1971–72 Arsenal F.C. season

86th season in existence of Arsenal F.C.

Arsenal 1971–72 football season
Arsenal
1971–72 season
ChairmanDenis Hill-Wood
ManagerBertie Mee
First Division5th
FA CupRunners-up
League CupFourth round
European CupQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
Ray Kennedy (12)

All:
Ray Kennedy (19)
Highest home attendance63,077 Derby County (29 February 1972)
Lowest home attendance27,172 Southampton (28 March 1972)
Average home league attendance40,500
Home colours
Away colours

The 1971–72 season was Arsenal Football Club's 46th consecutive season in the Football League First Division. Arsenal finished fifth in the league.

In Cup play, Arsenal featured for the first time in the European Cup, but went out to defending champions Ajax in the quarterfinals. Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup in the fourth round by Sheffield United. In the FA Cup, Arsenal reached the final, their fifth cup final in five years. However, the team couldn't follow up on the previous year's victory and lost 1-0 to Leeds United.

Ray Kennedy was the top scorer in both the league and in all competitions. Frank McLintock served as captain.

In June 1971, the club saw the exit of Don Howe as manager Bertie Mee's hands-on coach. He was replaced with Steve Burtenshaw. In December, midfielder Alan Ball joined Arsenal to strengthen the squad.

Season summary

Following up the 1970-71 Double was always going to be difficult. On June 15, that proposition was made even harder by the departure of Don Howe, the hands-on second-in-command to Bertie Mee who was widely considered the architect of the Double. Howe accepted an offer to become the manager of West Brom.[1] Two other Arsenal staff, George Wright and youth coach Brian Whitehouse, also moved to West Brom. Steve Burtenshaw was appointed to Howe's previous position.[2] Arsenal's only other summer transfer news was that Jon Sammels left the club for Leicester City at a price of £100,000.[3]

Arsenal began the season with a convincing win over Chelsea, followed up by beating Huddersfield.[3] The dynamic Charlie George missed the opening of the season with cartilage trouble. However, Arsenal's fortunes soon turned and they were defeated three times in a row, including a loss to newly promoted Sheffield United at home, Arsenal's first loss at Highbury in 19 months.[2][3]

Arsenal's inconsistencies prevented them from being serious title contenders. Injuries left John Radford, Charlie George, Peter Marinello, and Bob McNab out of the squad for parts of the seasons, and other players such as Peter Simpson and Peter Storey suffered from poor form. In December, Mee paid a Football League record fee of £200,000 for Everton's Alan Ball in order to strengthen the squad.[4] Despite some of these issues, midway through the season, Arsenal went on a 14-match unbeaten run after a dismal 5-1 loss to Wolves.[4] The run left them just four points from the top. However, they were to find rather less success with the rest of the season. They still affected the title race, as a 0-0 draw with Liverpool in the penultimate game of the season handed the league championship to Derby County. Arsenal ended the season with a 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham and finished fifth.

Arsenal featured in the European Cup for the first time, reaching the quarterfinals. Ball joined the team too late to be eligible for Arsenal's quarterfinal matchup. After beating Stroemsgodset 3-1 in their first game and 4-0 at home in the next, Arsenal faced Grasshopper Club Zurich, winning 5-0 on aggregate.[3] Arsenal faced European Cup holders Ajax in the quarterfinals, playing against Johan Cruyff and other great young players. They lost 2-1 away, meaning a 1-0 victory at home would take Arsenal to the semifinals. Instead, Arsenal lost 1-0 thanks to a George Graham own goal.[2]

New signing Ball was especially influential in Arsenal's FA Cup run. Facing Swindon in the third round, Ball provided first a goal and assist to help Arsenal ease past their opponents. Arsenal then muddled 2-1 away past Fourth Division Reading.[5] Derby County in the fifth round took three games. The first was a 2-2 tie away at the Baseball Ground in which George netted twice, the field described as a "bog" and the game extremely tough.[5] Then, the two teams tied 0-0 at Highbury. Arsenal won the second replay with a goal from Kennedy. In the quarterfinals, Arsenal faced Orient and beat them 1-0 away.[2]

Arsenal's semifinal opponents were again Stoke City, with Arsenal fielding nearly an unchanged side from the same game the year before. Ball was included in place of Kennedy, all other starters from the previous season remained. After Armstrong opened the scoring, Arsenal's goalkeeper Bob Wilson was injured but left on the field. A mistake from Simpson trying to protect his goalkeeper led to an own goal and a tie. Wilson was pulled off the field for Kennedy, and Radford took to the goal to help his team stay in the Cup. Arsenal beat Stoke in the replay with goals from George and Radford, and faced Leeds United in the final. It was a tough match at Wembley, in front of the Queen and Prince Phillip. Arsenal were outplayed and lost due to a headed goal from Allan Clarke.[2][5]

Arsenal followed up their stellar Double season with disappointment in a fifth-place league finish and finalists medals in the FA Cup. The FA Cup final had been their fifth Cup final in five years.[2]

Final league table

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
3 Liverpool 42 24 9 9 64 30 2.133 57 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4 Manchester City 42 23 11 8 77 45 1.711 57
5 Arsenal 42 22 8 12 58 40 1.450 52
6 Tottenham Hotspur 42 19 13 10 63 42 1.500 51 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[a]
7 Chelsea 42 18 12 12 58 49 1.184 48
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1971-72 UEFA Cup winners.

Results

Arsenal's score comes first[6]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
14 August 1971 Chelsea H 3–0 49,174 Kennedy, McLintock, Radford
17 August 1971 Huddersfield Town A 1–0 21,279 Kennedy
20 August 1971 Manchester United A 1–3 27,649 McLintock
24 August 1971 Sheffield United H 0–1 45,395
28 August 1971 Stoke City H 0–1 37,637
4 September 1971 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 29,922 Roberts
11 September 1971 Leeds United H 2–0 51,196 Graham, Storey (pen.)
18 September 1971 Everton A 1–2 39,710 Kennedy
25 September 1971 Leicester City H 3–0 40,201 Radford (2), Rice
2 October 1971 Southampton A 1–0 23,738 Simpson
9 October 1971 Newcastle United H 4–2 40,509 Armstrong, Graham, Kennedy, Kelly
16 October 1971 Chelsea A 2–1 52,338 Kennedy (2)
23 October 1971 Derby County A 1–2 36,480 Graham
30 October 1971 Ipswich Town H 2–1 39,065 George, (o.g.)
6 November 1971 Liverpool A 2–3 46,929 Kennedy, (o.g.)
13 November 1971 Manchester City H 1–2 47,443 Nelson
20 November 1971 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–5 28,851 Kennedy
24 November 1971 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–1 52,884 Kennedy
27 November 1971 Crystal Palace H 2–1 32,461 Radford, Kelly
4 December 1971 West Ham United A 0–0 35,155
11 December 1971 Coventry City H 2–0 28,597 Radford (2)
18 December 1971 West Bromwich Albion H 2–0 28,177 Roberts (2)
27 December 1971 Nottingham Forest A 1–1 42,750 Graham
1 January 1972 Everton H 1–1 47,031 Simpson
8 January 1972 Stoke City A 0–0 18,965
22 January 1972 Huddersfield Town H 1–0 36,670 Armstrong
29 January 1972 Sheffield United A 5–0 30,778 George (2), Graham, Kennedy, Simpson
12 February 1972 Derby County H 2–0 52,055 George (2; 1 pen.)
19 February 1972 Ipswich Town A 1–0 28,657 George
4 March 1972 Manchester City A 0–2 44,213
11 March 1972 Newcastle United A 0–2 33,907
25 March 1972 Leeds United A 0–3 45,055
28 March 1972 Southampton H 1–0 27,172 Marinello
1 April 1972 Nottingham Forest H 3–0 33,895 George (pen.), Kennedy, Graham
4 April 1972 Leicester City A 0–0 27,431
8 April 1972 Wolerhampton Wanderers H 2–1 38,189 Graham (2)
11 April 1972 Crystal Palace A 2–2 34,384 Ball, Radford
22 April 1972 West Ham United H 2–1 42,251 Ball (2)
25 April 1972 Manchester United H 3–0 49,125 Kennedy, Radford, Simpson
1 May 1972 Coventry City A 1–0 23,509 McLintock
8 May 1972 Liverpool H 0–0 39,289
11 May 1972 Tottenham Hotspur H 0–2 42,038

FA Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 15 January 1972 Swindon Town A 2–0 32,000 Armstrong, Ball
R4 5 February 1972 Reading A 2–1 25,756 Rice, (o.g.)
R5 26 February 1972 Derby County A 2–2 39,622 George (2)
R5 R 29 February 1972 Derby County H 0–0 63,077
R5 2R 13 March 1972 Derby County N 1–0 40,000 Kennedy
R6 18 March 1972 Orient A 1–0 31,768 Ball
SF 15 April 1972 Stoke City N 1–1 56,576 Armstrong
SF R 19 April 1972 Stoke City N 2–1 38,970 George, Radford
F 6 May 1972 Leeds United N 0–1 100,000

League Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 8 September 1971 Barnsley H 1–0 27,294 Kennedy
R3 6 October 1971 Newcastle United H 4–0 34,071 Graham, Kennedy, Radford (2)
R4 26 October 1971 Sheffield United H 0–0 44,061
R4 R 8 November 1971 Sheffield United A 0–2 35,461

European Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 L1 15 September 1971 Norway Strømsgodset A 3–1 23,000 Marinello, Simpson, Kelly
R2 L2 29 September 1971 Norway Strømsgodset H 4–0 27,176 Armstrong, Kennedy, Radford (2)
R3 20 October 1971 Switzerland Grasshopper A 2–0 23,000 Graham, Kennedy
R3 3 November 1971 Switzerland Grasshopper H 3–0 31,105 George, Kennedy, Radford
R4 8 March 1972 Netherlands Ajax A 1–2 63,000 Kennedy
R4 R 22 March 1972 Netherlands Ajax H 0–1 56,155

Squad

[1] 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 Scotland SCO Bob Wilson
- GK England ENG Geoff Barnett
- DF Northern Ireland NIR Pat Rice
- DF Scotland SCO Frank McLintock
- DF England ENG Peter Simpson
- DF England ENG Bob McNab
- DF Northern Ireland NIR Sammy Nelson
- DF Wales WAL John Roberts
- DF England ENG Brendon Batson
- MF England ENG George Armstrong
- MF Scotland SCO George Graham
No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF England ENG Peter Storey
- MF England ENG Alan Ball
- MF Scotland SCO Eddie Kelly
- FW Wales WAL Paul Davies
- FW England ENG Ray Kennedy
- FW England ENG John Radford
- FW England ENG Charlie George
- FW Scotland SCO Peter Marinello

References

  1. ^ Mason, Peter (24 December 2015). "Don Howe obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1996). Arsenal: Official History. London: Hamlyn. pp. 175–181. ISBN 0600588262.
  3. ^ a b c d Attwood, Tony (19 November 2015). "Arsenal in the 70s, part 5. After the double, double doubts". The History of Arsenal. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b Attwood, Tony (24 November 2015). "Arsenal in the 70s part 6. The winter of blossoming hope. Nov 71 to Jan 72". The History of Arsenal. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Attwood, Tony (28 November 2015). "Arsenal in the 70s, part 7: The remains of 1971/2, revival and defeat". The History of Arsenal. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Arsenal results for the 1971-1972 season – Statto.com". Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
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