1972–73 Football League

Contents

Overview

The 19721973 season was the 73rd completed season of The Football League.

First Division

Liverpool cruised to another championship triumph 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.

Second Division

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.

Third Division

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.

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[1] [2]

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the 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.

Note: 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 goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95, and since the goal difference is a more informative piece of information for a modern reader than the goal average, the goal difference is added in this presentation after the goal average.

Re-election: During the first five seasons of the league, that is, until the season 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league. From the 1922–23 season on it was required of the bottom two teams of both Third Division North and Third Division South. Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the re-election process has concerned the bottom four clubs in that division.[2]

Match results are drawn from Rothmans for all divisions.[2]

  1. ^ a b "England 1972–73". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. http://www.rsssf.com/engpaul/FLA/1972-73.html. Retrieved 2010-02-24. 
  2. ^ a b c d Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.

First Division

Football League, First Division
Season 1972–73
Champions Liverpool (8th English title)
Relegated Huddersfield Town
Nottingham Forest
European Cup 1973–74 Liverpool
FA Cup winners
European Cup Winners' Cup 1973–74
Sunderland (2nd Div.) (2nd FA Cup title)
UEFA Cup 1973–74 Ipswich Town
Leeds United
Tottenham Hotspur
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1160 (2.51 per match)
Top goalscorer Robson (West Ham United), 28 [1]
Biggest home win

LeedsArsenal 6–1 (9 Mar 1973)
Crystal PalaceManchester United 5–0 (16 Oct 1972)
DerbyArsenal 5–0 (25 Nov 1972)
LeedsDerby 5–0 (7 Oct 1972)


LiverpoolSheffield United 5–0 (23 Sep 1972)
Biggest away win West BromwichCrystal Palace 0–4 (3 Mar 1973)
Highest scoring WolverhamptonStoke 5–3 (30 Sep 1972)
Longest winning run ?
Longest unbeaten run ?
Longest losing run ?
Highest attendance ?
Lowest attendance ?
Average attendance ?
Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1972–1973
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts Notes
1 Liverpool 42 17 3 1 45 19 8 7 6 27 23 72 42 1.714 + 30 60 European Cup 1973–74
First round
2 Arsenal 42 14 5 2 31 14 9 6 6 26 29 57 43 1.326 + 14 57 [notes 1]
3 Leeds United 42 15 4 2 45 13 6 7 8 26 32 71 45 1.578 + 26 53 UEFA Cup 1973–74
First round
4 Ipswich Town 42 10 7 4 34 20 7 7 7 21 25 55 45 1.222 + 10 48 UEFA Cup 1973–74
First round
5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 13 3 5 43 23 5 8 8 23 31 66 54 1.222 + 12 47 UEFA Cup 1973–74
First round
6 West Ham United 42 12 5 4 45 25 5 7 9 22 28 67 53 1.264 + 14 46
7 Derby County 42 15 3 3 43 18 4 5 12 13 36 56 54 1.037 + 2 46
8 Tottenham Hotspur 42 10 5 6 33 23 6 8 7 25 25 58 48 1.208 + 10 45 UEFA Cup 1973–74
First round
[notes 2]
9 Newcastle United 42 12 6 3 35 19 4 7 10 25 32 60 51 1.176 + 9 45
10 Birmingham City 42 11 7 3 39 22 4 5 12 14 32 53 54 0.981 – 1 42
11 Manchester City 42 12 4 5 36 20 3 7 11 21 40 57 60 0.950 – 3 41
12 Chelsea 42 9 6 6 30 22 4 8 9 19 29 49 51 0.961 – 2 40
13 Southampton 42 8 11 2 26 17 3 7 11 21 35 47 52 0.904 – 5 40
14 Sheffield United 42 11 4 6 28 18 4 6 11 23 41 51 59 0.864 – 8 40
15 Stoke City 42 11 8 2 38 17 3 2 16 23 39 61 56 1.089 + 1 38
16 Leicester City 42 7 9 5 23 18 3 8 10 17 28 40 46 0.870 – 6 37
17 Everton 42 9 5 7 27 21 4 6 11 14 28 41 49 0.837 – 8 37
18 Manchester United 42 9 7 5 24 19 3 6 12 20 41 44 60 0.733 – 16 37
19 Coventry City 42 9 5 7 27 24 4 4 13 13 31 40 55 0.727 – 15 35
20 Norwich City 42 7 9 5 22 19 4 1 16 14 44 36 63 0.571 – 27 32
21 Crystal Palace 42 7 7 7 25 21 2 5 14 16 37 41 58 0.707 – 17 30
22 West Bromwich Albion 42 8 7 6 25 24 1 3 17 13 38 38 62 0.613 – 24 28

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

  1. ^ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup 1973–74 as League cup winners. At the time, only one club per English city could enter the UEFA Cup; thus, fellow
    London club Arsenal were excluded in spite of finishing second in the League. This rule had applied in all countries in the Fairs Cup, but it was the Football League, not UEFA,
    which continued to apply it in England in the UEFA Cup. Fox, Norman (2 June 1973). "Three up and down for top two divisions". The Times: p. Issue 58798, p. 23, col. A. 
  2. ^ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup 1973–74 as League cup winners. See note 1 about why Arsenal could not participate in the UEFA Cup.
Key
League Champions, qualified for European Cup
FA Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Qualified for UEFA Cup
League cup Winners, qualified for UEFA Cup
Relegated

First Division Results

Home \ Away1 ARS BIR CHE COV CPA DER EVE IPS LEE LEI LIV MNC MNU NEW NOR SHE SOT STO TOT WHU WBA 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 0–3 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

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second Division

Football League, Second Division
Season 1972–73
Champions Burnley (2nd title)
Promoted Queens Park Rangers
Relegated Brighton & Hove Albion,
Huddersfield Town
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1156 (2.5 per match)
Top goalscorer Don Givens (Queens Park Rangers), 23 [1]
Biggest home win CarlislePreston North End 6–1 (26 Dec 1972)
QPRPortsmouth 5–0 (31 Mar 1973)
QPRSwindon 5–0 (17 Feb 1973)
Biggest away win Preston North EndPortsmouth 0–5 (10 Feb 1973)
Highest scoring BlackpoolBrighton & Hove 6–2 (19 Apr 1973)
HullPreston North End 6–2 (27 Jan 1973)
Longest winning run ?
Longest unbeaten run ?
Longest losing run ?
Highest attendance ?
Lowest attendance ?
Average attendance ?
Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1972–1973
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts Notes
1 Burnley 42 13 6 2 44 18 11 8 2 28 17 72 35 2.057 + 37 62
2 Queens Park Rangers 42 16 4 1 54 13 8 9 4 27 24 81 37 2.189 + 44 61
3 Aston Villa 42 12 5 4 27 17 6 9 6 24 30 51 47 1.085 + 4 50
4 Middlesbrough 42 12 6 3 29 15 5 7 9 17 28 46 43 1.070 + 3 47
5 Bristol City 42 10 7 4 34 18 7 5 9 29 33 63 51 1.235 + 12 46
6 Sunderland 42 12 6 3 35 17 5 6 10 24 32 59 49 1.204 + 10 46 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1973–74
First round
7 Blackpool 42 12 6 3 37 17 6 4 11 19 34 56 51 1.098 + 5 46
8 Oxford United 42 14 2 5 36 18 5 5 11 16 25 52 43 1.209 + 9 45
9 Fulham 42 11 6 4 32 16 5 6 10 26 33 58 49 1.184 + 9 44
10 Sheffield Wednesday 42 14 4 3 40 20 3 6 12 19 35 59 55 1.073 + 4 44
11 Millwall 42 12 5 4 33 18 4 5 12 22 29 55 47 1.170 + 8 42
12 Luton Town 42 6 9 6 24 23 9 2 10 20 30 44 53 0.830 – 9 41
13 Hull City 42 9 7 5 39 22 5 5 11 25 37 64 59 1.085 + 5 40
14 Nottingham Forest 42 12 5 4 32 18 2 7 12 15 34 47 52 0.904 – 5 40
15 Orient 42 11 6 4 33 18 1 6 14 16 35 49 53 0.925 – 4 36
16 Swindon Town 42 8 9 4 28 23 2 7 12 18 37 46 60 0.767 – 14 36
17 Portsmouth 42 7 6 8 21 22 5 5 11 21 37 42 59 0.712 – 17 35
18 Carlisle United 42 10 5 6 40 24 1 7 13 10 28 50 52 0.962 – 2 34
19 Preston North End 42 6 8 7 19 25 5 4 12 18 39 37 64 0.578 – 27 34
20 Cardiff City 42 11 4 6 32 21 0 7 14 11 37 43 58 0.741 – 15 33 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1973–74
First round
21 Huddersfield Town 42 7 9 5 21 20 1 8 12 15 36 36 56 0.643 – 20 33
22 Brighton & Hove Albion 42 7 8 6 32 31 1 5 15 14 52 46 83 0.554 – 37 29

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
FA Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Welsh Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Relegated

Second Division Results

Home \ Away1 AST BLP B&H BRI BUR CAR CRL FUL HUD HUL LUT MID MIL NOT ORI OXF POR PRE QPR SHW SUN SWI
Aston Villa 0–0 1–1 1–0 0–3 2–0 1–0 2–3 2–0 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–0 2–1
Blackpool 1–1 6–2 3–0 1–2 1–0 0–0 2–0 1–1 4–3 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–2 0–0 2–0
Brighton & Hove Albion 1–3 1–2 1–1 0–1 2–2 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–2 3–3 2–2 3–1
Bristol City 3–0 3–0 3–1 0–1 1–0 4–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 0–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–0 3–1 2–1 1–2 1–2 1–0 3–0
Burnley 4–1 4–3 3–0 1–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 2–1 4–1 3–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–1 2–0 2–1
Cardiff City 0–2 1–2 1–1 1–3 0–1 1–0 3–1 4–1 0–2 2–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 3–0 0–0 4–1 1–1 1–1
Carlisle United 2–2 2–3 5–1 1–2 1–1 4–0 2–1 0–0 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 1–0 2–1 1–0 6–1 1–3 1–1 4–3 3–0
Fulham 2–0 2–0 5–1 5–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 2–1 1–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 0–0 1–3 0–2 1–0 1–2 0–0
Huddersfield Town 1–1 1–0 0–2 0–1 0–2 2–1 1–1 1–0 1–3 1–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–0 2–2 1–0 1–1 1–1
Hull City 1–2 1–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–0 4–0 3–1 0–2 0–0 2–0 0–1 5–1 6–2 4–1 1–1 0–2 3–2
Luton Town 0–0 2–2 2–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–1 1–0 4–1 1–2 0–1 2–2 1–0 1–1 0–1 2–2 1–0 2–2 0–0 1–0 0–1
Middlesbrough 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 3–3 2–0 1–0 1–2 2–1 1–0 0–1 1–0 0–0 3–2 1–0 3–0 0–0 0–0 3–0 2–1 0–2
Millwall 1–1 1–1 3–0 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–3 1–0 2–0 3–2 1–0 2–1 2–0 3–1 0–2 4–1 0–1 2–1 0–1 1–1
Nottingham Forest 1–1 4–0 1–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–3 3–2 2–1 2–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 3–0 1–0 2–2
Orient 4–0 2–0 1–0 0–2 1–1 0–0 2–1 3–2 3–1 0–0 0–1 2–0 3–1 3–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 2–2 3–2 1–1 1–0
Oxford United 2–0 0–1 3–0 0–2 0–2 2–1 1–1 0–0 2–0 5–2 2–1 4–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–0 5–1 1–0
Portsmouth 0–1 1–0 2–0 0–3 0–2 3–1 0–0 1–2 1–2 2–2 2–2 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 0–1 1–0 2–3 1–1
Preston North End 0–1 0–3 4–0 3–3 1–1 0–0 1–0 0–3 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–0 2–1 0–0 0–1 0–5 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1
Queens Park Rangers 1–0 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 3–0 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–3 3–0 3–1 0–0 5–0 3–0 4–2 3–2 5–0
Sheffield Wednesday 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–2 0–1 1–0 0–0 3–0 3–2 4–2 4–0 2–1 2–2 1–2 2–0 0–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 1–0 2–1
Sunderland 2–2 1–0 4–0 2–2 0–1 2–1 2–1 0–0 3–0 1–1 0–2 4–0 2–0 4–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 0–0 0–3 1–1 3–2
Swindon Town 1–3 0–0 2–2 2–1 0–1 3–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–1 0–2 1–0 0–0 0–0 3–1 1–3 1–1 3–2 2–2 1–0 1–1

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third Division

Football League, 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 1371 (2.48 per match)
Top goalscorer Arthur Horsfield (Charlton Athletic), 26 [1]
Biggest home win ?
Biggest away win ?
Highest scoring ?
Longest winning run ?
Longest unbeaten run ?
Longest losing run ?
Highest attendance ?
Lowest attendance ?
Average attendance ?
Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1972–1973
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1 Bolton Wanderers 46 18 4 1 44 9 7 7 9 29 30 73 39 1.872 + 34 61
2 Notts County 46 17 4 2 40 12 6 7 10 27 35 67 47 1.426 + 20 57
3 Blackburn Rovers 46 12 8 3 34 16 8 7 8 23 31 57 47 1.213 + 10 55
4 Oldham Athletic 46 12 7 4 40 18 7 9 7 32 36 72 54 1.333 + 18 54
5 Bristol Rovers 46 17 4 2 55 20 3 9 11 22 36 77 56 1.375 + 21 53
6 Port Vale 46 15 6 2 41 21 6 5 12 15 48 56 69 0.812 – 13 53
7 Bournemouth 46 14 6 3 44 16 3 10 10 22 28 66 44 1.500 + 22 50
8 Plymouth Argyle 46 14 3 6 43 26 6 7 10 31 40 74 66 1.121 + 8 50
9 Grimsby Town 46 16 2 5 45 18 4 6 13 22 43 67 61 1.098 + 6 48
10 Tranmere Rovers 46 12 8 3 38 17 3 8 12 18 35 56 52 1.077 + 4 46
11 Charlton Athletic 46 12 7 4 46 24 5 4 14 23 43 69 67 1.030 + 2 45
12 Wrexham 46 11 9 3 39 23 3 8 12 16 31 55 54 1.019 + 1 45
13 Rochdale 46 8 8 7 22 26 6 9 8 26 28 48 54 0.889 – 6 45
14 Southend United 46 13 6 4 40 14 4 4 15 21 40 61 54 1.130 + 7 44
15 Shrewsbury Town 46 10 10 3 31 21 5 4 14 15 33 46 54 0.852 – 8 44
16 Chesterfield 46 13 4 6 37 22 4 5 14 20 39 57 61 0.934 – 4 43
17 Walsall 46 14 3 6 37 26 4 4 15 19 40 56 66 0.848 – 10 43
18 York City 46 8 10 5 24 14 5 5 13 18 32 42 46 0.913 – 4 41
19 Watford 46 11 8 4 32 23 1 9 13 11 25 43 48 0.896 – 5 41
20 Halifax Town 46 9 8 6 29 23 4 7 12 14 30 43 53 0.811 – 10 41
21 Rotherham United 46 12 4 7 34 27 5 3 15 17 38 51 65 0.785 – 14 41
22 Brentford 46 12 5 6 33 18 3 2 18 18 51 51 69 0.739 – 18 37
23 Swansea City 46 11 5 7 37 29 3 4 16 14 44 51 73 0.699 – 22 37
24 Scunthorpe United 46 8 7 8 18 25 2 3 18 15 47 33 72 0.458 – 39 30

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Relegated

Third Division Results

Home \ Away1 BLB BOL BOU BRE BRO CHA CHS GRI HAL NTC OLD PLY PVA ROC ROT SCU SHR STD SWA TRA WAL WAT WRE YOR
Blackburn Rovers 0–3 2–1 2–1 0–0 3–1 0–1 0–0 3–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 0–1 1–1 2–1 3–0 0–0 2–1 3–0 2–2 2–0 0–0 1–1 2–0
Bolton Wanderers 0–1 3–0 2–0 2–0 3–0 1–0 2–0 3–0 2–2 2–1 2–0 2–0 2–1 2–1 0–0 2–0 1–1 3–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 3–0
Bournemouth 3–0 2–0 3–2 0–0 3–1 2–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 4–0 4–2 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 0–1 3–0 1–0 2–3
Brentford 4–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–0 3–1 0–1 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 5–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–2 1–2 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 2–0
Bristol Rovers 3–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 4–1 1–0 3–3 2–0 4–1 0–0 3–0 5–1 5–1 1–2 3–1 2–0 2–1 2–1 2–0 1–2
Charlton Athletic 1–2 2–3 1–1 2–1 3–3 2–2 1–1 1–0 6–1 4–2 3–0 2–0 1–0 1–2 2–0 1–2 0–0 6–0 1–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 1–0
Chesterfield 3–1 0–1 1–1 3–0 0–1 1–0 2–1 2–0 0–2 4–1 2–2 1–2 2–1 3–2 2–1 2–0 2–4 1–0 2–0 3–0 0–0 1–2 0–0
Grimsby Town 2–0 2–0 0–1 4–0 2–0 0–2 2–1 0–0 3–1 6–2 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 3–2 3–1 2–0 2–0 6–2 2–0 0–1 1–2
Halifax Town 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–2 3–0 3–0 0–1 1–1 0–1 0–3 2–1 2–2 0–0 0–1 1–0 0–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 2–2 1–0
Notts County 0–0 1–0 0–2 1–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 4–0 3–0 2–4 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–0 2–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 4–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0
Oldham Athletic 1–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–0 0–1 3–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 7–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 0–1 2–0 3–1 2–1 2–1 2–2 1–1
Plymouth Argyle 1–2 1–0 1–0 0–1 3–2 5–0 2–2 3–1 2–1 1–4 1–3 2–1 3–2 4–1 3–0 3–0 2–0 3–1 0–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 1–1
Port Vale 2–1 2–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 3–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–0 4–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–0 1–2 1–0 3–2 2–1
Rochdale 0–1 2–2 1–0 0–1 0–0 0–2 1–2 3–2 0–0 4–1 0–0 0–6 0–0 0–1 0–2 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–0
Rotherham United 1–1 1–0 2–7 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–4 2–3 1–0 7–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–2 1–2 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–2
Scunthorpe United 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–2 0–2 0–1 1–2 0–3 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 2–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 1–5 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–0
Shrewsbury Town 2–0 0–2 0–0 2–0 4–2 0–2 2–0 3–2 0–0 0–0 2–2 1–1 2–3 3–2 1–1 4–2 1–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 0–0 1–0
Southend 0–1 1–1 2–2 4–0 0–0 1–1 5–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 0–1 3–1 5–0 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–0 3–1 1–0 2–0 0–0 0–1 3–0
Swansea City 2–2 2–3 1–0 2–1 0–2 2–1 2–1 6–2 2–0 3–0 0–0 1–1 0–1 2–3 0–1 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 1–3
Tranmere 1–1 1–1 0–0 6–2 1–1 4–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–1 2–2 2–0 0–1 2–0 2–1 1–0 3–1 1–1 3–1 1–0 4–0 1–0
Walsall 0–2 3–2 1–0 3–0 4–3 3–2 3–2 1–0 0–1 1–3 3–0 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–0 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 2–0 0–0
Watford 1–3 2–1 3–2 2–2 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 3–2 1–1 0–0 1–1 5–1 0–1 1–0 0–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–2
Wrexham 0–0 1–3 1–1 4–1 2–2 2–2 1–0 3–2 0–0 2–0 1–1 1–2 5–0 3–3 1–0 1–2 0–0 4–2 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 3–1
York City 1–0 0–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 1–1 2–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–2 0–0 1–2 0–1 3–1 2–1 2–0 3–0 4–1 0–0 0–0 1–1

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Fourth Division

Football League, Fourth Division
Season 1972–73
Champions Southport (1st title)
Promoted Aldershot,
Cambridge United,
Hereford United
Failed re-election None
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1347 (2.44 per match)
Top goalscorer Fred Binney (Exeter City), 27 [1]
Biggest home win ?
Biggest away win ?
Highest scoring ?
Longest winning run ?
Longest unbeaten run ?
Longest losing run ?
Highest attendance ?
Lowest attendance ?
Average attendance ?
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1 Southport 46 17 4 2 40 19 9 6 8 31 29 71 48 1.479 + 23 62
2 Hereford United 46 18 4 1 39 12 5 8 10 17 26 56 38 1.474 + 18 58
3 Cambridge United 46 15 6 2 40 23 5 11 7 27 34 67 57 1.175 + 10 57
4 Aldershot 46 14 6 3 33 14 8 6 9 27 24 60 38 1.579 + 22 56
5 Newport County 46 14 6 3 37 18 8 6 9 27 26 64 44 1.455 + 20 56
6 Mansfield Town 46 15 7 1 52 17 5 7 11 26 34 78 51 1.529 + 27 54
7 Reading 46 14 7 2 33 7 3 11 9 18 31 51 38 1.342 + 13 52
8 Exeter City 46 13 8 2 40 18 5 6 12 17 33 57 51 1.118 + 6 50
9 Gillingham 46 15 4 4 44 20 4 7 12 19 38 63 58 1.086 + 5 49
10 Lincoln City 46 12 7 4 38 27 4 9 10 26 30 64 57 1.123 + 7 48
11 Stockport County 46 14 7 2 38 18 4 5 14 15 35 53 53 1.000 ± 0 48
12 Bury 46 11 7 5 37 19 3 11 9 21 32 58 51 1.137 + 7 46
13 Workington 46 15 7 1 44 20 2 5 16 15 41 59 61 0.967 – 2 46
14 Barnsley 46 9 8 6 32 24 5 8 10 26 36 58 60 0.967 – 2 44
15 Chester 46 11 6 6 40 19 3 9 11 21 33 61 52 1.173 + 9 43
16 Bradford City 46 12 6 5 42 25 4 5 14 19 40 61 65 0.938 – 4 43
17 Doncaster Rovers 46 10 8 5 28 19 5 4 14 21 39 49 58 0.845 – 9 42
18 Torquay United 46 8 10 5 23 17 4 7 12 21 30 44 47 0.936 – 3 41
19 Peterborough United 46 10 8 5 42 29 4 5 14 29 47 71 76 0.934 – 5 41
20 Hartlepool 46 8 10 5 17 15 4 7 12 17 34 34 49 0.694 – 15 41
21 Crewe Alexandra 46 7 8 8 18 23 2 10 11 20 38 38 61 0.623 – 23 36
22 Colchester United 46 8 8 7 36 28 2 3 18 12 48 48 76 0.632 – 28 31
23 Northampton Town 46 7 6 10 24 30 3 5 15 16 43 40 73 0.548 – 33 31
24 Darlington 46 5 9 9 28 41 2 6 15 14 44 42 85 0.494 – 43 29

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
New club in the league, see Hereford United
Re-elected
Failed re-election (none)

Fourth Division Results

Home \ Away1 ALD BAR BRA BRY CAM CHR COL CRE DAR DON EXE GIL HAR HER LIN MAN NPC NOR PET REA SOU STP TOR WRK
Aldershot 0–2 2–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–0 3–1 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 0–0 0–1 0–2 3–0 2–1 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–1 2–0
Barnsley 0–2 1–2 0–1 3–1 0–0 4–0 2–2 0–2 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 0–0 4–1 1–1 2–1 2–0 3–2 0–0 0–1 1–3 0–0 1–0
Bradford City 1–0 3–1 0–0 0–1 0–1 3–0 2–2 7–0 4–3 4–0 3–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 1–4 1–1 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–2
Bury 1–2 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–1 1–0 5–0 2–1 2–1 1–1 3–0 0–4 1–0 0–0 2–2 3–1 4–0 0–1 1–2 0–0 3–0
Cambridge United 2–2 1–1 2–1 2–2 1–0 3–0 1–0 0–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–0 2–1 3–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–0 2–2 1–0 0–0 1–0
Chester 0–0 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–1 5–0 1–2 0–1 1–0 2–0 0–1 2–1 2–2 0–2 3–0 8–2 2–0 0–0 2–0 1–2 1–3
Colchester United 2–3 1–2 0–0 2–1 0–1 2–3 5–1 1–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 1–0 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–0 2–2 3–1 3–0 1–1 1–1
Crewe Alexandra 0–2 1–0 1–2 2–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–0 0–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 2–1 1–1 0–4 0–0 1–0 0–2 0–0 0–2 0–1 1–1 2–0
Darlington 1–4 0–0 1–0 1–1 3–3 1–1 2–1 3–1 0–1 0–0 2–3 1–2 2–2 1–1 2–3 2–3 0–0 2–2 0–2 0–7 2–0 0–3 2–1
Doncaster Rovers 1–0 0–0 1–0 4–1 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–2 2–0 5–1 0–1 2–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 1–5 3–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 1–0 1–1
Exeter City 1–0 2–1 5–1 1–1 3–1 0–0 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–1 3–2 1–1 1–0 2–0 4–2 0–0 4–1 1–1 0–0 0–1 3–0 3–2 4–2
Gillingham 1–2 5–1 4–2 2–2 1–2 1–0 2–1 3–2 4–0 3–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–3 2–0 1–0 2–0 3–0 1–1 0–2
Hartlepool United 1–1 1–4 1–0 1–1 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 2–0 0–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–2 0–2 0–0 1–0 1–0
Hereford United 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 3–1 4–1 1–0 1–0 3–2 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–0 3–0 2–2 1–0 2–1 0–0
Lincoln City 0–2 1–2 2–1 2–2 2–1 1–0 3–2 1–1 1–0 2–1 2–2 1–0 1–2 4–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 0–0 3–1 5–3 3–1 1–1
Mansfield Town 2–0 3–1 4–1 1–1 3–1 4–1 1–1 5–1 5–0 0–0 3–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–0 1–0 4–2 1–1 3–3 1–0 2–1 4–0
Newport County 2–1 1–1 0–0 4–3 0–2 3–2 1–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 5–1 5–1 0–1 2–2 0–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 2–1 2–0
Northampton Town 0–2 2–2 1–2 0–1 2–2 1–0 4–0 1–0 2–2 0–2 1–2 2–1 3–1 0–4 0–0 1–0 0–1 1–3 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–0
Peterborough United 1–0 6–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 4–3 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–1 3–0 1–1 2–2 1–0 1–0 1–2 4–2 0–1 2–3 0–1 2–1
Reading 0–0 0–0 2–0 0–0 1–0 2–1 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 3–1 1–0 0–1 1–1 2–0 5–0 3–0 2–0 1–1 0–0 3–0 2–0
Southport 3–1 1–0 3–1 2–1 1–1 3–2 1–0 2–0 2–1 2–2 1–0 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 3–1 0–2 1–2 2–1 4–1 1–0 2–1 2–1
Stockport County 1–1 2–0 3–1 0–0 2–2 2–1 2–0 0–0 3–1 2–1 1–0 2–3 0–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 1–0 0–0 3–2 2–2 2–0 2–0 3–0
Torquay United 1–1 0–0 1–2 0–1 1–2 1–2 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 0–2 0–0 1–0 0–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–1 1–0 2–2 2–0 0–0 3–0
Workington 2–1 3–2 1–1 2–0 5–1 3–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 0–3 2–0 3–2 3–0 2–2 0–0 2–0 2–0 2–2

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engtops.html#1947-1. Retrieved 2010-10-31.