The 1983–84 season was Arsenal Football Club's 58th consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[1][2] Arsenal finished sixth in the Football League First Division.
| 1983–84 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood | ||
| Manager | Terry Neill (to 16 December) Don Howe (caretaker manager) | ||
| First Division | 6th | ||
| FA Cup | Third round | ||
| League Cup | Fourth round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Tony Woodcock (21) All: Tony Woodcock (22) | ||
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Charlie Nicholas was brought to Arsenal from Celtic. However, he did not immediately perform. Paul Mariner was also bought to bolster the club in the latter half of the season. Tony Woodcock remained Arsenal's top scorer. Graham Rix assumed the captaincy from David O'Leary.[3]
Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup at home by Walsall. After a run of dismal league results including five losses in six games, manager Terry Neill was sacked on 16 December 1983. He was succeeded by his assistant Don Howe.
Season summary
editThe 1983-84 season was Terry Neill’s final season as the Gunners manager. Neill had persuaded Scottish starlet Charlie Nicholas to spurn the advances of Liverpool and move to London in time for the 1983-84 season in a club-record signing from Celtic. Nicholas cost £650,000 and was reportedly the highest paid footballer in Britain.[4] The move wasn’t an immediate success, however, and by December Nicholas had only scored twice.[5]
Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup at home by Walsall, a repeat of Wallsall's giant-killing act of 1933. Terry Neill, already under pressure due to early losses to Manchester United and Liverpool at home, had overseen a series of inconsistent results in the league. With Arsenal 16th in the table, a 1-0 loss at home to West Bromwich Albion led to "Neill Out" demonstrations by the supporters outside the ground. After Arsenal lost 3-1 away at West Ham, on 16 December 1983 the club did the inevitable and sacked Neill.[6][4]
Don Howe first became caretaker-manager, and became permanent manager after the game against Leicester on 28 April 1984, following a run of five wins and two draws in the last seven games. Arsenal were 6th – the highest position they had held that season after the second match of the season.[7] Howe also brought Paul Mariner to Highbury in February 1984 for £150,000. Mariner scored seven times in the final fifteen games of the season.
Squad
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Top scorers
editFirst Division
editResults
editFirst Division
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Manchester United | 42 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 71 | 41 | +30 | 74 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 73 | |
| 6 | Arsenal | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 74 | 60 | +14 | 63 | |
| 7 | Everton | 42 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 62 | Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[a] |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 64 | 65 | −1 | 61 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[b] |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
- ^ Everton qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1983–84 FA Cup winners.
- ^ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1983–84 UEFA Cup winners.
| 29 August 1983 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | Arsenal | Wolverhampton |
| Clarke 3' | Nicholas (2) 25', pen 81' | Stadium: Molineux |
| 3 September 1983 3 | Southampton | 1–0 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| Baird | Stadium: The Dell |
| 6 September 1983 4 | Arsenal | 2–3 | Manchester United | London |
| Woodcock 3', Talbot 88' | Moran 8', Stapleton 14', B. Robson 40' | Stadium: Highbury |
| 17 September 1983 6 | Notts County | 0–4 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
| Rix 1' Hunt (o.g.) 42' Talbot 48' Woodcock 83' |
Stadium: Meadow Lane |
| 24 September 1983 7 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Norwich City | London |
| Chapman Sunderland (2) |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 1 October 1983 8 | Queen's Park Rangers | 2–0 | Arsenal | London |
| Gregory Neill |
Stadium: Loftus Road |
| 15 October 1983 9 | Arsenal | 0–1 | Coventry City | London |
| Bamber | Stadium: Highbury |
| 22 October 1983 10 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Nottingham Forest | London |
| Sunderland 7' Hill 23' Woodcock (2) 66', 76' |
Davenport pen 64' | Stadium: Highbury |
| 29 October 1983 11 | Aston Villa | 2–6 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| Morley Evans pen |
Woodcock (5) McDermott |
Stadium: Villa Park |
| 5 November 1983 12 | Arsenal | 1–2 | Sunderland | London |
| Woodcock 59' | West 3' Atkins 56' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 12 November 1983 13 | Ipswich Town | 1–0 | Arsenal | Ipswich |
| Gates | Stadium: Portman Road |
| 19 November 1983 14 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Everton | London |
| Sunderland 29' Robson 35' |
King pen 41' | Stadium: Highbury |
| 26 November 1983 15 | Leicester City | 3–0 | Arsenal | Leicester |
| Lineker Lynex A. Smith |
Stadium: Filbert Street |
| 3 December 1983 16 | Arsenal | 0–1 | West Bromwich Albion | London |
| Monaghan | Stadium: Highbury |
| 10 December 1983 17 | West Ham United | 3–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Brooking Whyte (o.g.) Pike |
Whyte | Stadium: Upton Park |
| 26 December 1983 19 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–4 | Arsenal | London |
| Roberts 37' Archibald 50' |
Nicholas (2) 26', 49' Meade (2) 74', 86' |
Stadium: White Hart Lane |
| 27 December 1983 20 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Birmingham City | London |
| Nicholas (pen) | Hopkins | Stadium: Highbury |
| 31 December 1983 21 | Arsenal | 2–2 | Southampton | London |
| Cork Nicholas pen |
Moran (2) | Stadium: Highbury |
| 2 January 1984 22 | Norwich City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Norwich |
| Deehan | Woodcock | Stadium: Carrow Road |
| 14 January 1984 23 | Luton Town | 1–2 | Arsenal | Luton |
| Kay (o.g.) | Sansom Woodcock |
Stadium: Kenilworth Road |
| 21 January 1984 24 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Notts County | London |
| Nicholas 16' | Chiedozie 57' | Stadium: Highbury |
| 28 January 1984 25 | Stoke City | 1–0 | Arsenal | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Maguire (pen) 75' | Stadium: Victoria Ground |
| 4 February 1984 26 | Arsenal | 0–2 | Queen's Park Rangers | London |
| Stewart Fenwick |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 18 February 1984 28 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| Rix | Evans pen | Stadium: Highbury |
| 25 February 1984 29 | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
| Mariner 88' | Stadium: City Ground |
| 3 March 1984 30 | Sunderland | 2–2 | Arsenal | Sunderland |
| Proctor 7' Rowell pen 89' |
Nicholas pen 11' Woodcock 46' |
Stadium: Roker Park |
| 10 March 1984 31 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Ipswich Town | London |
| Mariner (2) Talbot Woodcock |
Gates | Stadium: Highbury |
| 17 March 1984 32 | Manchester United | 4–0 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| Mühren (2) pen 10', 44' Stapleton 63' B. Robson 89' |
Stadium: Old Trafford |
| 24 March 1984 33 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | London |
| Woodcock 26' Rix 34' Nicholas pen 60' Robson 84' |
McGarvey 71' | Stadium: Highbury |
| 31 March 1984 34 | Coventry City | 1–4 | Arsenal | Coventry |
| Bennett | Whyte Robson Talbot Mariner |
Stadium: Highfield Road |
| 7 April 1984 35 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Stoke City | London |
| Nicholas Mariner Woodcock |
Chamberlain 70' | Stadium: Highbury |
| 9 April 1984 36 | Everton | 0–0 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| Stadium: Goodison Park |
| 21 April 1984 37 | Arsenal | 3–2 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
| Robson Nicholas Woodcock |
Archibald (2) | Stadium: Highbury |
| 23 April 1984 38 | Birmingham City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| Kuhl | Woodcock | Stadium: St Andrew's |
| 28 April 1984 39 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Leicester City | London |
| Woodcock Davis |
Lineker | Stadium: Highbury |
| 5 May 1984 40 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–3 | Arsenal | West Bromwich |
| Thompson | Talbot Mariner Robson |
Stadium: The Hawthorns |
| 7 May 1984 41 | Arsenal | 3–3 | West Ham United | London |
| Talbot Woodcock Mariner |
Whitton (2) Hilton |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 12 May 1984 42 | Watford | 2–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Johnston Reilly |
Robson | Stadium: Vicarage Road |
Football League Cup
edit| 4 October 1983 Second round (1st Leg) | Plymouth Argyle | 1–1 | Arsenal | Plymouth |
| Stadium: Home Park |
| 25 October 1983 Second round (2nd Leg) | Arsenal | 1–0 (2–1 agg.) | Plymouth Argyle | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 9 November 1983 Third round | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: White Hart Lane |
FA Cup
editArsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Middlesbrough.
| 7 January 1984 Third round | Middlesbrough | 3–2 | Arsenal | Middlesbrough |
MacDonald  5'Sugrue 60'Baxter 70' |
Woodcock 13' Nicholas 64' |
Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,813 |
References
edit- ^ James, Josh (18 June 2013). "All-time Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ Ross, James; Heneghan, Michael; Orford, Stuart; Culliton, Eoin (25 August 2016). "English Clubs Divisional Movements 1888–2016". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ Kelly, Andy (17 November 2014). "Arsenal's captains from day one". The Arsenal History. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ a b Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1986). Arsenal 1886-1986: the official centenary history of Arsenal Football Club. Twickenham: Hamlyn. pp. 244–248. ISBN 9780600358718.
- ^ "terry-neill-managing-enigma". 1 April 2022.
- ^ Gunnerstown 2016.
- ^ Spurling, Jon (2001). All Guns Blazing: Arsenal in the 1980's. Aureus Publishing.
External links
edit- Arsenal 1983–84 on statto.com Archived 8 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine