1972–73 West Ham United F.C. season


Season summary

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. 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.
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.

League table

Results

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
12 August 1972West Bromwich AlbionA0–021,509
14 August 1972Coventry CityH1–027,498Best
19 August 1972Leicester CityH5–225,414Moore, Coker, Robson, Tyler
22 August 1972Wolverhampton WanderersA0–321,958
26 August 1972LiverpoolA2–350,491Robson
29 August 1972ArsenalA0–143,802
2 September 1972Manchester UnitedH2–231,939Robson
9 September 1972ChelseaA3–134,392Taylor, Moore, Bonds
16 September 1972Norwich CityH4–027,780Brooking, Robson, Taylor
23 September 1972Tottenham HotspurA0–151,700
30 September 1972Birmingham CityH2–026,482Bonds, Best
7 October 1972Ipswich TownA1–122,377Best
14 October 1972Sheffield UnitedH3–125,379Brooking, Robson
21 October 1972Manchester CityA3–430,890Best, Ayris, Moore
28 October 1972Crystal PalaceH4–028,894Brooking, McDowell, Robson
4 November 1972Wolverhampton WanderersH2–229,524Robson, Brooking
11 November 1972Coventry CityA1–327,189McDowell
18 November 1972Derby CountyH1–228,154Robson
25 November 1972EvertonA2–127,558Brooking, Best
2 December 1972Newcastle UnitedH1–123,785Brooking
9 December 1972Leeds UnitedA0–130,270
16 December 1972Stoke CityH3–223,269Robson, Best
23 December 1972SouthamptonA0–019,429
26 December 1972Tottenham HotspurH2–237,397Robson
30 December 1972Leicester CityA1–219,341Brooking
6 January 1973LiverpoolH0–134,480
20 January 1973Manchester UnitedA2–250,878Robson, Best
27 January 1973ChelseaH3–133,336Taylor, Robson
10 February 1973Norwich CityA1–027,032Robson
17 February 1973West Bromwich AlbionH2–126,071Bonds, Robson
24 February 1973Stoke CityA0–221,855
2 March 1973Ipswich TownH0–137,004
10 March 1973Sheffield UnitedA0–024,024
17 March 1973Manchester CityH2–129,370MacDougall, Robson
24 March 1973Crystal PalaceA3–136,915Robson, Brooking, MacDougall
31 March 1973EvertonH2–025,531Robson, Lock
7 April 1973Newcastle UnitedA2–124,030MacDougall
14 April 1973Leeds UnitedH1–138,804Holland
20 April 1973SouthamptonH4–333,039Robson, Brooking
21 April 1973Derby CountyA1–128,727Lutton
23 April 1973Birmingham CityA0–036,942
28 April 1973ArsenalH1–237,368Rice

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R313 January 1973Port ValeA1–020,619Holland
R48 February 1973Hull CityA0–132,290

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R26 September 1972Bristol CityH2–117,688McDowell, Best
R34 October 1972Stockport CountyA1–213,410Best

Players