Although they only averaged a point a game from their 46 fixtures, and attained a League placing of 12th in Division Four, this was very much a season of re-adjustment for the Rovers after their relegation of the previous season.

The Rovers began the campaign in fine style by beating Newport County at Belle Vue, despite only having one new face - Harold Wilcockson - in the ranks. Although the next three fixtures were lost, the Rovers embarked on a mini-revival during September that saw them lose just once in five games. The following month provided a similar story and, although they lost badly at Southport, the Rovers hit back be beating Darlington by four clear goals, seven days later.

Their worthy form allowed to Rovers to field a relatively settled team and, with the introduction of a number of younger players such as Mike Elwiss and Paul Gilchrist, there appeared to be a reasonable case for a promotion push in the second half of the season. Although the Christmas Holiday games provided no reward, the New Year opened with an unbeaten run of four games, including an excellent win at Barrow, which avenged the Rovers' home defeat by the same club earlier in the season. February also proved fruitful and, with 17 games to play, the Rovers were just a handful of points form the promotion places. By mid-March, the gap between the Rovers and the fourth automatic promotion place had been whittled down to a mere three points, but then Gilchrist was sold to Southampton and the team faltered. The next 11 games failed to produce a win and the five draws that were accrued were plainly not enough to keep the Rovers up with the leaders. The last two games were won, but it was all a bit too late for the Rovers and their followers, who could only look back on what might have been.

The two Cup competitions saw the Rovers eliminated in the first round. Grimsby Town did the business on their own ground in the League Cup, whilst Stockport County put an end to the Rovers' FA Cup aspirations at Belle Vue in November.

Leading scorers (league) Elwiss 15, Briggs 8, Gilchrist 8.

Division Four
 1971-1972
 
P
W
D
L
F
A
Points
Grimsby Town
46
28
7
11
88
56
63
Southend United
46
24
12
10
81
55
60
Brentford
46
24
11
11
76
44
59
Scunthorpe United
46
22
13
11
56
37
57
Lincoln City
46
21
14
11
77
59
56
Workington Town
46
16
19
11
50
34
51
Southport
46
18
14
14
66
46
50
Peterborough United
46
17
16
13
82
64
50
Bury
46
19
12
15
73
59
50
Cambridge United
46
17
14
15
62
60
48
Colchester United
46
19
10
17
70
69
48
DONCASTER ROVERS
46
16
14
16
56
63
46
Gillingham
46
16
13
17
61
67
45
Newport County
46
18
8
20
60
72
44
Exeter City
46
16
11
19
61
68
43
Reading
46
17
8
21
56
76
42
Aldershot
46
9
22
15
48
54
40
Hartlepool United
46
17
6
23
58
69
40
Darlington
46
14
11
21
64
82
39
Chester City
46
10
18
18
47
56
38
Northampton Town
46
12
13
21
66
79
37
Barrow
46
13
11
22
40
71
37
Stockport County
46
9
14
23
55
87
32
Crewe Alexandra
46
10
9
27
43
69
29