1972–73 West Ham United F.C. season

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West Ham United
1972–73 season
ChairmanReg Pratt
ManagerRon Greenwood
StadiumBoleyn Ground
First Division6th
FA CupFourth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Pop Robson (28)
All: Robson (28)
Highest home attendance38,804 (vs Leeds United, 14 April 1973)
Lowest home attendance17,688 (vs Bristol City, 6 September 1972)
Average home league attendance30,025

In the 1972–73 season West Ham United finished sixth in the First Division, their highest League position under the management of Ron Greenwood and the joint-highest in their history at that time.

Season summary[edit]

Pop Robson was the First Division's top scorer with 28 League goals, including eight doubles and a hat-trick, just one behind the post-war club record held by Geoff Hurst, who had left the Hammers for Stoke City the previous summer. In February 1973, Bobby Moore overtook Jimmy Ruffell's West Ham appearance record. He won his hundredth England cap in the same month.[1]

West Ham continued their poor Cup record from previous seasons by losing in both the FA Cup and the League Cup to lower League opposition. Second Division Hull City beat them in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and the Hammers suffered a humiliating defeat at Fourth Division Stockport County in the League Cup.[1][2]

League table[edit]

Main article: 1972–73 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Ipswich Town 42 17 14 11 55 45 1.222 48 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 18 11 13 66 54 1.222 47
6 West Ham United 42 17 12 13 67 53 1.264 46 Qualification for the Watney Cup[a]
7 Derby County 42 19 8 15 56 54 1.037 46
8 Tottenham Hotspur 42 16 13 13 58 48 1.208 45 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ West Ham United and Stoke City qualified for the Watney Cup as the two teams with the most goals that hadn't already qualified for a European competition.

Results[edit]

Football League First Division[edit]

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
12 August 1972 West Bromwich Albion A 0–0 21,509
14 August 1972 Coventry City H 1–0 27,498 Best
19 August 1972 Leicester City H 5–2 25,414 Moore, Coker, Robson (2), Tyler
22 August 1972 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–3 21,958
26 August 1972 Liverpool A 2–3 50,491 Robson (2)
29 August 1972 Arsenal A 0–1 43,802
2 September 1972 Manchester United H 2–2 31,939 Robson (2)
9 September 1972 Chelsea A 3–1 34,392 Taylor, Moore, Bonds
16 September 1972 Norwich City H 4–0 27,780 Brooking, Robson (2), Taylor
23 September 1972 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–1 51,700
30 September 1972 Birmingham City H 2–0 26,482 Bonds, Best
7 October 1972 Ipswich Town A 1–1 22,377 Best
14 October 1972 Sheffield United H 3–1 25,379 Brooking, Robson (2)
21 October 1972 Manchester City A 3–4 30,890 Best, Ayris, Moore
28 October 1972 Crystal Palace H 4–0 28,894 Brooking (2), McDowell, Robson
4 November 1972 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–2 29,524 Robson, Brooking
11 November 1972 Coventry City A 1–3 27,189 McDowell
18 November 1972 Derby County H 1–2 28,154 Robson
25 November 1972 Everton A 2–1 27,558 Brooking, Best
2 December 1972 Newcastle United H 1–1 23,785 Brooking
9 December 1972 Leeds United A 0–1 30,270
16 December 1972 Stoke City H 3–2 23,269 Robson (2), Best
23 December 1972 Southampton A 0–0 19,429
26 December 1972 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–2 37,397 Robson (2; 1 pen)
30 December 1972 Leicester City A 1–2 19,341 Brooking
6 January 1973 Liverpool H 0–1 34,480
20 January 1973 Manchester United A 2–2 50,878 Robson, Best
27 January 1973 Chelsea H 3–1 33,336 Taylor, Robson (2)
10 February 1973 Norwich City A 1–0 27,032 Robson
17 February 1973 West Bromwich Albion H 2–1 26,071 Bonds, Robson
24 February 1973 Stoke City A 0–2 21,855
2 March 1973 Ipswich Town H 0–1 37,004
10 March 1973 Sheffield United A 0–0 24,024
17 March 1973 Manchester City H 2–1 29,370 MacDougall, Robson
24 March 1973 Crystal Palace A 3–1 36,915 Robson, Brooking, MacDougall
31 March 1973 Everton H 2–0 25,531 Robson, Lock
7 April 1973 Newcastle United A 2–1 24,030 MacDougall (2)
14 April 1973 Leeds United H 1–1 38,804 Holland
20 April 1973 Southampton H 4–3 33,039 Robson (3), Brooking
21 April 1973 Derby County A 1–1 28,727 Lutton
23 April 1973 Birmingham City A 0–0 36,942
28 April 1973 Arsenal H 1–2 37,368 Rice (o.g.)

FA Cup[edit]

Main article: 1972–73 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 13 January 1973 Port Vale A 1–0 20,619 Holland
R4 8 February 1973 Hull City A 0–1 32,290

League Cup[edit]

Main article: 1972–73 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 6 September 1972 Bristol City H 2–1 17,688 McDowell, Best
R3 4 October 1972 Stockport County A 1–2 13,410 Best

Players[edit]

Number Player Position Lge Apps Lge Gls FAC Apps FAC Gls LC Apps LC Gls Date Signed Previous Club
First XI
1 Scotland Bobby Ferguson GK 31 2 1967 Kilmarnock
2 England John McDowell RB 38 2 2 2 1 1970 Academy
3 England Frank Lampard LB 38 2 2 1967 Academy
4 England Billy Bonds DCM 39 3 2 2 1967 Charlton Athletic
5 England Tommy Taylor CH 37 3 2 2 1970 Orient
6 England Bobby Moore (Captain) CH 42 3 2 2 1958 Academy
7 England Dudley Tyler RW 21 1 2 2 1972 Hereford
8 Bermuda Clyde Best CF 41(1) 7 2 2 2 1969 Academy
9 England Pat Holland LW 30(2) 1 2 1 2 1969 Academy
10 England Trevor Brooking ACM 40 11 2 2 1967 Academy
11 England Pop Robson (Hammer of the Year) CF 42 28 2 2 1970 Newcastle United
Other Players
5 England Kevin Lock D/M 14(4) 1 0 (1) 1971 Academy
7 England Johnny Ayris RW 13(2) 1 1970 Academy
1 England Peter Grotier GK 11 2 1968 Academy
9 Scotland Ted MacDougall CF 10 4 1972 Manchester United
3 England Clive Charles FB 7 (2) 0 (1) 1971 Academy
8 Northern Ireland Bertie Lutton F 4 (2) 1 1972 Brighton & Hove Albion
9 Nigeria Ade Coker CF 4 1 1971 Academy
12 England Ronnie Boyce F 0 (2) 1960 Academy

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Helliar, John (2009). West Ham United: The Elite Era (4th ed.). Bodmin & King's Lynn: MPG Books Group. ISBN 978-1-905328-68-0.
  2. ^ German, Tom (5 October 1972). "West Ham unable to find the spark". The Times. No. 58597. London. p. 13.
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