1972–73 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

The 1972–73 season was Queens Park Rangers F.C.'s 54th season[1] of football in the Football League First Division. It was also their second consecutive season in the top division after being promoted from the Football League Second Division in 1971.[2]

Queens Park Rangers
1972–73 season
ChairmanJim Gregory
ManagerGordon Jago
Football League Second Division2nd
FA CupFifth round
Football League CupSecond round
London Challenge CupQuarter-Finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Don Givens (23)
All: Don Givens (26)
Highest home attendance22,518 Vs Burnley (27 January 1973)
Lowest home attendance9,790 Vs Oxford United (2 December 1972)
Average home league attendance14, 714
Biggest win5–0 Vs Portsmouth (31 March 1973), Swindon Town (17 February 1973)
Biggest defeat1–4 Vs Hull City (26 September 1972)

League performance

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QPR finished the season in 3rd place in the Football League First Division, their highest ever finish at the time.[3] They were level on points with champions Leeds United A.F.C. and runners-up Liverpool F.C., but had an inferior goal difference.[4] The season saw standout performances from forward Stan Bowles, who finished as the club's top scorer with 22 goals.[5]

FA Cup

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QPR were eliminated from the FA Cup in the Third Round, losing 2–1 away to Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C..[6]

Crest

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QPR replaced their Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith’s arms badge that had been the clubs badge since 1953 with a blue and white hooped shield with the outline of a ball, depicting QPR in plain letters.

Results

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Second Division

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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
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Results

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First Division

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance Position
12 August 1972 Swindon Town A 2–2 Busby, Leach 14,170 14
19 August 1972 Sheffield Wednesday H 4–2 Francis, O'Rourke, Givens, Leach 12,977 7
26 August 1972 Preston North End A 1–1 O'Rourke 9,242 7
2 September 1972 Middlesbrough H 2–2 Givens, O'Rourke 10,601 13
9 September 1972 Burnley A 1–1 Busby 10,798 11
16 September 1972 Nottingham Forest H 3–0 Givens, Bowles, McCulloch 12,528 10
19 September 1972 Bristol City H 1–1 Francis 11,586 10
23 September 1972 Orient A 2–2 Leach, Bowles 9,492 10
26 September 1972 Hull City A 1–4 Givens 8,289 12
30 September 1972 Cardiff City H 3–0 Givens 2, Bowles 11,182 10
7 October 1972 Carlisle United H 4–0 Francis, Leach, Evans, Busby 11,755 8
14 October 1972 Aston Villa A 1–0 Francis 34,045 5
17 October 1972 Fulham A 2–0 Bowles, Givens 20,614 2
21 October 1972 Sunderland H 3–2 Givens, Bowles 2 17,356 2
28 October 1972 Blackpool A 0–2 14,160 3
4 November 1972 Hull City H 1–1 Bowles 13,619 3
11 November 1972 Bristol City A 2–1 Givens 2 12,570 1
18 November 1972 Millwall H 1–3 Bowles 15,857 2
25 November 1972 Portsmouth A 1–0 Givens 8,460 2
2 December 1972 Oxford United H 0–0 9,790 2
9 December 1972 Luton Town A 2–2 Givens, Clement 13,670 3
23 December 1972 Brighton And Hove Albion A 2–1 Givens 2 13,735 2
26 December 1972 Orient H 3–1 Leach, Givens, Francis 15,062 2
30 December 1972 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–3 Leach 20,185 2
6 January 1973 Preston North End H 3–0 Givens 2, Francis 10,519 2
20 January 1973 Middlesbrough A 0–0 8,398 2
27 January 1973 Burnley H 2–0 Givens, leach 22,518 2
6 February 1973 Huddersfield Town H 3–1 Givens 2, Thomas 13,539 2
10 February 1973 Nottingham Forest A 0–0 11,617 2
17 February 1973 Swindon Town H 5–0 Givens, Francis, Bowles 3 13,472 2
3 March 1973 Carlisle United A 3–1 Thomas, Bowles, Clement 8,729 2
6 March 1973 Huddersfield Town A 2–2 Francis, Leach 8,627 2
10 March 1973 Aston Villa H 1–0 Leach 21,578 1
24 March 1973 Blackpool H 4–0 Thomas, Bowles, Francis,Hatton OG 15,714 2
31 March 1973 Portsmouth H 5–0 Thomas, Leach, Venables, Lewis OG 14,086 2
7 April 1973 Oxford United A 0–2 12,144 2
14 April 1973 Luton Town H 2–0 Mancini, Givens 16,471 2
18 April 1973 Cardiff City A 0–0 11,958 2
21 April 1973 Millwall A 1–0 Bowles 16,136 2
24 April 1973 Brighton and Hove Albion H 2–0 Bowles, Francis 16,625 2
28 April 1973 Fulham H 2–0 Bowles, Clement 22,187 2
9 May 1973 Sunderland A 3–0 Bowles 2, Thomas 43,265 2

London Challenge Cup

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Date[7] Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
25 September 1972 First Round Crystal Palace A 1–0
4 October 1972 Quarter-Final Tottenham A 0–2

Football League Cup

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Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
6 September 1972 Second Round West Bromwich Albion A 1–2 Givens 8,282

FA Cup

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Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
13 January 1973 Third Round Barnet H 0–0 13,627
16 January 1973 Third Round Replay Barnet A 3–0 Leach, Bowles, Mancini 10.919
24 January 1973 Fourth Round Oxford United A 2–0 Givens, Clement 16,057
24 February 1973 Fifth Round Derby County A 2–4 Leach, Givens 38,100

Squad

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Position Nationality Name League Appearances (substitute) League Goals Cup Appearances F.A.Cup Goals League Cup Goals Total Appearances Total Goals
GK   Phil Parkes 41 4 45
GK   Alan Spratley 1 1 2
DF   Dave Clement 40 5 3 1 45 4
DF   Tony Hazell 41 5 46
DF   Ian Gillard 8 8
DF   Ron Hunt 2(1) 1 4
DF   Terry Mancini 24 4 2 1 28 3
DF   Ian Evans 18 1 1 19 1
DF   John Delve 6(3) 1 10
MF   John Beck (1) 1
MF   Martyn Busby 13 1 3 14 3
MF   Mike Ferguson 1(1) 2 4
MF   Gerry Francis 42 4 9 46 9
MF   Mick Leach 35(1) 5 10 2 41 12
MF   Ian Watson 35 4 39
FW   Terry Venables 37 2 1 39 1
FW   Stan Bowles 35 4 17 1 33 18
FW   Andy McCulloch 5(2) 1 7 1
FW   John O'Rourke 7(1) 1 3 9 3
FW   Don Givens 41 5 23 2 1 46 26
FW   Dave Thomas 28 4 6 32 6
FW   Barry Salvage (3) 1 4
FW   Ian Morgan 2 2

Transfers out

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Name from Date Fee Date Club Fee
Andrew McCulloch Walton & Hersham October 1970 October 1972 Cardiff City £45,000
Michael McGovern Queens Park Rangers Juniors November 1968 November 1972 Watford Loan
Ron Hunt Queens Park Rangers Juniors March 1963 July 1973 Retired (injury)
Alan Spratley Queens Park Rangers Juniors May 1967 July 1973 Swindon Town Free
Mike Ferguson Aston Villa November 1969 £15,000 July 1973 Cambridge United Free
Barry Salvage Millwall March 1971 February 1973 Brentford

Transfers in

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Name from Date Fee
Stan Bowles Carlisle United September 1972 £112,000
Dave Thomas Burnley October 1972 £165,000
Frank McLintock Arsenal June 1973 £25,000
Richard Teale Walton & Hersham July 1973 £9,000
Mike Ferguson Aston Villa November 1969 £15,000
Keith Pritchett Doncaster Rovers July 1973

References

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  1. ^ Macey, Gordon (1993). Queens Park Rangers: A Complete Record. london: Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 1873626401. ^
  2. ^ "QPR History". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  3. ^ "Queens Park Rangers 1972–1973 Season". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  4. ^ "1972–1973 England Football League First Division Table". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  5. ^ "Queens Park Rangers Top Scorers 1972–1973". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  6. ^ "Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Queens Park Rangers". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  7. ^ "nonleaguematters". Non league Matters. 14 February 2022.