# 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. Arsenal finished sixth in the Football League First Division.
Charlie Nicholas was brought to Arsenal from Celtic. However, he did not immediately perform. Paul Mariner was also bought to bolster the club in the latter half of the season. Tony Woodcock remained Arsenal's top scorer. Graham Rix assumed the captaincy from David O'Leary.
Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup at home by Walsall. After a run of dismal league results including five losses in six games, manager Terry Neill was sacked on 16 December 1983. He was succeeded by his assistant Don Howe.

## 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. Nicholas cost £650,000 and was reportedly the highest paid footballer in Britain. The move wasn’t an immediate success, however, and by December Nicholas had only scored twice.
Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup at home by Walsall, a repeat of Wallsall's giant-killing act of 1933. Terry Neill, already under pressure due to early losses to Manchester United and Liverpool at home, had overseen a series of inconsistent results in the league. With Arsenal 16th in the table, a 1-0 loss at home to West Bromwich Albion led to "Neill Out" demonstrations by the supporters outside the ground. After Arsenal lost 3-1 away at West Ham, on 16 December 1983 the club did the inevitable and sacked Neill.
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. Howe also brought Paul Mariner to Highbury in February 1984 for £150,000. Mariner scored seven times in the final fifteen games of the season.

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

## Top scorers
### First Division

* Tony Woodcock 21
* Charlie Nicholas 11
* Paul Mariner 7
* Brian Talbot 6
* Stewart Robson 6

## Results
### First Division

| Pos | Teamvte | 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 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 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 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 64 | 65 | −1 | 61 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
* ↑ Everton qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1983–84 FA Cup winners.
* ↑ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1983–84 UEFA Cup winners.

### FA Cup

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