1972–73 Football League First Division

Statistics of Football League First Division in the 1972–73 season.

Football League First Division
Season1972–73
ChampionsLiverpool
8th English title
RelegatedCrystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
European CupLiverpool
UEFA CupLeeds United
Ipswich Town
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tottenham Hotspur
Watney CupWest Ham United
Stoke City
Matches played462
Goals scored1,160 (2.51 per match)
Top goalscorerPop Robson
(28 goals)[1]
Biggest home winLiverpool 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 winWest Bromwich Albion 0–4 Crystal Palace
(3 March 1973)
Highest scoringWolverhampton Wanderers 5–3 Stoke City
(30 September 1972)

Overview

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Liverpool won the First Division title for the eighth time in the club's history that season. They made sure of the title with a 0–0 draw against Leicester City at Anfield and finished the season three points ahead of title challengers Arsenal. Crystal Palace were relegated on 24 April, after losing 2–1 at relegation rivals Norwich City. West Bromwich Albion joined them the next day after losing 2–1 at home to Manchester City.

League standings

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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
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[a]
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
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[a]
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
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b West Ham United and Stoke City qualified for the Watney Cup as the two teams with the most goals that hadn't already qualified for a European competition.

Results

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Home \ Away ARS BIR CHE COV CRY DER EVE IPS LEE LEI LIV MCI MUN NEW NWC SHU SOU STK TOT WBA WHU WOL
Arsenal 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–0 0–1 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 0–0 0–0 3–1 2–2 2–0 3–2 1–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–0 5–2
Birmingham City 1–1 2–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 2–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 2–1 4–1 3–1 3–2 4–1 1–2 1–1 3–1 0–0 3–2 0–0 0–1
Chelsea 0–1 0–0 2–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–2 2–1 1–0 1–1 3–1 4–2 2–1 1–3 0–1 3–1 1–3 0–2
Coventry City 1–1 0–0 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–0 2–1 0–1 3–2 1–2 3–2 1–1 0–3 3–1 3–0 1–1 2–1 0–1 0–0 3–1 0–1
Crystal Palace 2–3 0–0 2–0 0–1 0–0 1–0 1–1 2–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 5–0 2–1 0–2 0–1 3–0 3–2 0–0 0–2 1–3 1–1
Derby County 5–0 1–0 1–2 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–0 2–3 2–1 2–1 1–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 2–1 4–0 0–3 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–0
Everton 0–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–2 0–1 0–2 2–3 2–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 0–1 2–0 3–1 1–0 1–2 0–1
Ipswich Town 1–2 2–0 3–0 2–0 2–1 3–1 0–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 4–1 1–0 1–2 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–1
Leeds United 6–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 5–0 2–1 3–3 3–1 1–2 3–0 0–1 1–0 2–0 2–1 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–0
Leicester City 0–1 0–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 2–0 3–2 1–1 2–2 0–0 1–2 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 3–1 2–1 1–1
Liverpool 0–2 4–3 3–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 2–0 0–0 2–0 2–0 3–2 3–1 5–0 3–2 2–1 1–1 1–0 3–2 4–2
Manchester City 1–2 1–0 0–1 1–2 2–3 4–0 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 3–0 2–0 3–0 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 4–3 1–1
Manchester United 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–0 3–0 0–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 0–2 1–4 2–1 2–2 2–1
Newcastle United 2–1 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–0 1–2 3–2 2–2 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 4–1 0–0 1–0 0–1 1–1 1–2 2–1
Norwich City 3–2 1–2 1–0 1–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–1 1–1 0–0 2–0 2–1 2–0 0–1 1–1
Sheffield United 1–0 0–1 2–1 3–1 2–0 3–1 0–1 0–0 0–2 2–0 0–3 1–1 1–0 1–2 2–0 3–1 0–0 3–2 3–0 0–0 1–2
Southampton 2–2 2–0 3–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 0–0 1–2 3–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–1
Stoke City 0–0 1–2 1–1 2–1 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–0 0–1 5–1 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 3–3 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0
Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 2–0 0–1 2–1 2–1 1–0 3–0 0–1 0–0 1–1 1–2 2–3 1–1 3–2 3–0 2–0 1–2 4–3 1–1 1–0 2–2
West Bromwich Albion 1–0 2–2 1–1 1–0 0–4 2–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–3 0–1 0–2 1–1 2–1 0–1 0–0 1–0
West Ham United 1–2 2–0 3–1 1–0 4–0 1–2 2–0 0–1 1–1 5–2 0–1 2–1 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 4–3 3–2 2–2 2–1 2–2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–3 3–2 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–2 4–2 0–1 0–2 2–0 2–1 5–1 2–0 1–1 3–0 1–1 0–1 5–3 3–2 2–0 3–0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Managerial changes

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Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Coventry City   Bob Dennison End of caretaker spell 15 June 1972 Pre-season   Joe Mercer 15 June 1972
Manchester United   Frank O'Farrell Sacked 19 December 1972 21st   Tommy Docherty 22 December 1972
Crystal Palace   Bert Head Mutual consent 28 March 1973 20th   Malcolm Allison 30 March 1973
Manchester City   Malcolm Allison Signed by Crystal Palace 30 March 1973 14th   Johnny Hart 30 March 1973
Everton   Harry Catterick Resigned 7 April 1973 15th   Tom Eggleston (caretaker) 7 April 1973

Team locations

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Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1972–73

Top scorers

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Rank Player Club Goals
1   Pop Robson West Ham United 28
2   John Richards Wolverhampton Wanderers 27
3   Billy Dearden Sheffield United 20
4   Bob Latchford Birmingham City 19
5   Allan Clarke Leeds United 18
=   John Tudor Newcastle United 18

References

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  1. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.