1973–74 Arsenal F.C. season

Arsenal
1973–74 season
Chairman	Denis Hill-Wood
Manager	Bertie Mee
First Division	10th place
FA Cup	4th round
League Cup	Second Round
Top goalscorer	League: Alan Ball (13); All: Alan Ball (13), Ray Kennedy (13)
Home colours	Away colours
	← 1972–73 1974–75 →

The 1973–74 season was Arsenal Football Club's 48th consecutive season in the Football League First Division. After a second-place finish the previous season, Arsenal slid to tenth and found no success in either the FA Cup or League Cup.

Captain Frank McLintock, after struggling with manager Bertie Mee, left the club and Bob McNab assumed the captaincy.^[1] George Graham also left the club.

The season did see Liam Brady break into the first team, partnering with Alan Ball. Ball was Arsenal's top scorer in the league.

Season summary

After the previous season, Mee believed that a rebuild was necessary and let go of several key players. Captain Frank McLintock, age 34, moved to Queens Park Rangers with whom he finished a close second in the league in 1975-76.^[2] George Graham also departed, becoming Tommy Docherty's first purchase as Manchester United manager. Steve Burtenshaw, Mee's assistant, resigned just a few weeks into the season after losing the trust of the players and joined Queens Park Rangers.^[2]^[3] Brian Chambers from Sunderland was the only incoming transfer.^[4]

Arsenal began the season with 3-0 victory over Manchester United, but followed it up with two home losses and a 0-5 away loss to Sheffield United. Although Arsenal had a few decent performance including a 4-0 win over Norwich City (who had done the double over them the previous season), Arsenal continued to struggle in the league.^[4] Their cup prospects didn't fare much better, as they lost to Tranmere Rovers in a second round League Cup tie and knocked out of the FA Cup in a fourth-round replay against Aston Villa.^[2]

The season had few silver linings. Liam Brady broke into the first team and benefited from playing with Alan Ball in the midfield.^[5] However, in the last match of the season which also brought Brady's first goal, Ball broke his leg in a tackle.^[2]

Final league table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
8	Queens Park Rangers	42	13	17	12	56	52	1.077	43
9	Leicester City	42	13	16	13	51	41	1.244	42
10	Arsenal	42	14	14	14	49	51	0.961	42
11	Tottenham Hotspur	42	14	14	14	45	50	0.900	42
12	Wolverhampton Wanderers	42	13	15	14	49	49	1.000	41	Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round^[a]

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Notes:

^ Wolverhampton Wanderers qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1973-74 Football League Cup winners.

Results

Arsenal's score comes first^[6]

Legend

Win	Draw	Loss

Football League First Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance
25 August 1973	Manchester United	H	3–0	51,501
28 August 1973	Leeds United	H	1–2	47,529
1 September 1973	Newcastle United	A	1–1	30,665
4 September 1973	Sheffield United	A	0–5	27,839
8 September 1973	Leicester City	H	0–2	28,558
11 September 1973	Sheffield United	H	1–0	29,434
15 September 1973	Norwich City	A	4–0	29,378
22 September 1973	Stoke City	H	2–1	30,968
29 September 1973	Everton	A	0–1	31,359
6 October 1973	Birmingham City	H	1–0	23,915
13 October 1973	Tottenham Hotspur	A	0–2	41,855
20 October 1973	Ipswich Town	H	1–1	28,344
27 October 1973	Queen's Park Rangers	A	0–2	29,115
3 November 1973	Liverpool	H	0–2	39,857
10 November 1973	Manchester City	A	2–1	31,041
17 November 1973	Chelsea	H	0–0	38,977
24 November 1973	West Ham United	A	3–1	28,287
1 December 1973	Coventry City	H	2–2	22,380
4 December 1973	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	2–2	13,751
8 December 1973	Derby County	A	1–1	25,161
15 December 1973	Burnley	A	1–2	13,200
22 December 1973	Everton	H	1–0	19,886
26 December 1973	Southampton	A	1–1	24,133
29 December 1973	Leicester City	A	0–2	25,860
1 January 1974	Newcastle United	H	0–1	29,558
12 January 1974	Norwich City	H	2–0	22,084
19 January 1974	Manchester United	A	1–1	38,869
2 February 1974	Burnley	H	1–1	20,789
5 February 1974	Leeds United	A	1–3	26,778
16 February 1974	Tottenham Hotspur	H	0–1	38,892
23 February 1974	Birmingham City	A	1–3	29,822
2 March 1974	Southampton	H	1–0	19,210
16 March 1974	Ipswich Town	A	2–2	22,297
23 March 1974	Manchester City	H	2–0	25,319
30 March 1974	Stoke City	A	0–0	18,532
6 April 1974	West Ham United	H	0–0	37,868
13 April 1974	Chelsea	A	3–1	29,152
15 April 1974	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	1–3	25,881
20 April 1974	Derby County	H	2–0	26,017
24 April 1974	Liverpool	A	1-0	47,997
27 April 1974	Coventry City	A	3–3	19,945
30 April 1974	Queen's Park Rangers	H	1–1	40,396

FA Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance
R3	5 January 1974	Norwich City	A	1–0	21,500
R4	26 January 1974	Aston Villa	H	1–1	41,682
R4 R	30 January 1974	Aston Villa	A	0–2	47,821

League Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R2	2 October 1973	Tranmere Rovers	H	0–1	20,337

Squad

[1] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
-	GK	SCO	Bob Wilson
-	DF	NIR	Pat Rice
-	DF	ENG	Bob McNab
-	DF	ENG	Peter Simpson
-	MF	ENG	Peter Storey
-	MF	SCO	Eddie Kelly
-	MF	ENG	George Armstrong
-	MF	ENG	Alan Ball
-	FW	ENG	John Radford
-	FW	ENG	Ray Kennedy
-	FW	ENG	Charlie George


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
-	DF	ENG	Jeff Blockley
-	DF	NIR	Sammy Nelson
-	MF	IRL	Liam Brady
-	MF	ENG	Brian Hornsby
-	MF	ENG	David Price
-	DF	ENG	Richie Powling
-	DF	ENG	Brendon Batson
-	GK	ENG	Jimmy Rimmer

Top scorers

Football League^[7]

References

^ Kelly, Andy (17 November 2014). "Arsenal's captains from day one". The Arsenal History. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1995). Arsenal: Official History. London: Hamlyn. p. 182. ISBN 0600588262.
^ "Rest in peace, Steve". Arsenal. 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b Exley, Robert (7 July 2017). "#FlashbackFriday – Season 1973/74". The Online Gooner. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ "Greatest 50 Players - 8. Liam Brady". Arsenal. 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ "Arsenal results for the 1976-1977 season – Statto.com". Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
^ Arsenal Official Handbook 1974-75. London: Arsenal. p. 37.

[table_note_res_UC1RFLC0.91293350044309-6] Wolverhampton Wanderers qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1973-74 Football League Cup winners.

[1] Kelly, Andy (17 November 2014). "Arsenal's captains from day one". The Arsenal History. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

[:0-2] Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1995). Arsenal: Official History. London: Hamlyn. p. 182. ISBN 0600588262.

[3] "Rest in peace, Steve". Arsenal. 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

[:1-4] Exley, Robert (7 July 2017). "#FlashbackFriday – Season 1973/74". The Online Gooner. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

[5] "Greatest 50 Players - 8. Liam Brady". Arsenal. 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

[7] "Arsenal results for the 1976-1977 season – Statto.com". Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

[8] Arsenal Official Handbook 1974-75. London: Arsenal. p. 37.

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