1972–73 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 1972–73 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 70th in the Football League and their 39th in the First Division, to which they were promoted as Second Division runners-up in 1971–72. After spending much of the season in the lower reaches of the table, eight wins and a draw from the last ten matches brought them up to tenth position in the 22-team division. They entered the 1972–73 FA Cup at the third round proper and lost in that round to Swindon Town, and entered the League Cup in the second round, eliminated in the fourth by Blackpool.

Birmingham City F.C.
1972–73 season
ChairmanClifford Coombs
ManagerFreddie Goodwin
GroundSt Andrew's
Football League First Division10th
FA CupThird round
(eliminated by Swindon Town)
League CupFourth round
(eliminated by Blackpool)
Top goalscorerLeague: Bob Latchford (19)
All: Bob Latchford (20)
Highest home attendance51,278 vs Manchester United, 10 March 1973
Lowest home attendance20,962 vs Luton Town, League Cup 2nd round, 5 September 1972
Average home league attendance36,663 (League matches only)

Twenty-seven players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were fourteen different goalscorers. Centre-forward Bob Latchford played in all but one of the 48 first-team matches over the season, and finished as leading goalscorer with 20 goals, of which 19 came in league competition. The home attendance in First Division matches never fell below 30,000.

Football League First Division
Main article: 1972–73 Football League
DateLeague
position		Opponents VenueResultScore
F–A		Scorers Attendance
12 August 1972 15thSheffield UnitedH L1–2R. Latchford 37,390
15 August 1972 9thNewcastle UnitedH W3–2McFaul og, Hope, R. Latchford 35,831
19 August 1972 13thIpswich TownA L0–2 17,775
23 August 1972 19thTottenham HotspurA L0–2 30,798
26 August 1972 18thCrystal PalaceH D1–1Francis 31,066
30 August 1972 16thWest Bromwich AlbionA D2–2Hatton, R. Latchford 37,108
2 September 1972 19thWolverhampton WanderersA L2–3Hope, Burns 32,539
9 September 1972 15thManchester CityH W4–1R. Latchford 3, Campbell 32,983
16 September 1972 18thDerby CountyA L0–1 33,753
23 September 1972 15thEvertonH W2–1R. Latchford, Francis 37,133
26 September 1972 15thArsenalA L0–2 30,003
30 September 1972 16thWest Ham UnitedA L0–2 26,482
7 October 1972 17thChelseaH D2–2Hope, R. Latchford 38,756
14 October 1972 19thManchester UnitedA L0–1 52,104
21 October 1972 18thSouthamptonH D1–1Roberts 30,757
28 October 1972 19thCoventry CityA D0–0 35,304
4 November 1972 19thTottenham HotspurH D0–0 38,504
11 November 1972 21stNewcastle UnitedA L0–3 26,042
18 November 1972 17thStoke CityA W2–1R. Latchford 2 23,040
25 November 1972 16thNorwich CityH W4–1Pendrey, Hope, Want, Hatton 32,890
2 December 1972 16thLiverpoolA L3–4Taylor, Hope, R. Latchford 45,407
9 December 1972 16thLeicester CityH D1–1Calderwood 32,481
16 December 1972 17thLeeds UnitedA L0–4 25,275
23 December 1972 19thArsenalH D1–1Bowker 32,721
26 December 1972 18thEvertonA D1–1R. Latchford 39,363
30 December 1972 19thIpswich TownH L1–2Hatton 32,705
27 January 1973 21stManchester CityA L0–1 31,877
10 February 1973 20thDerby CountyH W2–0R. Latchford, Francis 38,096
17 February 1973 18thSheffield UnitedA W1–0Francis 22,220
27 February 1973 19thWolverhampton WanderersH L0–1 43,759
3 March 1973 18thChelseaA D0–0 26,259
6 March 1973 16thCrystal PalaceA D0–0 26,014
10 March 1973 15thManchester UnitedH W3–1R. Latchford, Hatton, Campbell pen 51,278
17 March 1973 17thSouthamptonA L0–2 14,612
24 March 1973 17thCoventry CityH W3–0Hatton, R. Latchford, Taylor 34,775
31 March 1973 15thNorwich CityA W2–1R. Latchford 2 23,899
7 April 1973 16thLiverpoolH W2–1R. Latchford, Hatton 48,114
14 April 1973 12thLeicester CityA W1–0Campbell 27,652
21 April 1973 11thStoke CityH W3–1Page, Francis, Hatton 32,513
23 April 1973 11thWest Ham UnitedH D0–0 36,942
28 April 1973 11thWest Bromwich AlbionH W3–2R. Latchford, Hynd, Burns 36,784
30 April 1973 10thLeeds UnitedH W2–1Francis, Burns 34,449

League table (part)
Final First Division table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GA Pts
8th Tottenham Hotspur4216131358481.2145
9th Newcastle United4216131360511.1845
10th Birmingham City4215121553540.9842
11th Manchester City4215111657600.9541
12th Chelsea4213141549510.9640
Key Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played;
W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;
F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points
Source [1]

FA Cup
Main article: 1972–73 FA Cup
Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A		Scorers Attendance
Third round 13 January 1973Swindon TownA L0–2 17,373

League Cup
Main article: 1972–73 Football League Cup
Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A		Scorers Attendance
Second round 5 September 1972Luton TownH D1–1R. Latchford 20,962
Second round replay 13 September 1972Luton TownA D1–1Campbell 13,806
Second round 2nd replay 19 September 1972Luton TownCounty Ground,
Northampton		 W1–0Francis 11,451
Third round 3 October 1972Coventry CityH W2–1Francis, Barry og 27,803
Fourth round 31 October 1972BlackpoolA L0–2 13,332

Appearances and goals
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with name struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham.
Players having played at least one first-team match
Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK ENG Paul Cooper 30001040
GK ENG Mike Kelly 70000070
GK ENG Dave Latchford 3201040370
DF ENG Keith Bowker 51000051
DF IRL Tommy Carroll 1100030140
DF ENG Stan Harland 1811030220
DF ENG Dave Howitt 20001030
DF SCO Roger Hynd 4011040451
DF ENG Ray Martin 2300010240
DF ENG Garry Pendrey 39 (1)1105045 (1)1
DF WAL John Roberts 2110000211
DF ENG Dave Robinson 00001010
DF ENG Tony Want 2011020231
DF ENG Alan Whitehead 10000010
MF SCO Kenny Burns 9 (5)3003 (2)012 (7)3
MF SCO Jimmy Calderwood 51000051
MF SCO Alan Campbell 29 (3)3004133 (3)4
MF SCO Paul Hendrie 0 (1)000000 (1)0
MF SCO Bobby Hope 24 (1)5104029 (1)5
MF WAL Malcolm Page 26 (1)1103030 (1)1
MF ENG George Smith 50001060
MF ENG Gordon Taylor 34 (2)2102 (1)037 (3)2
FW ENG Trevor Francis 3161052378
FW ENG Bob Hatton 31 (1)70 (1)03034 (2)7
FW ENG Bob Latchford 421910514720
FW ENG Steve Phillips 30000030
FW ENG Phil Summerill 1 (1)000102 (1)0

See also

References
General
  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. Derby: DB Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2.
  • Source for match dates and results: "Birmingham City 1972–1973 : Results". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 380–81.
Specific
  1. "Birmingham City 1972–1973: English Division One (old) Table". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
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