# 1973–74 Arsenal F.C. season

The 1973–74 season was Arsenal Football Club's 48th consecutive season in the Football League First Division. After a second-place finish the previous season, Arsenal slid to tenth and found no success in either the FA Cup or League Cup.
Captain Frank McLintock, after struggling with manager Bertie Mee, left the club and Bob McNab assumed the captaincy. George Graham also left the club.
The season did see Liam Brady break into the first team, partnering with Alan Ball. Ball was Arsenal's top scorer in the league.

## Season summary

After the previous season, Mee believed that a rebuild was necessary and let go of several key players. Captain Frank McLintock, age 34, moved to Queens Park Rangers with whom he finished a close second in the league in 1975-76. George Graham also departed, becoming Tommy Docherty's first purchase as Manchester United manager. Steve Burtenshaw, Mee's assistant, resigned just a few weeks into the season after losing the trust of the players and joined Queens Park Rangers. Brian Chambers from Sunderland was the only incoming transfer.
Arsenal began the season with 3-0 victory over Manchester United, but followed it up with two home losses and a 0-5 away loss to Sheffield United. Although Arsenal had a few decent performance including a 4-0 win over Norwich City (who had done the double over them the previous season), Arsenal continued to struggle in the league. Their cup prospects didn't fare much better, as they lost to Tranmere Rovers in a second round League Cup tie and knocked out of the FA Cup in a fourth-round replay against Aston Villa.
The season had few silver linings. Liam Brady broke into the first team and benefited from playing with Alan Ball in the midfield. However, in the last match of the season which also brought Brady's first goal, Ball broke his leg in a tackle.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 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 | |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 49 | 49 | 1.000 | 41 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
* ↑ Wolverhampton Wanderers qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1973-74 Football League Cup winners.

## Results

Arsenal's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| 25 August 1973 | Manchester United | H | 3–0 | 51,501 |
| 28 August 1973 | Leeds United | H | 1–2 | 47,529 |
| 1 September 1973 | Newcastle United | A | 1–1 | 30,665 |
| 4 September 1973 | Sheffield United | A | 0–5 | 27,839 |
| 8 September 1973 | Leicester City | H | 0–2 | 28,558 |
| 11 September 1973 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | 29,434 |
| 15 September 1973 | Norwich City | A | 4–0 | 29,378 |
| 22 September 1973 | Stoke City | H | 2–1 | 30,968 |
| 29 September 1973 | Everton | A | 0–1 | 31,359 |
| 6 October 1973 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | 23,915 |
| 13 October 1973 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–2 | 41,855 |
| 20 October 1973 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–1 | 28,344 |
| 27 October 1973 | Queen's Park Rangers | A | 0–2 | 29,115 |
| 3 November 1973 | Liverpool | H | 0–2 | 39,857 |
| 10 November 1973 | Manchester City | A | 2–1 | 31,041 |
| 17 November 1973 | Chelsea | H | 0–0 | 38,977 |
| 24 November 1973 | West Ham United | A | 3–1 | 28,287 |
| 1 December 1973 | Coventry City | H | 2–2 | 22,380 |
| 4 December 1973 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | 13,751 |
| 8 December 1973 | Derby County | A | 1–1 | 25,161 |
| 15 December 1973 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | 13,200 |
| 22 December 1973 | Everton | H | 1–0 | 19,886 |
| 26 December 1973 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | 24,133 |
| 29 December 1973 | Leicester City | A | 0–2 | 25,860 |
| 1 January 1974 | Newcastle United | H | 0–1 | 29,558 |
| 12 January 1974 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 22,084 |
| 19 January 1974 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | 38,869 |
| 2 February 1974 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | 20,789 |
| 5 February 1974 | Leeds United | A | 1–3 | 26,778 |
| 16 February 1974 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–1 | 38,892 |
| 23 February 1974 | Birmingham City | A | 1–3 | 29,822 |
| 2 March 1974 | Southampton | H | 1–0 | 19,210 |
| 16 March 1974 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–2 | 22,297 |
| 23 March 1974 | Manchester City | H | 2–0 | 25,319 |
| 30 March 1974 | Stoke City | A | 0–0 | 18,532 |
| 6 April 1974 | West Ham United | H | 0–0 | 37,868 |
| 13 April 1974 | Chelsea | A | 3–1 | 29,152 |
| 15 April 1974 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 25,881 |
| 20 April 1974 | Derby County | H | 2–0 | 26,017 |
| 24 April 1974 | Liverpool | A | 1-0 | 47,997 |
| 27 April 1974 | Coventry City | A | 3–3 | 19,945 |
| 30 April 1974 | Queen's Park Rangers | H | 1–1 | 40,396 |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| R3 | 5 January 1974 | Norwich City | A | 1–0 | 21,500 |
| R4 | 26 January 1974 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | 41,682 |
| R4 R | 30 January 1974 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 47,821 |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 | 2 October 1973 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–1 | 20,337 | |

## 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 | SCO | Bob Wilson |
| - | DF | NIR | Pat Rice |
| - | DF | ENG | Bob McNab |
| - | DF | ENG | Peter Simpson |
| - | MF | ENG | Peter Storey |
| - | MF | SCO | Eddie Kelly |
| - | MF | ENG | George Armstrong |
| - | MF | ENG | Alan Ball |
| - | FW | ENG | John Radford |
| - | FW | ENG | Ray Kennedy |
| - | FW | ENG | Charlie George |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | DF | ENG | Jeff Blockley |
| - | DF | NIR | Sammy Nelson |
| - | MF | IRL | Liam Brady |
| - | MF | ENG | Brian Hornsby |
| - | MF | ENG | David Price |
| - | DF | ENG | Richie Powling |
| - | DF | ENG | Brendon Batson |
| - | GK | ENG | Jimmy Rimmer |

## Top scorers

Football League
* Alan Ball - 13
* Ray Kennedy - 12
* John Radford - 7