# 2020–21 Rochdale A.F.C. season

The 2020–21 Rochdale A.F.C. season was the club's 114th edition in their history and the seventh consecutive season in EFL League One, Along with League One, the club contested in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
The season covered from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.

## First-team squad

    As of 18 January 2021
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Name | Position(s) | Date of birth (Age) | Apps. | Goals | Year signed | Signed from | Transfer fee |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| 1 | Gavin Bazunu | GK | (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 23) | 20 | 0 | 2020 | Manchester City | Loan |
| 12 | Jay Lynch | GK | (1993-03-31) 31 March 1993 (age 31) | 22 | 0 | 2019 | AFC Fylde | Loan |
| 30 | Ben Chalton | GK | | 0 | 0 | 2020 | Academy | Trainee |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| 2 | Ryan McLaughlin | RB/LB/RM | (1994-09-30) 30 September 1994 (age 30) | 38 | 0 | 2019 | Blackpool | Undisclosed |
| 3 | Gabriel Osho | CB/RB | (1998-08-14) 14 August 1998 (age 26) | 3 | 0 | 2021 | Luton Town | Loan |
| 4 | Jimmy McNulty | CB/LB | (1985-02-13) 13 February 1985 (age 40) | 207 | 4 | 2015 | Bury | Free |
| 5 | Paul McShane | CB | (1986-01-06) 6 January 1986 (age 39) | 25 | 1 | 2019 | Free Agent | Free |
| 6 | Eoghan O'Connell | CB | (1995-08-13) 13 August 1995 (age 29) | 60 | 2 | 2019 | Bury | Free |
| 15 | Haydon Roberts | CB/LB/DM | (2002-05-10) 10 May 2002 (age 22) | 19 | 0 | 2020 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Loan |
| 19 | Yeboah Amankwah | CB | (2000-10-19) 19 October 2000 (age 24) | 2 | 0 | 2020 | Manchester City | Loan |
| 32 | Joe Dunne | CB/LB | (2001-10-25) 25 October 2001 (age 23) | 3 | 0 | 2020 | Academy | Trainee |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| 7 | Stephen Dooley | LM/RM | (1991-10-19) 19 October 1991 (age 33) | 82 | 5 | 2018 | Coleraine | Free |
| 8 | Aaron Morley | CM/DM | (2000-02-27) 27 February 2000 (age 25) | 76 | 7 | 2017 | Academy | Trainee |
| 13 | Jimmy Keohane | CM/AM/RM/RB | (1991-01-22) 22 January 1991 (age 34) | 76 | 5 | 2019 | Cork City | Undisclosed |
| 14 | Oliver Rathbone | CM/DM/LM | (1996-10-10) 10 October 1996 (age 28) | 164 | 13 | 2015 | Manchester United | Free |
| 16 | Matt Done | LM/LW/LB | (1988-07-22) 22 July 1988 (age 36) | 264 | 32 | 2017 | Sheffield United | Free |
| 18 | Lewis Bradley | CM | (2001-05-29) 29 May 2001 (age 23) | 8 | 0 | 2019 | Academy | Trainee |
| 20 | Jimmy Ryan | CM/RM/LM | (1988-09-06) 6 September 1988 (age 36) | 50 | 1 | 2019 | Blackpool | Free |
| 21 | Matty Lund | CM/RB/RM | (1990-11-21) 21 November 1990 (age 34) | 162 | 34 | 2020 | Scunthorpe United | Undisclosed |
| 23 | Harrison Hopper | CM | (2000-12-24) 24 December 2000 (age 24) | 8 | 0 | 2019 | Academy | Trainee |
| 24 | Ethan Brierley | CM | | 8 | 0 | 2020 | Academy | Trainee |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| 9 | Stephen Humphrys | CF/RW/LW | (1997-09-15) 15 September 1997 (age 27) | 14 | 7 | 2020 | Southend United | Free |
| 10 | Alex Newby | RW/CF | (1995-11-21) 21 November 1995 (age 29) | 29 | 7 | 2020 | Chorley | Free |
| 11 | Jake Beesley | CF | (1996-12-12) 12 December 1996 (age 28) | 19 | 3 | 2020 | Solihull Moors | Undisclosed |
| 17 | Fábio Tavares | CF/LW/RW | (2001-01-22) 22 January 2001 (age 24) | 39 | 4 | 2019 | Academy | Trainee |
| 22 | Kwadwo Baah | LW/RW | (2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 24) | 28 | 3 | 2019 | Academy | Trainee |

### Statistics

    As of 9 May 2021
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | League One | League One | F.A. Cup | F.A. Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | League Trophy |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | IRL | Gavin Bazunu | 32 | 0 | 29+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | NIR | Ryan McLaughlin | 36 | 0 | 23+11 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Tolaji Bola | 12 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Gabriel Osho | 22 | 1 | 22+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | SCO | Jimmy McNulty | 22 | 0 | 9+8 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | IRL | Paul McShane | 20 | 0 | 18+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | IRL | Eoghan O'Connell | 43 | 2 | 39+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | NIR | Stephen Dooley | 37 | 1 | 16+15 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Aaron Morley | 50 | 2 | 39+5 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Stephen Humphrys | 29 | 11 | 24+5 | 11 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Alex Newby | 43 | 7 | 27+11 | 6 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Jake Beesley | 30 | 7 | 27+0 | 6 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Jay Lynch | 20 | 0 | 17+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | IRL | Jimmy Keohane | 50 | 10 | 40+4 | 10 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Oliver Rathbone | 46 | 3 | 40+0 | 3 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Haydon Roberts | 26 | 0 | 24+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Matt Done | 41 | 3 | 20+17 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | POR | Fábio Tavares | 18 | 2 | 0+12 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 |
| 17 | MF | EIR | Conor Grant | 20 | 1 | 16+4 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Lewis Bradley | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Yeboah Amankwah | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | IRL | Conor Shaughnessy | 18 | 1 | 14+4 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | IRL | Jimmy Ryan | 17 | 0 | 11+3 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | NIR | Matty Lund | 35 | 12 | 28+4 | 11 | 1+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Kwadwo Baah | 34 | 3 | 13+17 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Harrison Hopper | 3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Ethan Brierley | 8 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Abraham Odoh | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | WAL | Jack Vale | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Joe Dunne | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | POL | Kacper Mialkowski | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |

### Goals record

    As of 9 May 2021
| Rank | No. | Nat. | Po. | Name | League One | FA Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | Total |
| 1 | 21 | | CM | Matty Lund | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | 9 | | CF | Stephen Humphrys | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 3 | 13 | | AM | Jimmy Keohane | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 4 | 10 | | CF | Alex Newby | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| | 11 | | CF | Jake Beesley | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | 22 | | CF | Kwadwo Baah | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| | 14 | | CM | Oliver Rathbone | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| | 16 | | MF | Matt Done | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | 17 | | CF | Fábio Tavares | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| | 6 | | CB | Eoghan O'Connell | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| | 8 | | CM | Aaron Morley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | 7 | | RM | Stephen Dooley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | 17 | | MF | Conor Grant | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | 19 | | MF | Connor Shaughnessy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | 3 | | DF | Gabriel Osho | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 61 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 66 |

### Disciplinary record

    As of 9 May 2021
| Rank | No. | Nat. | Po. | Name | League One | League One | League One | FA Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | League Trophy | League Trophy | Total | Total | Total |
| 1 | 21 | | CM | Matty Lund | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 6 | | CB | Eoghan O'Connell | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 14 | | CM | Oliver Rathbone | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | 22 | | CF | Kwadwo Baah | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 2 | | RB | Ryan McLaughlin | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 5 | | CB | Paul McShane | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 20 | | CM | Jimmy Ryan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 7 | | RM | Stephen Dooley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 11 | | CF | Jake Beesley | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 9 | | CF | Stephen Humphrys | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | 4 | | DF | Jimmy McNulty | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | 10 | | CF | Alex Newby | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | 16 | | MF | Matt Done | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | 13 | | MF | Jimmy Keohane | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 3 | | DF | Gabriel Osho | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 15 | | CB | Haydon Roberts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 23 | | CM | Harrison Hopper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 1 | | GK | Gavin Bazunu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 19 | | MF | Connor Shaughnessy | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | 12 | | GK | Jay Lynch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 62 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 3 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 3 August 2020 | CF | Alex Newby | Chorley | Free transfer |
| 11 September 2020 | CF | Stephen Humphrys | Southend United | Undisclosed |
| 24 September 2020 | CF | Jake Beesley | Solihull Moors | Undisclosed |
| 1 February 2021 | CM | Conor Grant | Sheffield Wednesday | Undisclosed |
| 1 February 2021 | DM | Conor Shaughnessy | Leeds United | Free transfer |
| 26 February 2021 | MF | Abraham Odoh | Charlton Athletic | Free transfer |

### Loans in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Till |
| 25 August 2020 | GK | Gavin Bazunu | Manchester City | End of season |
| 7 September 2020 | CB | Yeboah Amankwah | Manchester City | End of season |
| 8 October 2020 | LB | Tolaji Bola | Arsenal | 31 January 2021 |
| 19 October 2020 | CB | Haydon Roberts | Brighton & Hove Albion | End of season |
| 21 January 2021 | CB | Gabriel Osho | Luton Town | End of season |
| 1 February 2021 | CF | Jack Vale | Blackburn Rovers | End of season |

### Loans out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Till |
| 3 September 2020 | FW | Keaton Mulvey | Mossley | December 2020 |
| 19 September 2020 | GK | Bradley Wade | Guiseley | End of season |
| 26 September 2020 | CM | Lewis Bradley | Bradford (Park Avenue) | 31 October 2020 |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 2020 | CF | Calvin Andrew | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CM | Callum Camps | Fleetwood Town | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CF | Matty Gillam | Guiseley | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CF | Ian Henderson | Salford City | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | GK | Josh Lillis | Barrow | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | RB | Ryan McLaughlin | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CF | Aaron Wilbraham | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | DM | Jordan Williams | Blackpool | Released |
| 8 July 2020 | RB | John Stewart | Europa Point | Free transfer |
| 14 September 2020 | CF | Morgan Moreland | Ramsbottom United | Free transfer |
| 1 February 2021 | CF | Fabio Tavares | Coventry City | Undisclosed |

## Pre-season

Rochdale announced two pre-season friendlies against Atherton Collieries and Stockport County.

## Competitions
### EFL League One
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 17 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 50 | 57 | −7 | 54 | |
| 18 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 53 | 80 | −27 | 53 | |
| 19 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 54 | 70 | −16 | 51 | |
| 20 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 54 | 77 | −23 | 48 | |
| 21 | Rochdale (R) | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 61 | 78 | −17 | 47 | Relegation to EFL League Two |
| 22 | Northampton Town (R) | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 41 | 67 | −26 | 45 | Relegation to EFL League Two |
| 23 | Swindon Town (R) | 46 | 13 | 4 | 29 | 55 | 89 | −34 | 43 | Relegation to EFL League Two |
| 24 | Bristol Rovers (R) | 46 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 40 | 70 | −30 | 38 | Relegation to EFL League Two |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 9 May 2021. Source: BBC

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | L | D | L | W | L | L | W | W | D | D | L | L | D | W | L | L | W | L | D | D | D | L | D | L | W | L | L | L | D | D | L | L | L | L | W | D | L | D | L | W | W | W | D | D | L | W |
| Position | 19 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 23 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 |

#### Matches

Win  Draw  Loss  Postponed
The 2020–21 season fixtures were released on 21 August.

### FA Cup

The draw for the first round was made on Monday 26, October.
Win  Draw  Loss

### EFL Cup

Win  Draw  Loss
The first round draw was made on 18 August, live on Sky Sports, by Paul Merson. The draw for both the second and third round were confirmed on September 6, live on Sky Sports by Phil Babb.

### EFL Trophy

Win  Draw  Loss
The regional group stage draw was confirmed on 18 August.
| Pos | Div | Teamvte | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Salford City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Manchester United U21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L1 | Rochdale | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | L2 | Morecambe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 | |