The 1972–73 season was Liverpool Football Club's 81st season in existence and their 11th consecutive season in the First Division. After seven years of not winning any trophies, Liverpool won both the Football League and the UEFA Cup in an extremely successful season, the highlight of Bill Shankly's managerial career. The rebuilding of the team from the one that served so well in the 1960s had been fully realised.
| 1972–73 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman |  H.E. Roberts | ||
| Manager |  Bill Shankly | ||
| First Division | Champions | ||
| UEFA Cup | Winners | ||
| FA Cup | Fourth round | ||
| League Cup | Fifth round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Kevin Keegan (13) John Toshack (13) All: Kevin Keegan (22) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 48,103 | ||
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The league which they came so close to winning the year before, had finally been conquered by winning the title by three points from Arsenal. The signing of Peter Cormack from Nottingham Forest during the summer of 1972 would also be another great signing. On 30 December 1972 Liverpool beat Crystal Palace at Anfield to make it 21 consecutive home wins in the league.[1] This was the longest run in English top-flight history until it was surpassed by Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool who made it 22 consecutive home wins in March 2020.[2]
The UEFA Cup would also be the beginning of their dominance of regularly winning European trophies as well, overcoming the previous season's winners Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals and Borussia Mönchengladbach over a two legged final 3-2 on aggregate.
The emergence of Kevin Keegan and Ray Clemence in the team would also see them start their international careers, with them both making their England debuts in the World Cup qualifier against Wales on 15 November 1972, alongside Emlyn Hughes already established in the England team.
Squad edit
Goalkeepers edit
Defenders edit
Steve Arnold- Roy Evans
- Chris Lawler
- Alec Lindsay
- Larry Lloyd
- John McLaughlin
Ian Ross- Tommy Smith
- Trevor Storton
- John Webb
Midfielders edit
- Ian Callaghan
- Peter Cormack
- Brian Hall
Steve Heighway- Emlyn Hughes
- Hughie McAuley
- Phil Thompson
- Peter Thompson
Attackers edit
League table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool (C) | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 72 | 42 | 1.714 | 60 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Arsenal | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 57 | 43 | 1.326 | 57 | |
| 3 | Leeds United | 42 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 71 | 45 | 1.578 | 53 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 55 | 45 | 1.222 | 48 | |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 66 | 54 | 1.222 | 47 |
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Results edit
First Division edit
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Aug-72 | Manchester City | H | 2–0 | Hall  3' Callaghan 84' |
55,383 | Report | Report |
| 15-Aug-72 | Manchester United | H | 2–0 | Toshack 12' Heighway 20' |
54,779 | Report | Report |
| 19-Aug-72 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–1 | Hughes 75' |
30,054 | Report | Report |
| 23-Aug-72 | Chelsea | A | 2–1 | Toshack 3' Callaghan 13' |
35,375 | Report | Report |
| 26-Aug-72 | West Ham United | H | 3–2 | Toshack 44' Own Goal 62' Hughes 64' |
50,491 | Report | Report |
| 30-Aug-72 | Leicester City | A | 2–3 | Toshack 8', 16' |
28,694 | Report | Report |
| 02-Sep-72 | Derby County | A | 1–2 | Toshack 16' |
32,524 | Report | Report |
| 09-Sep-72 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 4–2 | Hughes 28' Cormack 76' Smith 80 Pen' Keegan 84' |
43,386 | Report | Report |
| 16-Sep-72 | Arsenal | A | 0–0 | 47,597 | Report | Report | |
| 23-Sep-72 | Sheffield United | H | 5–0 | Boersma 28' Lindsay 31' Heighway 33' Cormack 51' Keegan 54 Pen' |
42,940 | Report | Report |
| 30-Sep-72 | Leeds United | A | 2–1 | Lloyd 40' Boersma 65' |
46,648 | Report | Report |
| 07-Oct-72 | Everton | H | 1–0 | Cormack 77' |
55,975 | Report | Report |
| 14-Oct-72 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | Lawler 40' |
24,110 | Report | Report |
| 21-Oct-72 | Stoke City | H | 2–1 | Hughes 66' Callaghan 90' |
45,604 | Report | Report |
| 28-Oct-72 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | Cormack 18' |
36,625 | Report | Report |
| 04-Nov-72 | Chelsea | H | 3–1 | Toshack 33', 55' Keegan 50' |
48,392 | Report | Report |
| 11-Nov-72 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 53,944 | Report | Report | |
| 18-Nov-72 | Newcastle United | H | 3–2 | Cormack 5' Lindsay 35' Toshack 48' |
46,153 | Report | Report |
| 25-Nov-72 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–1 | Heighway 28' Keegan 40' |
45,399 | Report | Report |
| 02-Dec-72 | Birmingham City | H | 4–3 | Lindsay 32', 55' Cormack 44' Toshack 77' |
45,407 | Report | Report |
| 09-Dec-72 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–1 | Boersma 21' |
27,213 | Report | Report |
| 16-Dec-72 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | Heighway 24' |
25,693 | Report | Report |
| 23-Dec-72 | Coventry City | H | 2–0 | Toshack 6', 22' |
41,550 | Report | Report |
| 26-Dec-72 | Sheffield United | A | 3–0 | Boersma 27' Lawler 50' Heighway 81' |
34,040 | Report | Report |
| 30-Dec-72 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–0 | Cormack 66' |
50,862 | Report | Report |
| 06-Jan-73 | West Ham United | A | 1–0 | Keegan 75' |
34,480 | Report | Report |
| 20-Jan-73 | Derby County | H | 1–1 | Toshack 23' |
45,996 | Report | Report |
| 27-Jan-73 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | Keegan 17' |
32,957 | Report | Report |
| 10-Feb-73 | Arsenal | H | 0–2 | 49,898 | Report | Report | |
| 17-Feb-73 | Manchester City | A | 1–1 | Boersma 77' |
40,528 | Report | Report |
| 24-Feb-73 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–1 | Heighway 67' Keegan 80' |
43,875 | Report | Report |
| 03-Mar-73 | Everton | A | 2–0 | Hughes 80', 88' |
54,269 | Report | Report |
| 10-Mar-73 | Southampton | H | 3–2 | Lloyd 37' Keegan 37', 87' |
41,674 | Report | Report |
| 17-Mar-73 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 | Mahoney(og) 65' |
33,540 | Report | Report |
| 24-Mar-73 | Norwich City | H | 3–1 | Lawler 50' Hughes 55' Hall 88' |
42,995 | Report | Report |
| 31-Mar-73 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | Keegan 70' |
48,477 | Report | Report |
| 07-Apr-73 | Birmingham City | A | 1–2 | Smith 60' |
48,114 | Report | Report |
| 14-Apr-73 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–0 | Keegan 14 Pen' |
43,853 | Report | Report |
| 17-Apr-73 | Coventry City | A | 2–1 | Boersma 36', 60' |
27,280 | Report | Report |
| 21-Apr-73 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | Keegan 24' |
37,240 | Report | Report |
| 23-Apr-73 | Leeds United | H | 2–0 | Cormack 47' Keegan 85' |
55,738 | Report | Report |
| 28-Apr-73 | Leicester City | H | 0–0 | 56,202 | Report | Report |
Football League Cup edit
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05-Sep-72 | Carlisle United | A | 1–1 | Keegan 42' |
16,257 | Report | Report |
| 19-Sep-72 | Carlisle United | H | 5–1 | Keegan 37' Boersma 39', 82' Lawler 73' Heighway 86' |
22,128 | Report | Report |
| 03-Oct-72 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–1 | Heighway 86' |
17,756 | Report | Report |
| 10-Oct-72 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | Hughes 62' Keegan 120' |
26,461 | Report | Report |
| 31-Oct-72 | Leeds United | H | 2–2 | Keegan 31' Toshack 80' |
44,609 | Report | Report |
| 22-Nov-72 | Leeds United | A | 1–0 | Keegan 90' |
34,856 | Report | Report |
| 04-Dec-72 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | Hughes 78' |
48,677 | Report | Report |
| 06-Dec-72 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–3 | Callaghan 85' |
34,565 | Report | Report |
FA Cup edit
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13-Jan-73 | Burnley | A | 0–0 | 35,730 | Report | Report | |
| 16-Jan-73 | Burnley | H | 3–0 | Toshack 31', 49' Cormack 47' |
56,124 | Report | Report |
| 03-Feb-73 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 56,296 | Report | Report | |
| 07-Feb-73 | Manchester City | A | 0–2 | 49,572 | Report | Report |
UEFA Cup edit
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Sep-72 | Eintracht Frankfurt | H | 2–0 | Keegan 12' Hughes 75' |
33,380 | Report | Report |
| 26-Sep-72 | Eintracht Frankfurt | A | 0–0 | 17,500 | Report | Report | |
| 24-Oct-72 | AEK Athens | H | 3–0 | Boersma 9' Cormack 28' Smith 78 Pen' |
31,906 | Report | Report |
| 07-Nov-72 | AEK Athens | A | 3–1 | Hughes 18', 44' Boersma 87' |
19,412 | Report | Report |
| 29-Nov-72 | BFC Dynamo | A | 0–0 | 15,835-20,000[3] | Report | Report | |
| 13-Dec-72 | BFC Dynamo | H | 3–1 | Boersma 1' Heighway 25' Toshack 56' |
34,140 | Report | Report |
| 07-Mar-73 | Dynamo Dresden | H | 2–0 | Hall 25' Boersma 60' |
33,270 | Report | Report |
| 21-Mar-73 | Dynamo Dresden | A | 1–0 | Keegan 53' |
33,634 | Report | Report |
| 10-Apr-73 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | Lindsay 17' |
42,174 | Report | Report |
| 25-Apr-73 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–2 | Heighway 55' |
46,919 | Report | Report |
Final
First Leg
      Liverpool
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 Borussia Mönchengladbach
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Second Leg
Borussia Mönchengladbach  | 2–0 | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Heynckes 29', 40' |
Report Report |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach
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Liverpool
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References edit
- ^ "In numbers: How Klopp and Shankly won 21 home games in a row". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ "Salah and Milner reaction: 'We showed our mentality to win'". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- ^ Schaefer, Otto (5 December 1972). "BFC Dynamo mit zuviel Respekt vor dem Wiederpart" (PDF). Die neue Fußballwoche (FuWo) (De) (in German). Vol. 1972, no. 49. Berlin: DFV der DDR. p. 9. ISSN 0323-8407. Retrieved 10 April 2022.