Although the Rovers ended this particular season in a comfortable twelfth place in the old Fourth Division, there is no doubt that a run of eight wins in nine games during October did much to save them from an undignified relegation fight towards the end of the campaign.

The season began in promising style, with three points coming from the first two games. Old favourite, Alan Warboys, had re-joined the Rovers during the close season, and two goals in the opening games ensured his popularity with the Rovers supporters. Heavy defeats in the following two games proved disappointing, but the team bounced back with five goals against Torquay United.

October opened with a home draw with Tranmere Rovers, but events on the field were then overshadowed by the untimely death of Les Cocker, the former England trainer who had moved to Belle Vue as part of Billy Bremner's backroom staff at the start of the season. If anything, the tragedy seemed to inspire the Rovers, and as mentioned earlier, they put together a run of eight wins in nine matches which saw them make rapid strides up the table.

By December, the Rovers were nicely place in the top seven, just five points behind the top team Huddersfield Town. Unfortunately, this proved to be the best position of the whole campaigh. December provided just one point form four league games, with January only marginally better. In fact, the Rovers went fully twelve matches without a win before old rivals, Scunthorpe United, were hammered 5-0 at Belle Vue, with Dave Bentley notching two memorable goals.

The remainder of the season saw a continuation of the Rovers poor form, with victories few and far between. Only four of the last fifteen fixtures provided full points, although there was a useful run in the last month or so of the season, where just two of the last ten games were lost.

The Cup competitions provided much interest for our supporters, with good progress being made in both League Cup and FA Cup. The former saw the Rovers defeat Sheffield United over two legs, before losing to Exeter City, despite taking a two goal lead to St James Park from the first leg. The FA Cup provided an excellent win at Port Bale in the First Round, before the Rovers lost at home to Mansfield Town in Round Two with a potential money-spinning tie just a match away.

Leading scorers: Lister 12, Warboys 11, Nimmo 10

Division Four
 1979/1980
 
P
W
D
L
F
A
Points
Huddersfield Town
46
27
12
7
101
48
66
Walsall
46
23
18
5
75
47
64
Newport County
46
27
7
12
83
50
61
Portsmouth
46
24
12
10
91
49
60
Bradford City
46
24
12
10
77
50
60
Wigan Athletic
46
21
13
12
76
61
55
Lincoln City
46
18
17
11
64
42
53
Peterborough United
46
21
10
15
58
47
52
Torquay United
46
15
17
14
70
69
47
Aldershot
46
16
13
17
62
53
45
Bournemouth
46
13
18
15
52
51
44
DONCASTER ROVERS
46
15
14
17
62
63
44
Northampton Town
46
16
12
18
51
66
44
Scunthorpe United
46
14
15
17
58
75
43
Tranmere Rovers
46
14
13
19
50
56
41
Stockport County
46
14
12
20
48
72
40
York City
46
14
11
21
65
82
39
Halifax Town
46
13
13
20
46
72
39
Hartlepool United
46
14
10
22
59
64
38
Port Vale
46
12
12
22
56
70
36
Hereford United
46
11
14
21
38
52
36
Darlington
46
9
17
20
50
74
35
Crewe Alexandra
46
11
13
22
35
68
35
Rochdale
46
7
13
26
33
79
27