Season | 1972–73 |
---|---|
Champions | Liverpool |
New Club in League | Hereford United |
← 1971–72 1973–74 → |
The 1972–73 season was the 74th completed season of The Football League.
Liverpool's championship win meant they claimed their first trophy since 1966 in Bill Shankly's penultimate season as manager despite competition from Arsenal, Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Manchester United sacked manager Frank O'Farrell after 18 months in charge. He had been unable to mount a title challenge. Tommy Docherty, the 44-year-old Scottish national coach and former Aston Villa manager, was appointed as his successor. Bobby Charlton and Denis Law both played their last games for the club while George Best's appearances were becoming increasingly rare.
Burnley and Queens Park Rangers won promotion to the First Division. Huddersfield Town's decline continued as they slid into the Third Division, where they were joined by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Bolton Wanderers and Notts County occupied the two promotion places in the Third Division. Rotherham United, Brentford, Swansea City and Scunthorpe United were relegated to the Fourth Division.
Hereford United were promoted from the Fourth Division in their first season as a Football League club. They had been elected to the Football League a year earlier after winning the Southern League and achieving a shock win over Newcastle United in the FA Cup. They were joined in the promotion zone by champions Southport, Cambridge United and Aldershot. Newport County missed promotion only on goal average. There were no arrivals or departures in the league for 1973.
Final league tables and results
The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[1] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[2] with home and away statistics separated.
Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.
Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the bottom four teams of that division have been required to apply for re-election.[2]
First Division
Season | 1972–73 |
---|---|
Champions | Liverpool 8th title |
Relegated | Crystal Palace West Bromwich Albion |
European Cup | Liverpool |
UEFA Cup | Leeds United Ipswich Town Wolverhampton Wanderers Tottenham Hotspur |
Watney Cup | West Ham United Stoke City |
Matches played | 462 |
Goals scored | 1,160 (2.51 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Pop Robson (28 goals)[3] |
Biggest home win | Liverpool 5–0 Sheffield United (23 September 1972) Leeds United 5–0 Derby County (7 October 1972) Crystal Palace 5–0 Manchester United (16 October 1972) Derby County 5–0 Arsenal (25 November 1972) Leeds United 6–1 Arsenal (9 March 1973) |
Biggest away win | West Bromwich Albion 0–4 Crystal Palace (3 March 1973) |
Highest scoring | Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–3 Stoke City (30 September 1972) |
← 1971–72 1973–74 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Liverpool (C) | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 72 | 42 | 1.714 | 60 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
2 | Arsenal | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 57 | 43 | 1.326 | 57 | |
3 | Leeds United | 42 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 71 | 45 | 1.578 | 53 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[a] |
4 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 55 | 45 | 1.222 | 48 | |
5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 66 | 54 | 1.222 | 47 | |
6 | West Ham United | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 53 | 1.264 | 46 | Qualification for the Watney Cup[b] |
7 | Derby County | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 56 | 54 | 1.037 | 46 | |
8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 58 | 48 | 1.208 | 45 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[a] |
9 | Newcastle United | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 60 | 51 | 1.176 | 45 | |
10 | Birmingham City | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 53 | 54 | 0.981 | 42 | |
11 | Manchester City | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 57 | 60 | 0.950 | 41 | |
12 | Chelsea | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 49 | 51 | 0.961 | 40 | |
13 | Southampton | 42 | 11 | 18 | 13 | 47 | 52 | 0.904 | 40 | |
14 | Sheffield United | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 51 | 59 | 0.864 | 40 | |
15 | Stoke City | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 61 | 56 | 1.089 | 38 | Qualification for the Watney Cup[b] |
16 | Leicester City | 42 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 40 | 46 | 0.870 | 37 | |
17 | Everton | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 41 | 49 | 0.837 | 37 | |
18 | Manchester United | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 44 | 60 | 0.733 | 37 | |
19 | Coventry City | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 40 | 55 | 0.727 | 35 | |
20 | Norwich City | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 36 | 63 | 0.571 | 32 | |
21 | Crystal Palace (R) | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 41 | 58 | 0.707 | 30 | Relegation to the Second Division |
22 | West Bromwich Albion (R) | 42 | 9 | 10 | 23 | 38 | 62 | 0.613 | 28 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Results
Maps
Second Division
Season | 1972–73 |
---|---|
Champions | Burnley |
Promoted | Burnley Queens Park Rangers |
Relegated | Huddersfield Town Brighton & Hove Albion |
Cup Winners' Cup | Sunderland Cardiff City |
Watney Cup | Bristol City Hull City |
Matches played | 462 |
Goals scored | 1,156 (2.5 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Don Givens (23 goals)[3] |
Biggest home win | Carlisle United 6–1 Preston North End (26 December 1972) Queens Park Rangers 5–0 Swindon Town (17 February 1973) Queens Park Rangers 5–0 Portsmouth (31 March 1973) |
Biggest away win | Preston North End 0–5 Portsmouth (10 February 1973) |
Highest scoring | Hull City 6–2 Preston North End (27 January 1973) Blackpool 6–2 Brighton & Hove Albion (19 April 1973) |
← 1971–72 1973–74 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Burnley (C, P) | 42 | 24 | 14 | 4 | 72 | 35 | 2.057 | 62 | Promotion to the First Division |
2 | Queens Park Rangers (P) | 42 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 81 | 37 | 2.189 | 61 | |
3 | Aston Villa | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 51 | 47 | 1.085 | 50 | |
4 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 46 | 43 | 1.070 | 47 | |
5 | Bristol City | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 63 | 51 | 1.235 | 46 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |
6 | Sunderland | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 59 | 49 | 1.204 | 46 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[a] |
7 | Blackpool | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 56 | 51 | 1.098 | 46 | |
8 | Oxford United | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 52 | 43 | 1.209 | 45 | |
9 | Fulham | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 58 | 49 | 1.184 | 44 | |
10 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 59 | 55 | 1.073 | 44 | |
11 | Millwall | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 55 | 47 | 1.170 | 42 | |
12 | Luton Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 53 | 0.830 | 41 | |
13 | Hull City | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 64 | 59 | 1.085 | 40 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |
14 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 47 | 52 | 0.904 | 40 | |
15 | Orient | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 49 | 53 | 0.925 | 36 | |
16 | Swindon Town | 42 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 46 | 60 | 0.767 | 36 | |
17 | Portsmouth | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 42 | 59 | 0.712 | 35 | |
18 | Carlisle United | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 50 | 52 | 0.962 | 34 | |
19 | Preston North End | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 37 | 64 | 0.578 | 34 | |
20 | Cardiff City | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 43 | 58 | 0.741 | 33 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[b] |
21 | Huddersfield Town (R) | 42 | 8 | 17 | 17 | 36 | 56 | 0.643 | 33 | Relegation to the Third Division |
22 | Brighton & Hove Albion (R) | 42 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 46 | 83 | 0.554 | 29 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Sunderland qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1972–73 FA Cup winners.
- ^ Cardiff City qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1972–73 Welsh Cup winners.
Results
Maps
Third Division
Season | 1972–73 |
---|---|
Champions | Bolton Wanderers (1st title) |
Promoted | Notts County |
Relegated | Brentford, Rotherham United, Scunthorpe United, Swansea City |
Matches played | 552 |
Goals scored | 1,371 (2.48 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Arthur Horsfield (Charlton Athletic), 26 [3] |
← 1971–72 1973–74 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 44 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 29 | 30 | 1.872 | 61 | Division Champions, promoted |
2 | Notts County | 46 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 40 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 35 | 1.426 | 57 | Promoted |
3 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 34 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 1.213 | 55 | |
4 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 40 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 32 | 36 | 1.333 | 54 | |
5 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 55 | 20 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 36 | 1.375 | 53 | Qualified for 1973 Watney Cup[a] |
6 | Port Vale | 46 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 15 | 48 | 0.812 | 53 | |
7 | AFC Bournemouth | 46 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 44 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 28 | 1.500 | 50 | |
8 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 43 | 26 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 31 | 40 | 1.121 | 50 | Qualified for 1973 Watney Cup[a] |
9 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 45 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 22 | 43 | 1.098 | 48 | |
10 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 38 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 35 | 1.077 | 46 | |
11 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 46 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 23 | 43 | 1.030 | 45 | |
12 | Wrexham | 46 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 39 | 23 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 31 | 1.019 | 45 | |
13 | Rochdale | 46 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 26 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 26 | 28 | 0.889 | 45 | |
14 | Southend United | 46 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 40 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 21 | 40 | 1.130 | 44 | |
15 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 31 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 33 | 0.852 | 44 | |
16 | Chesterfield | 46 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 39 | 0.934 | 43 | |
17 | Walsall | 46 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 37 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 40 | 0.848 | 43 | |
18 | York City | 46 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 32 | 0.913 | 41 | |
19 | Watford | 46 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 32 | 23 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 25 | 0.896 | 41 | |
20 | Halifax Town | 46 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 30 | 0.811 | 41 | |
21 | Rotherham United | 46 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 34 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 38 | 0.785 | 41 | Relegated |
22 | Brentford | 46 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 33 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 18 | 51 | 0.739 | 37 | |
23 | Swansea City | 46 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 37 | 29 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 44 | 0.699 | 37 | |
24 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 25 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 47 | 0.458 | 30 |
Notes:
- ^ a b The two teams who scored the most goals in each division, and did not qualify for Europe and were not promoted, qualified for the Watney Cup.
Results
Maps
Fourth Division
Season | 1972–73 |
---|---|
Champions | Southport (1st title) |
Promoted | Aldershot, Cambridge United, Hereford United |
Failed re-election | None |
New club in the league | Hereford United |
Matches played | 552 |
Goals scored | 1,347 (2.44 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Fred Binney (Exeter City), 27 [3] |
← 1971–72 1973–74 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Southport (C, P) | 46 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 40 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 31 | 29 | 1.479 | 62 | Promoted to the Third Division |
2 | Hereford United[a] (P) | 46 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 39 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 26 | 1.474 | 58 | Promoted to the Third Division |
3 | Cambridge United (P) | 46 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 40 | 23 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 1.175 | 57 | |
4 | Aldershot (P) | 46 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 33 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 24 | 1.579 | 56 | |
5 | Newport County | 46 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 37 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 26 | 1.455 | 56 | |
6 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 52 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 26 | 34 | 1.529 | 54 | Qualified for 1973 Watney Cup[b] |
7 | Reading | 46 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 31 | 1.342 | 52 | |
8 | Exeter City | 46 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 40 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 33 | 1.118 | 50 | |
9 | Gillingham | 46 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 44 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 38 | 1.086 | 49 | |
10 | Lincoln City | 46 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 38 | 27 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 26 | 30 | 1.123 | 48 | |
11 | Stockport County | 46 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 38 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 15 | 35 | 1.000 | 48 | |
12 | Bury | 46 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 37 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 21 | 32 | 1.137 | 46 | |
13 | Workington | 46 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 44 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 15 | 41 | 0.967 | 46 | |
14 | Barnsley | 46 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 32 | 24 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 0.967 | 44 | |
15 | Chester | 46 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 19 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 21 | 33 | 1.173 | 43 | |
16 | Bradford City | 46 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 42 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 40 | 0.938 | 43 | |
17 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 28 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 39 | 0.845 | 42 | |
18 | Torquay United | 46 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 30 | 0.936 | 41 | |
19 | Peterborough United | 46 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 42 | 29 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 29 | 47 | 0.934 | 41 | Qualified for 1973 Watney Cup[b] |
20 | Hartlepool | 46 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 34 | 0.694 | 41 | |
21 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 23 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 38 | 0.623 | 36 | Re-elected |
22 | Colchester United | 46 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 36 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 12 | 48 | 0.632 | 31 | |
23 | Northampton Town | 46 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 0.548 | 31 | |
24 | Darlington | 46 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 41 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 14 | 44 | 0.494 | 29 |
- ^ New club in the league; elected from Southern League
- ^ a b The two teams who scored the most goals in each division, and did not qualify for Europe and were not promoted, qualified for the Watney Cup.
Results
Maps
See also
External links
- Season 1972-73 complete complete lineups, tables and squads at Historical Football Lineups
References
- ^ "England 1972–73". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
- ^ a b Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
- ^ a b c d "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.