1983–84 Arsenal F.C. season

The 1983-84 season was Arsenal Football Club's 58th consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[1][2]

Arsenal F.C.
1983–84 season
ChairmanPeter Hill-Wood
ManagerTerry Neill (to 16 December)
Don Howe (caretaker manager)
First Division6th
FA CupThird round
League CupFourth round
Top goalscorerLeague: Tony Woodcock (21)
All: Tony Woodcock (22)

Season summary

The 1983-84 season was Terry Neill’s final season as the Gunners manager. Neill had persuaded Scottish starlet Charlie Nicholas to spurn the advances of Liverpool and move to London in time for the 1983-84 season in a club-record signing from Celtic.The move wasn’t a success, however, and by December Nicholas had only scored twice.[3]

When Arsenal got knocked out of the League Cup at home by Walsall, it really turned the fans against Terry Neill, Arsenal were 16th in the table, then lost at home to West Bromwich Albion 1-0. There were angry demonstrations by the supporters outside the ground afterwards. Many fans wanted Neill out and after Arsenal lost 3-1 away at West Ham, on 16 December 1983 the club did the inevitable and sacked Neill.[4] Don Howe first became caretaker-manager, and became permanent manager after the game against Leicester on 28 April 1984, following a run of five wins and two draws in the last seven games.  Arsenal were 6th – the highest position they had held that season after the second match of the season.[5] Howe also brought Paul Mariner to Highbury in February 1984 for £150,000.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK Northern Ireland NIR Pat Jennings
DF Northern Ireland NIR Colin Hill
DF England ENG Kenny Sansom
MF England ENG Brian Talbot
DF Republic of Ireland IRL David O'Leary
DF England ENG Tommy Caton
MF England ENG Stewart Robson
MF England ENG Paul Davis
FW Scotland SCO Charlie Nicholas
FW England ENG Tony Woodcock
MF England ENG Graham Rix
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW England ENG Paul Mariner
DF England ENG Chris Whyte
FW England ENG Alan Sunderland
FW England ENG Raphael Meade
MF England ENG Ian Allinson
MF England ENG Brian McDermott
DF England ENG John Kay
FW England ENG David Cork
GK England ENG John Lukic
FW England ENG Lee Chapman
DF England ENG Tony Adams
MF England ENG Dave Madden
DF England ENG Brian Sparrow
MF Republic of Ireland IRL Paul Gorman

Top scorers

First Division

Results

First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Manchester United 42 20 14 8 71 41 +30 74 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
5 Queens Park Rangers 42 22 7 13 67 37 +30 73
6 Arsenal 42 18 9 15 74 60 +14 63
7 Everton 42 16 14 12 44 42 +2 62 Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[lower-alpha 1]
8 Tottenham Hotspur 42 17 10 15 64 65 1 61 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 2]
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Everton qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1983–84 FA Cup winners.
  2. Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1983–84 UEFA Cup winners.
27 August 1983 1 Arsenal 2–1 Luton Town London
Stadium: Highbury
3 September 1983 3 Southampton 1–0 Arsenal Southampton
Stadium: The Dell
10 September 1983 5 Arsenal 0–2 Liverpool London
Stadium: Highbury
17 September 1983 6 Notts County 0–4 Arsenal Nottingham
Stadium: Meadow Lane
24 September 1983 7 Arsenal 3–0 Norwich City London
Stadium: Highbury
15 October 1983 9 Arsenal 0–1 Coventry City London
Stadium: Highbury
29 October 1983 11 Aston Villa 2–6 Arsenal Birmingham
Stadium: Villa Park
5 November 1983 12 Arsenal 1–2 Sunderland London
Stadium: Highbury
12 November 1983 13 Ipswich Town 1–0 Arsenal Ipswich
Stadium: Portman Road
19 November 1983 14 Arsenal 2–1 Everton London
Stadium: Highbury
10 December 1983 17 West Ham United 3–1 Arsenal London
Stadium: Upton Park
17 December 1983 18 Arsenal 3–1 Watford London
Stadium: Highbury
27 December 1983 20 Arsenal 1–1 Birmingham City London
Stadium: Highbury
31 December 1983 21 Arsenal 2–2 Southampton London
Stadium: Highbury
2 January 1984 22 Norwich City 1–1 Arsenal Norwich
Stadium: Carrow Road
14 January 1984 23 Luton Town 1–2 Arsenal Luton
Stadium: Kenilworth Road
21 January 1984 24 Arsenal 1–1 Notts County London
Stadium: Highbury
11 February 1984 27 Liverpool 2–1 Arsenal Liverpool
Stadium: Anfield
18 February 1984 28 Arsenal 1–1 Aston Villa London
Stadium: Highbury
3 March 1984 30 Sunderland 2–2 Arsenal Sunderland
Stadium: Roker Park
10 March 1984 31 Arsenal 4–1 Ipswich Town London
Stadium: Highbury
7 April 1984 35 Arsenal 3–1 Stoke City London
Stadium: Highbury
9 April 1984 36 Everton 0–0 Arsenal Liverpool
Stadium: Goodison Park
28 April 1984 39 Arsenal 2–1 Leicester City London
Stadium: Highbury
12 May 1984 42 Watford 2–1 Arsenal London
Stadium: Vicarage Road

Football League Cup

4 October 1983 Second round
(1st Leg)
Plymouth Argyle 1–1 Arsenal Plymouth
Stadium: Home Park
25 October 1983 Second round
(2nd Leg)
Arsenal 1–0
(2–1 agg.)
Plymouth Argyle London
Stadium: Highbury
9 November 1983 Third round Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Arsenal London
Stadium: White Hart Lane
29 November 1983 Fourth round Arsenal 1–2 Walsall London
Stadium: Highbury

FA Cup

Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Middlesbrough.

7 January 1984 Third round Middlesbrough 3–2 Arsenal Middlesbrough
MacDonald 5'
Sugrue 60'
Baxter 70'
Woodcock 13'
Nicholas 64'
Stadium: Ayresome Park
Attendance: 17,813

References

  1. James, Josh (18 June 2013). "All-time Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. Ross, James; Heneghan, Michael; Orford, Stuart; Culliton, Eoin (25 August 2016). "English Clubs Divisional Movements 1888–2016". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. "terry-neill-managing-enigma". 1 April 2022.
  4. Gunnerstown 2016.
  5. Spurling, Jon (2001). All Guns Blazing: Arsenal in the 1980's. Aureus Publishing.
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