The decade of the 1970's was not a particularly successful period for the Rovers. Relegation from Division Three at the end of the 1970/71 season had seen them back in the basement just two seasons after winning the Fourth Division Championship in1968/69.

The following season saw the Rovers finish a mid-table position, with a comparatively good average home 'gate' of just over 4,000. The Rovers were financially incapable of improving the team over the close season and a horrid sense of further ill fortune was around Belle Vue as the new season opened.

That feeling must have got through to the Rovers players, who lost their opening six League and Cup matches. Indeed, they did not register a victory until their eighth game, when they beat Southport at Belle Vue in mid-September with goals from Archie Irvine and Mike Elwiss. This did, however, begin a mini-revival with two wins and a draw coming from the next four games.

The good form did not last, however, and the programme until Christmas produced little to get excited about, with the Rovers struggling to put two good results together.

The New Year opened with a 'gate' of less than 2,000 for the home game with Cambridge United. Two further losses followed, before the Rovers began a revival that would ultimately secure their League status. Of the next 14 games, only three were lost, the pick of these performances being away successes at Chester, Northampton and Exeter, with the West Country club also losing heavily at Belle Vue towards the end of the season.

The last week of the season saw the Rovers play four games in seven days. The games yielded but a single point as the Rovers ended the season largely as they had played much of it - under pressure from day one. They ended the season in 17th place in Division Four - with the attendances at Belle Vue down to an all-time low.

The Rovers made a first round exit from the Football League Cup, losing by a goal to nil at Hartlepool, whilst they did make some progress in the FA Cup, beating Bury and non-league Scarborough, before losing at Reading in the third round.

Leading scorers (league) Elwiss 11, Haselden 10.

Division Four
 1972-1973
 
P
W
D
L
F
A
Points
Southport
46
36
10
10
71
48
62
Hereford United
46
23
12
11
56
38
58
Cambridge United
46
20
17
9
67
57
57
Aldershot
46
22
12
12
60
38
56
Newport County
46
22
12
12
64
44
56
Mansfield Town
46
20
14
12
78
51
54
Reading
46
17
18
11
51
38
52
Exeter City
46
18
14
14
57
51
50
Gillingham
46
19
11
16
63
58
49
Lincoln City
46
16
16
14
64
57
48
Stockport County
46
18
12
16
53
53
48
Bury
46
14
18
14
58
51
46
Workington Town
46
17
12
17
59
61
46
Barnsley
46
14
16
16
58
60
44
Chester City
46
14
15
17
61
52
43
Bradford City
46
16
11
19
61
65
43
DONCASTER ROVERS
46
15
12
19
49
58
42
Torquay United
46
12
17
17
44
47
41
Peterborough United
46
14
13
19
71
76
41
Hartlepool United
46
12
17
17
34
49
41
Crewe Alexandra
46
9
18
19
38
61
36
Colchester United
46
10
11
25
48
76
31
Northampton Town
46
10
11
25
40
73
31
Darlington
46
7
15
24
42
85
29