# 1972–73 West Ham United F.C. season

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.

## Season summary

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

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 55 | 45 | 1.222 | 48 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 66 | 54 | 1.222 | 47 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 6 | West Ham United | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 53 | 1.264 | 46 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |
| 7 | Derby County | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 56 | 54 | 1.037 | 46 | |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 58 | 48 | 1.208 | 45 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
* 1 2 Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as the Football League Cup winners.
* ↑ West Ham United and Stoke City qualified for the Watney Cup as the two teams with the most goals that had not already qualified for a European competition.

## Results
### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 12 August 1972 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–0 | 21,509 | |
| 14 August 1972 | Coventry City | H | 1–0 | 27,498 | Best |
| 19 August 1972 | Leicester City | H | 5–2 | 25,414 | Moore, Coker, Robson (2), Tyler |
| 22 August 1972 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–3 | 21,958 | |
| 26 August 1972 | Liverpool | A | 2–3 | 50,491 | Robson (2) |
| 29 August 1972 | Arsenal | A | 0–1 | 43,802 | |
| 2 September 1972 | Manchester United | H | 2–2 | 31,939 | Robson (2) |
| 9 September 1972 | Chelsea | A | 3–1 | 34,392 | Taylor, Moore, Bonds |
| 16 September 1972 | Norwich City | H | 4–0 | 27,780 | Brooking, Robson (2), Taylor |
| 23 September 1972 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 51,700 | |
| 30 September 1972 | Birmingham City | H | 2–0 | 26,482 | Bonds, Best |
| 7 October 1972 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | 22,377 | Best |
| 14 October 1972 | Sheffield United | H | 3–1 | 25,379 | Brooking, Robson (2) |
| 21 October 1972 | Manchester City | A | 3–4 | 30,890 | Best, Ayris, Moore |
| 28 October 1972 | Crystal Palace | H | 4–0 | 28,894 | Brooking (2), McDowell, Robson |
| 4 November 1972 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | 29,524 | Robson, Brooking |
| 11 November 1972 | Coventry City | A | 1–3 | 27,189 | McDowell |
| 18 November 1972 | Derby County | H | 1–2 | 28,154 | Robson |
| 25 November 1972 | Everton | A | 2–1 | 27,558 | Brooking, Best |
| 2 December 1972 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | 23,785 | Brooking |
| 9 December 1972 | Leeds United | A | 0–1 | 30,270 | |
| 16 December 1972 | Stoke City | H | 3–2 | 23,269 | Robson (2), Best |
| 23 December 1972 | Southampton | A | 0–0 | 19,429 | |
| 26 December 1972 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–2 | 37,397 | Robson (2; 1 pen) |
| 30 December 1972 | Leicester City | A | 1–2 | 19,341 | Brooking |
| 6 January 1973 | Liverpool | H | 0–1 | 34,480 | |
| 20 January 1973 | Manchester United | A | 2–2 | 50,878 | Robson, Best |
| 27 January 1973 | Chelsea | H | 3–1 | 33,336 | Taylor, Robson (2) |
| 10 February 1973 | Norwich City | A | 1–0 | 27,032 | Robson |
| 17 February 1973 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | 26,071 | Bonds, Robson |
| 24 February 1973 | Stoke City | A | 0–2 | 21,855 | |
| 2 March 1973 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–1 | 37,004 | |
| 10 March 1973 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 | 24,024 | |
| 17 March 1973 | Manchester City | H | 2–1 | 29,370 | MacDougall, Robson |
| 24 March 1973 | Crystal Palace | A | 3–1 | 36,915 | Robson, Brooking, MacDougall |
| 31 March 1973 | Everton | H | 2–0 | 25,531 | Robson, Lock |
| 7 April 1973 | Newcastle United | A | 2–1 | 24,030 | MacDougall (2) |
| 14 April 1973 | Leeds United | H | 1–1 | 38,804 | Holland |
| 20 April 1973 | Southampton | H | 4–3 | 33,039 | Robson (3), Brooking |
| 21 April 1973 | Derby County | A | 1–1 | 28,727 | Lutton |
| 23 April 1973 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | 36,942 | |
| 28 April 1973 | Arsenal | H | 1–2 | 37,368 | Rice (o.g.) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 13 January 1973 | Port Vale | A | 1–0 | 20,619 | Holland |
| R4 | 8 February 1973 | Hull City | A | 0–1 | 32,290 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 | 6 September 1972 | Bristol City | H | 2–1 | 17,688 | McDowell, Best |
| R3 | 4 October 1972 | Stockport County | A | 1–2 | 13,410 | Best |

## Players

| Number | Player | Position | Lge Apps | Lge Gls | FAC Apps | FAC Gls | LC Apps | LC Gls | Date Signed | Previous Club |
| First XI ||||||||||||
| 1 | Bobby Ferguson | GK | 31 | | 2 | | | | 1967 | Kilmarnock |
| 2 | John McDowell | RB | 38 | 2 | 2 | | 2 | 1 | 1970 | Academy |
| 3 | Frank Lampard | LB | 38 | | 2 | | 2 | | 1967 | Academy |
| 4 | Billy Bonds | DCM | 39 | 3 | 2 | | 2 | | 1967 | Charlton Athletic |
| 5 | Tommy Taylor | CH | 37 | 3 | 2 | | 2 | | 1970 | Orient |
| 6 | Bobby Moore (Captain) | CH | 42 | 3 | 2 | | 2 | | 1958 | Academy |
| 7 | Dudley Tyler | RW | 21 | 1 | 2 | | 2 | | 1972 | Hereford |
| 8 | Clyde Best | CF | 41(1) | 7 | 2 | | 2 | 2 | 1969 | Academy |
| 9 | Pat Holland | LW | 30(2) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | 1969 | Academy |
| 10 | Trevor Brooking | ACM | 40 | 11 | 2 | | 2 | | 1967 | Academy |
| 11 | Pop Robson (Hammer of the Year) | CF | 42 | 28 | 2 | | 2 | | 1970 | Newcastle United |
| Other Players ||||||||||||
| 5 | Kevin Lock | D/M | 14(4) | 1 | 0 (1) | | | | 1971 | Academy |
| 7 | Johnny Ayris | RW | 13(2) | 1 | | | | | 1970 | Academy |
| 1 | Peter Grotier | GK | 11 | | | | 2 | | 1968 | Academy |
| 9 | Ted MacDougall | CF | 10 | 4 | | | | | 1972 | Manchester United |
| 3 | Clive Charles | FB | 7 (2) | | 0 (1) | | | | 1971 | Academy |
| 8 | Bertie Lutton | F | 4 (2) | 1 | | | | | 1972 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 9 | Ade Coker | CF | 4 | 1 | | | | | 1971 | Academy |
| 12 | Ronnie Boyce | F | 0 (2) | | | | | | 1960 | Academy |