The 1982–83 season was Arsenal Football Club's 57th consecutive season in the top flight of English Football, the Football League First Division. The club ended the season tenth, down from the fifth of the previous season, which had qualified them for the UEFA Cup. However, they went out first-round of the UEFA Cup and lost to Manchester United in the semifinals of both the FA Cup and League Cup.
New signing Tony Woodcock was the top scorer in both league and all competitions.
Pat Jennings became the first player in English football to appear in 1,000 first team matches.
| Season: | 1982–83 |
| League Topscorer: | Tony Woodcock (14) |
| Season Topscorer: | Tony Woodcock (21) |
| Nextseason: | 1983–84 |
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Arsenal had earned a place in the UEFA Cup with a fifth-place finish despite having recently lost some key players. Manchester United had snapped-up Frank Stapleton in 1981, while Liam Brady had moved to Juventus a year earlier.[1] Manager Terry Neill once again attempted to boost Arsenal's scoring potential, signing Tony Woodcock for £500,000 from FC. Koln after the 1982 World Cup and Stoke City top scorer Lee Chapman for the same price. While Woodcock went on to be Arsenal's top scorer in the league with 14 goals in 34 games,[2] Chapman scored only 4 goals in 23 appearances and was sold to Sunderland for £100,000.[3]
Arsenal finished in mid table at 10th after being in the lower reaches of the league for much of the season. Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup but on both occasions were beaten by Manchester United.
Arsenal’s foray into the 1982-83 UEFA Cup was short as they lost 8-4 on aggregate to Spartak Moscow, including a 5-2 drubbing at Highbury. Arsenal fans demonstrated that they could appreciate fine football for what it was. As the final whistle sounded, the Arsenal fans were applauding the Russians off the pitch, the show of admiration was so remarkable that the Spartak players reappeared on the centre circle to acknowledge the crowd.[4]
37 year old Pat Jennings became the first player in English football to appear in 1,000 first team matches. He reached this milestone against West Bromwich Albion on 26 February 1983. Jennings found himself out of favour at Arsenal in 1982 as Scottish keeper George Wood assumed the No 1 spot in half of the games of the season.[5] [6]
Arsenal Chairman Denis Hill-Wood passed away at age 76. His son Peter Hill-Wood succeeded him in the position.
See main article: 1982–83 Football League Cup.
See main article: 1982–83 FA Cup. Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Bolton Wanderers.
See main article: 1982–83 UEFA Cup.