Rangers
46
26
15
5
103
38
67
Middlesborough
46
23
9
14
87
64
55
Watford
46
20
14
12
61
46
54
Reading
46
22
9
15
76
57
53
Bristol Rovers
46
20
13
13
76
67
53
Shrewsbury Town
46
20
12
14
77
62
52
Torquay United
46
21
9
16
73
54
51
Swindon Town
46
20
10
16
81
59
50
Mansfield Town
46
20
9
17
84
79
49
Oldham Athletic
46
19
10
17
80
63
48
Gillingham
46
15
16
15
58
62
46
Walsall
46
18
10
18
65
72
46
Colchester United
46
17
10
19
76
73
44
Leyton Orient
46
13
18
15
58
68
44
Peterborough United
46
14
15
17
66
71
43
Oxford United
46
15
13
18
61
66
43
Grimsby Town
46
17
9
20
61
68
43
Scunthorpe United
46
17
8
21
58
73
42
Brighton & Hove Albion
46
13
15
18
61
71
41
Bournemouth
46
12
17
17
39
57
41
Swansea City
46
12
15
19
85
89
39
Darlington
46
13
11
22
47
81
37
DONCASTER ROVERS
46
12
8
26
58
117
32
Workington Town
46
12
7
27
55
89
31