1972–73 Arsenal F.C. season explained

Club:Arsenal
Season:1972–73
Manager:Bertie Mee
Chairman:Denis Hill-Wood
League:First Division
League Result:2nd
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Fourth place
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:Quarter-finals
League Topscorer:John Radford (15)
Season Topscorer:John Radford (18)
Highest Attendance:56,194 vs Manchester United (6 January 1973)
Lowest Attendance:27,199 vs West Bromwich Albion F.C. (16 December 1972)
Prevseason:1971–72
Nextseason:1973–74
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The 1972–73 season was Arsenal Football Club's 47th consecutive season in the Football League First Division. Arsenal were runners-up to Liverpool in the league. They were knocked out of the League Cup in the quarterfinals by Norwich and the FA Cup in the semifinals by Sunderland.

John Radford was the top scorer in both the league and in all competitions. Frank McLintock served as captain.

1972-73 was the last season under manager Bertie Mee in which Arsenal challenged for silverware.

Season summary

In the summer of 1972, double-winners Charlie George and Eddie Kelly were put on the transfer list. Though neither left the club, it represented some of the internal struggles of the club at the time, as George and Kelly felt under-rewarded compared to more senior players.[1] Dressing room tensions continued throughout the season, as Mee saw captain Frank McLintock's influence over the dressing room as a challenge to his own authority. Mee also continued to struggle with the absence of Don Howe who had left the previous season to manage West Brom.[2]

Mee made one major purchase in October 1972, buying centre-back Jeff Blockley from Coventry for £200,000. Blockley, who received his first cap for England days after his move to Highbury, was considered the long-term replacement for McLintock.[3] However, this view was not shared by McLintock himself or most of the Arsenal dressing room.

In league play, Mee attempted to respond to the regular criticism that "boring old" Arsenal failed to entertain. Mee attempted to make stylistic changes to play "total football," a style far from their regular long-ball game and unsuited to the English Game. Alan Ball, a player comfortable with possession and who wanted more midfield involvement, was essential to such an approach. However, instead of success, the style led to a 5-0 loss to Derby in the league and a 0-3 home defeat to Norwich, knocking Arsenal out of the League Cup. Returning to their standard tactics, Arsenal went 15 games without defeat. By early 1973, they were nearing Liverpool in the title race. However, they ended up finishing three points behind the league leaders.

In the FA Cup, Arsenal progressed over Leicester City, Bradford City, Carlisle United, and Chelsea before being drawn against Second Division Sunderland in the semifinals. Mee chose to start the dynamic George over the hardworking John Radford. Sunderland scored thanks to a Blockley mistake; he was then roundly criticized for his poor performance, as he played without being fully fit.[4] He was then substituted at half for Radford. Although Arsenal hoped to recover in the second half, Sunderland doubled their lead through Billy Hughes. Arsenal's sole consolation came in the 85th minute from George. Out of the FA Cup, Arsenal lost the third place match 1-3 to Wolves.

After the season's lackluster results, Mee was convinced he had to rebuild Arsenal and let several key players go at the end of the season, including McLintock and George Graham. The 1972/73 season was the beginning of the end for Mee as Arsenal began to descend into mediocrity.

Final league table

See main article: 1972–73 Football League First Division.

Results

Arsenal's score comes first[5]

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
12 August 1972 Leicester CityA1–028,003
15 August 1972 Wolverhampton WanderersH5–238,524
19 August 1972 Stoke CityH2–042,146
22 August 1972 Coventry CityA1–124,670
26 August 1972 Manchester UnitedA0–048,108
29 August 1972 West Ham UnitedH1–043,802
2 September 1972 ChelseaH1–146,675
9 September 1972 Newcastle UnitedA1–223,878
16 September 1972 LiverpoolH0–047,597
23 September 1972 Norwich CityA2–332,273
26 September 1972 Birmingham CityH2–030,003
30 September 1972 SouthamptonH1–034,694
7 October 1972 Sheffield UnitedA0–124,478
14 October 1972 Ipswich TownH1–034,196
21 October 1972 Crystal PalaceA3–235,865
28 October 1972 Manchester CityH0–045,536
4 November 1972 Coventry CityH0–233,699
11 November 1972 Wolverhampton WanderersA3–125,988
18 November 1972 EvertonH1–035,738
25 November 1972 Derby CountyA0–531,034
2 December 1972 Leeds UnitedH2–139,108
9 December 1972 Tottenham HotspurA2–147,505
16 December 1972 West Bromwich AlbionH2–130,199
23 December 1972 Birmingham CityA1–132,721
26 December 1972 Norwich CityH2–039,038
30 December 1972 Stoke CityA0–024,586
6 January 1973 Manchester UnitedH3–156,194
20 January 1973 ChelseaA1–036,292
27 January 1973 Newcastle UnitedH2–237,906
10 February 1973 LiverpoolA2–049,898
17 February 1973 Leicester CityH1–042,047
28 February 1973 West Bromwich AlbionA0–129,308
3 March 1973 Sheffield UnitedH3–233,346
10 March 1973 Ipswich TownA2–134,636
24 March 1973 Manchester CityA2–132,031
26 March 1973 Crystal PalaceH1–041,879
31 March 1973 Derby CountyH0–145,217
14 April 1973 Tottenham HotspurH1–150,863
21 April 1973 EvertonA0–042,888
23 April 1973 SouthamptonA2–223,919
28 April 1973 West Ham UnitedA2–137,366
9 May 1973 Leeds UnitedA1–625,088

FA Cup

See main article: 1972-73 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R313 January 1973 Leicester CityH2–236,433
R3 R17 January 1973 Leicester CityA2–132,973
R43 February 1973 Bradford CityH2–040,407
R524 February 1973 Carlisle UnitedA2–123,922
R617 March 1973 ChelseaA2–237,685
R6 R20 March 1973 ChelseaH2–162,746
SF7 April 1973 SunderlandN1–255,000
3rd18 August 1973 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–321,038

League Cup

See main article: 1972–73 Football League Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R25 September 1972 EvertonH1–035,230
R33 October 1972 Rotherham UnitedH5–025,241
R431 October 1972 Sheffield UnitedA2–120,128
QF21 November 1972 Norwich CityH0–337,671

Squad

http://www.11v11.com/teams/arsenal/tab/players/season/1972

Top scorers

First Division

Football League Cup

FA Cup

[6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Soar, Phil . Arsenal: Official History . Tyler . Martin . Hamlyn . 1995 . 0600588262 . London . 181-82 . en.
  2. Web site: Fensome . David . 29 August 2019 . 1973 and the Downfall of Bertie Mee . https://web.archive.org/web/20200814191645/https://www.onlinegooner.com/articles/view/4829 . 14 August 2020 . 8 November 2023 . The Online Gooner.
  3. Web site: Jeff Blockley . https://web.archive.org/web/20210803223433/https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/jeff-blockley . 3 August 2021 . 8 November 2023 . Arsenal.
  4. Web site: Attwood . Tony . 5 October 2013 . Jeff Blockley, derided by fans, but the manager should take more blame. . https://web.archive.org/web/20220706192506/https://blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/archives/7892 . 6 July 2022 . 8 November 2023 . The History of Arsenal.
  5. Web site: Arsenal results for the 1972-1973 season – Statto.com . 31 August 2017 . 23 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160323012340/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/arsenal/1972-1973/results . dead .
  6. Book: Arsenal Official Handbook 1973-74 . Arsenal . 1973 . London . 37 . en.