The 2003-04 campaign delivered a tense, final-day fight for survival for Rochdale as The Dale finished a precarious 21st in the final season of the historic Third Division. Leading the charge with determination was the forward Kevin Townson, whose 10 goals proved crucial in a campaign built on sheer grit and the desperate effort to avoid relegation. It was a turbulent year that marked the end of the Football League's oldest division and remains a defining chapter of Rochdale's enduring fight to maintain their status.