# 1973–74 Leicester City F.C. season

During the 1973–74 English football season, Leicester City F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

The 1973–74 season was a solid one for Leicester, starting the league well going eight matches unbeaten. There was also some entrancing entertainment served up but too many draws prevented the Foxes from challenging for a UEFA Cup place and had to settle for a creditable 9th place finish. Their main highlight was the FA Cup by reaching their sixth semi-final in their history, to set up an ensuing tie with favourites Liverpool. They held the Reds to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford with a solid defensive display to set up an interesting replay at Villa Park but despite equalising through Len Glover after being 1-0 down, it ended in disappointment as the Foxes suffered a 3-1 defeat.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 7 | Everton | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 50 | 48 | 1.042 | 44 |
| 8 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 56 | 52 | 1.077 | 43 |
| 9 | Leicester City | 42 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 51 | 41 | 1.244 | 42 |
| 10 | Arsenal | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 | 51 | 0.961 | 42 |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 45 | 50 | 0.900 | 42 |

## Results

Leicester City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 25 August 1973 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | 20,116 | Sammels |
| 28 August 1973 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | 33,139 | Weller |
| 1 September 1973 | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | 29,347 | Birchenall |
| 5 September 1973 | Manchester United | H | 1–0 | 29,152 | Worthington |
| 8 September 1973 | Arsenal | A | 2–0 | 28,558 | Glover, Stringfellow |
| 12 September 1973 | Manchester United | A | 2–1 | 40,793 | Weller, Stringfellow |
| 15 September 1973 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | 28,466 | Weller |
| 22 September 1973 | West Ham United | A | 1–1 | 23,567 | Worthington |
| 29 September 1973 | Coventry City | H | 0–2 | 29,319 | |
| 6 October 1973 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | 21,589 | Weller |
| 13 October 1973 | Leeds United | H | 2–2 | 36,978 | Worthington, Birchenall |
| 20 October 1973 | Derby County | A | 1–2 | 32,203 | Worthington |
| 27 October 1973 | Southampton | H | 0–1 | 18,753 | |
| 3 November 1973 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 20,565 | |
| 10 November 1973 | Newcastle United | H | 1–0 | 20,726 | Rofe |
| 17 November 1973 | Burnley | H | 2–0 | 21,761 | Glover, Stringfellow |
| 24 November 1973 | Birmingham City | A | 0–3 | 27,719 | |
| 1 December 1973 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 3–0 | 22,088 | Glover (2), Earle |
| 8 December 1973 | Chelsea | A | 2–3 | 20,676 | Worthington, Earle |
| 15 December 1973 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | 17,614 | Worthington, Glover |
| 22 December 1973 | Coventry City | A | 2–1 | 23,324 | Glover, Worthington |
| 26 December 1973 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | 30,547 | Worthington (2, 1 pen) |
| 29 December 1973 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | 25,860 | Worthington, Earle |
| 1 January 1974 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | 39,110 | Weller |
| 12 January 1974 | Manchester City | A | 0–2 | 27,488 | |
| 19 January 1974 | Ipswich Town | H | 5–0 | 24,280 | Worthington (3, 2 pens), Munro, Beattie (own goal) |
| 2 February 1974 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–0 | 22,646 | |
| 9 February 1974 | West Ham United | H | 0–1 | 27,032 | |
| 23 February 1974 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 24,107 | Worthington |
| 26 February 1974 | Leeds United | A | 1–1 | 30,489 | Weller |
| 2 March 1974 | Everton | H | 2–1 | 22,286 | Worthington, Earle |
| 16 March 1974 | Derby County | H | 0–1 | 30,423 | |
| 18 March 1974 | Southampton | A | 0–1 | 26,600 | |
| 23 March 1974 | Newcastle United | A | 1–1 | 32,116 | Waters |
| 6 April 1974 | Birmingham City | H | 3–3 | 28,486 | Cross, Glover (2) |
| 13 April 1974 | Burnley | A | 0–0 | 18,115 | |
| 15 April 1974 | Stoke City | A | 0–1 | 21,468 | |
| 16 April 1974 | Stoke City | H | 1–1 | 21,682 | Worthington |
| 20 April 1974 | Chelsea | H | 3–0 | 22,828 | Worthington (2), Glover |
| 23 April 1974 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 23,574 | |
| 27 April 1974 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 20,110 | |
| 29 April 1974 | Norwich City | H | 3–0 | 16,786 | Worthington (2), Earle |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 5 January 1974 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | 36,433 | Earle |
| R4 | 26 January 1974 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | 26,105 | Glover |
| R4R | 30 January 1974 | Fulham | H | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | 37,130 | Glover, Worthington |
| R5 | 16 February 1974 | Luton Town | A | 4–0 | 25,712 | Earle (2), Worthington, Weller |
| QF | 9 March 1974 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–0 | 34,078 | Waters (2) |
| SF | 30 March 1974 | Liverpool | N | 0–0 | 60,000 | |
| SFR | 3 April 1974 | Liverpool | N | 1–3 | 55,619 | Glover 48' | PO | 9 May 1974 | Burnley | H0-1 | 4,432 |

### FA Cup third place play-off

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 9 May 1974 | Burnley | H | 0–1 | 4,432 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 | 8 October 1973 | Hull City | H | 3–3 | 9,777 | Weller (2), Worthington |
| R2R | 31 October 1973 | Hull City | A | 2–3 | 16,003 | Stringfellow, Worthington |

### Texaco Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st leg | 19 September 1973 | Ayr United | A | 1–1 | 9,720 | McAnespie (own goal) |
| R1 2nd leg | 3 October 1973 | Ayr United | H | 2–0 (won 3-1 on agg) | 8,004 | Stringfellow, Birchenall |
| R2 1st leg | 24 October 1973 | Dundee United | H | 1–1 | 8,036 | Worthington (pen) |
| R2 2nd leg | 7 November 1973 | Dundee United | A | 0–1 (lost 1-2 on agg) | 7,699 | |

## 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 | ENG | Peter Shilton |
| - | DF | ENG | Steve Whitworth |
| - | DF | ENG | Dennis Rofe |
| - | MF | ENG | Mike Stringfellow |
| - | DF | ENG | Malcolm Munro |
| - | DF | ENG | Graham Cross |
| - | MF | ENG | Keith Weller |
| - | MF | ENG | Jon Sammels |
| - | FW | ENG | Frank Worthington |
| - | MF | ENG | Alan Birchenall |
| - | MF | ENG | Len Glover |
| - | MF | ENG | John Farrington |
| - | FW | ENG | Malcolm Partridge |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | DF | SCO | Malcolm Manley |
| - | DF | ENG | Alan Woollett |
| - | DF | ENG | Joe Jopling |
| - | FW | ENG | Steve Earle |
| - | MF | ENG | David Tomlin |
| - | DF | ENG | Steve Yates |
| - | MF | IRL | Joe Waters |
| - | DF | ENG | Pat Kruse |
| - | GK | ENG | Mark Wallington |
| - | MF | IRL | Tom Kilkelly |
| - | FW | ENG | Bob Lee |
| - | GK | ENG | Carl Jayes |