1983–84 Football League

The Football League
Season 1983–84
Champions Liverpool

The 198384 season was the 85th completed season of the English Football League.

Liverpool had a successful first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history. They overcame strong competition from Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United to lift the championship trophy. Liverpool had an extremely strong season, as they also won the European Cup and the League Cup.

Southampton finished second in the league to record their highest-ever final position and achieve a UEFA Cup place, claiming six points from the last two games (both away) to climb up from fifth place.

The First Division relegation places were occupied by Birmingham City, Notts County and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The £1 rescue deal of Chelsea by chairman Ken Bates paid off as they won the Second Division title and were promoted to the First Division along with Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle United.

Cambridge United finished bottom of the Second Division and were relegated to the Third Division. They were joined by two clubs who had been enjoying better fortunes only a short time ago — Swansea City, who had finished sixth in the First Division just two years earlier, and Derby County, who had been league champions just nine years earlier. Derby's Peter Taylor retired as manager and his surprise successor was Arthur Cox, who had just taken Newcastle into the First Division.

Dave Bassett agreed to take charge of Crystal Palace at the end of the season, but changed his mind three days later — without signing the contract — and returned to Wimbledon. Palace installed former Manchester United winger Steve Coppell, 29, as their new manager.

Oxford United, Wimbledon and Sheffield United continued their rise through the league by gaining promotion to the Second Division.

Scunthorpe United, Southend United, Port Vale and Exeter City slipped out of the Third Division.

Narrowly avoiding the Third Division drop zone were Plymouth Argyle, who compensated for their league form by reaching the FA Cup semi finals for the first time in their history.

York City, Doncaster Rovers, Reading and Bristol City occupied the Fourth Division promotion places. York City became the first team in English league football to gain more than 100 points in a season, with 101. It was Bristol City's first successful season for a long time and a reversal of fortune after their recent fall from the First to Fourth Division in successive seasons.

The re-election system voted in favour of the bottom four clubs in the Fourth Division once again.

Final league tables and results

The tables and results below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[1] with home and away statistics separated.

During the first five seasons of the league, that is, until the season 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league. From the 1922–23 season on it was required of the bottom two teams of both Third Division North and Third Division South. Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the re-election process has concerned the bottom four clubs in that division.[2]

First Division

Football League, First Division
Season 1983–84
Champions Liverpool (15th English title)
Relegated Birmingham City
Notts County
Wolverhampton Wanderers
European Cup 1984–85 Liverpool
European Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85 Everton
UEFA Cup 1984–85 Manchester United
Nottingham Forest
Queens Park Rangers
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1,250 (2.71 per match)
Top goalscorer Ian Rush (Liverpool),32[3]
Biggest home win SouthamptonCoventry City 8–2 (28 Apr 1984)
Biggest away win Aston VillaArsenal 2–6 (29 Oct 1983)
Highest scoring SouthamptonCoventry City 8–2 (28 Apr 1984)
Longest winning run QPR (6 games)
Longest unbeaten run Manchester United (16 games)
Longest losing run Ipswich Town
Notts County (7 games)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Liverpool 421452501289423207332+4180 European Cup 1984–85 First round [notes 1]
2Southampton421542441777722216638+2877 UEFA Cup 1984–85 First round
3Nottingham Forest421443471784929287645+3174 UEFA Cup 1984–85 First round
4Manchester United4214344318611428237141+3074 UEFA Cup 1984–85 First round
5Queens Park Rangers4214433712831030256737+3073 UEFA Cup 1984–85 First round
6Arsenal421056412984933317460+1463
7Everton42993211275923304442+262 European Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85 First round
8Tottenham Hotspur421146312466933416465–161 UEFA Cup 1984–85 First round [notes 2]
9West Ham United421047392475921316055+560
10Aston Villa4214343422361225395961–260
11Watford429753631721232466877–957
12Ipswich Town4211463423441321345557–253
13Sunderland428942618541216354253–1152
14Norwich City429843420371114294849–151
15Leicester City4211554030271225386568–351
16Luton Town427593033741023335366–1351
17West Bromwich Albion4210473025451218374862–1451
18Stoke City4211463023271214404463–1950
19Coventry City428583333561024445777–2050
20Birmingham City427771918551120323950–1148
21Notts County426783136441319365072–2241
22Wolverhampton Wanderers424891528231612522780–5329
  • Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  1. Liverpool won the European Cup this year for the fourth time in less than a decade, and thus qualified for the following season's competition as defending champions.
    They also won the League cup this year, in a rematch against Everton.
  2. Tottenham qualified for the 1984–85 UEFA Cup as winners of the 1983–84 UEFA Cup.
Key
League Champions, qualified for European Cup
FA Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Qualified for UEFA Cup
League Cup Winners, see Liverpool
Relegated

First Division results

Home \ Away[1] ARS AST BIRCOVEVEIPSLEILIVLUTMUNNWCNOTNTCQPRSOUSTKSUNTOTWATWBAWHUWOL
Arsenal 11 11 01 21 41 21 02 21 23 30 41 11 02 22 31 12 32 31 01 33 41
Aston Villa 26 10 20 02 40 31 13 00 03 10 10 31 21 10 11 10 00 21 43 10 40
Birmingham City 11 21 12 02 10 21 00 11 22 01 12 00 02 00 10 01 01 20 21 30 00
Coventry City 14 33 01 11 12 21 40 22 11 21 21 21 10 00 23 21 24 12 12 12 21
Everton 00 11 11 00 10 11 11 01 11 02 10 41 31 10 10 00 21 10 00 01 20
Ipswich Town 10 21 12 31 30 00 11 30 02 20 22 10 02 03 50 10 31 00 34 03 31
Leicester City 30 20 23 11 20 20 33 03 11 21 21 04 21 21 22 02 03 41 11 41 51
Liverpool 21 21 10 50 30 22 22 60 11 11 10 50 20 11 10 01 31 30 30 60 01
Luton Town 12 10 11 24 03 21 00 00 05 22 23 32 00 31 01 41 24 12 20 01 40
Manchester United 40 12 10 41 01 12 20 10 20 00 12 33 31 32 10 21 42 41 30 00 30
Norwich City 11 31 11 00 11 00 31 01 00 33 23 01 03 10 22 30 21 61 20 10 30
Nottingham Forest 01 22 51 30 10 21 32 01 10 20 30 31 32 01 00 11 22 51 31 30 50
Notts County 04 52 21 21 01 02 25 00 03 10 11 00 03 13 11 61 00 35 11 22 40
Queens Park Rangers 20 21 21 21 20 10 20 01 01 11 20 01 10 40 60 30 21 11 11 11 21
Southampton 10 22 21 82 31 32 22 20 21 30 21 01 02 00 31 11 50 10 10 20 10
Stoke City 10 10 21 13 11 10 01 20 24 01 20 11 10 12 11 21 11 04 31 31 40
Sunderland 22 01 21 10 21 11 11 00 20 01 11 11 00 10 02 22 11 30 30 01 32
Tottenham Hotspur 24 21 01 11 12 20 32 22 21 11 20 21 10 32 00 10 30 23 01 02 10
Watford 21 32 10 23 44 22 33 02 12 00 13 32 31 10 11 20 21 23 31 00 00
West Bromwich Albion 13 31 12 11 11 21 10 12 30 20 00 05 20 12 02 30 31 11 20 10 13
West Ham United 31 01 40 52 01 21 31 13 31 11 00 12 30 22 01 30 01 41 24 10 11
Wolverhampton Wanderers 12 11 11 00 30 03 10 11 12 11 20 10 01 04 01 00 00 23 05 00 03

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

First Division maps

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1983–1984

Second Division

Football League, Second Division
Season 1983–84
Champions Chelsea (1st title)
Promoted Newcastle United,
Sheffield Wednesday
Relegated Cambridge United,
Derby County,
Swansea City
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1,233 (2.67 per match)
Top goalscorer Kerry Dixon (Chelsea), 28[3]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Chelsea 4215425517109235239040+5088
2Sheffield Wednesday4216414716106525187234+3888
3Newcastle United421623511886734358553+3280
4Manchester City421335432177723276648+1870
5Grimsby Town421362361567824326047+1370
6Blackburn Rovers429111351985822275746+1167
7Carlisle United421092291367819284841+764
8Shrewsbury Town4213533418451215354953–461[notes2 1]
9Brighton & Hove Albion4211644217631227436960+960
10Leeds United4213443316381022405556–160
11Fulham42966352466925296053+757
12Huddersfield Town42867272069629295649+757
13Charlton Athletic4213444026351313385364–1157
14Barnsley429663323611424305753+452
15Cardiff City4211373227431421395366–1351
16Portsmouth4283104632641127327364+949
17Middlesbrough429842618351315294147–649
18Crystal Palace428581818461124344252–1047
19Oldham Athletic4210653327321614464773–2647
20Derby County429572626241510463672–3642
21Swansea City4274102028041716573685–4929
22Cambridge United424710203305168442877–4924
  • Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  1. Shrewsbury Town were winners of the Welsh Cup winners this season, but as they are an English club, they did not earn a place in the Cup Winners' Cup.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Welsh Cup winners, not qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Relegated

Second Division results

Home \ Away[1] BAR BLB B&HACAMCARCRLCHACHECRYDERFULGRIHUDLEEMCIMIDNEWOLDPORSHWSHRSWA
Barnsley 00 31 20 23 21 20 00 11 51 30 31 22 02 11 02 11 01 03 01 30 32
Blackburn Rovers 11 22 10 11 41 11 00 21 51 01 11 22 11 21 10 11 31 21 00 11 41
Brighton & Hove Albion 10 11 30 31 11 70 12 31 10 11 20 31 30 11 30 01 40 01 13 22 11
Cambridge United 03 20 34 02 02 22 01 13 01 11 22 03 22 00 00 10 21 13 12 10 11
Cardiff City 03 01 22 50 20 21 33 02 10 04 31 31 01 21 21 02 20 00 02 20 32
Carlisle United 42 01 12 00 11 30 00 22 21 20 11 00 10 20 11 31 20 00 11 10 20
Charlton Athletic 32 20 20 52 20 10 11 10 10 34 33 12 20 10 20 13 21 21 11 24 22
Chelsea 31 21 10 21 20 00 32 22 50 40 23 31 50 01 00 40 30 22 32 30 61
Crystal Palace 01 02 02 11 10 12 20 01 01 11 01 00 00 02 10 31 21 21 10 11 20
Derby County 02 11 03 10 23 14 01 12 30 10 12 11 11 10 10 32 22 20 11 10 21
Fulham 10 01 31 10 02 00 01 35 11 22 11 02 21 51 21 22 30 02 11 30 50
Grimsby Town 10 32 50 00 10 11 21 01 20 21 21 21 20 11 00 11 30 34 10 11 30
Huddersfield Town 01 02 01 30 40 00 00 23 21 30 20 00 22 13 22 22 01 21 01 10 10
Leeds United 12 10 32 31 10 30 10 11 11 00 10 21 12 12 41 01 20 21 11 30 10
Manchester City 32 60 40 50 21 31 01 02 31 11 00 21 23 11 21 12 20 21 12 10 21
Middlesbrough 21 12 00 11 20 01 10 21 13 00 02 11 00 22 00 32 32 00 20 40 10
Newcastle United 10 11 31 21 31 51 21 11 31 40 32 01 52 10 50 31 30 42 01 01 20
Oldham Athletic 10 00 10 00 21 23 00 11 32 30 30 21 03 32 22 21 12 32 13 01 33
Portsmouth 21 24 51 50 11 01 40 22 01 30 14 40 11 23 12 01 14 34 01 41 50
Sheffield Wednesday 20 42 21 10 52 20 41 21 10 31 11 10 00 31 00 02 42 30 20 11 61
Shrewsbury Town 32 10 21 10 10 00 11 24 11 30 00 12 10 51 13 10 22 20 20 21 20
Swansea City 10 01 13 21 32 00 10 13 10 20 03 01 22 22 02 21 12 00 12 01 02

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second Division maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1983–1984

Third Division

Football League, Third Division
Season 1983–84
Champions Oxford United (2nd title)
Promoted Sheffield United,
Wimbledon
Relegated Exeter City,
Port Vale,
Scunthorpe United,
Southend United
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,586 (2.87 per match)
Top goalscorer Keith Edwards (Sheffield United), 33[3]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1 Oxford United 4617515822116633289150+4195
2Wimbledon4615535835114839419776+2187
3Sheffield United4614725618104930358653+3383
4Hull City461652421179729277138+3383
5Bristol Rovers461652472168921336854+1479
6Walsall4614454422851024396861+775
7Bradford City4611934630921227357365+871
8Gillingham4613465029761024407469+570
9Millwall4616434218291229477165+667
10Bolton Wanderers4613463617561220435660–464
11Orient4613554027541431547181–1063
12Burnley4612565225491024367661+1562
13Newport County4611933527551323485875–1762
14Lincoln City4611484229661117335962–361
15Wigan Athletic4611572618581020384656–1061
16Preston North End4612564227361424396666056
17Bournemouth4611573827521625466373–1055
18Rotherham United4610582917541428475764–754
19Plymouth Argyle4611843817241718455662–651
20Brentford468964130371328496979–1049
21Scunthorpe United4699540310101314425473–1946
22Southend United468963424251621525576–2144
23Port Vale4610493329161618545183–3243
24Exeter City4648112739271423455084–3433
  • Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Relegated

Third Division maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1983–1984

Fourth Division

Football League, Fourth Division
Season 1983–84
Champions York City (1st title)
Promoted Bristol City,
Doncaster Rovers,
Reading
Failed re-election None
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,505 (2.73 per match)
Top goalscorer Trevor Senior (Reading), 36[3]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 York City 4618415816134638239639+57101
2Doncaster Rovers461562462297736328254+2885
3Reading4617605114510833428456+2882
4Bristol City4618325117671019277044+2682
5Aldershot4614634929831227407669+775
6Blackpool4615444719651223337052+1872
7Peterborough United4615535216391120327248+2468
8Colchester United4614724514391124396953+1667
9Torquay United4613733218561227465964–567
10Tranmere Rovers4611573326610720275353066
11Hereford United461166312159923325453+163
12Stockport County4612563425561226396064–462
13Chesterfield46101123424541425375961–260
14Darlington4613463119441518314950–159
15Bury469773432671027326164–359
16Crewe Alexandra4610853527631421405667–1159
17Swindon Town4611753423461324335856+258
18Northampton Town4610853232361421465378–2553
19Mansfield Town469774427461322436670–452
20Wrexham4676103433491025415974–1548 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85
First round
[notes3 1]
21Halifax Town4611663625161619645589–3448
22Rochdale468963531341617495280–2846
23Hartlepool United467883128321816574785–3840
24Chester City4675112335081522474582–3734
  • Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  1. Wrexham lost this year’s Welsh Cup final to Shrewsbury Town, but as the latter are an English side, Wrexham went on to represent Wales in the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
New club in the league (none)
Re-elected
Failed re-election (none)

Fourth Division maps

Election/Re-election to the Football League

As champions of the Alliance Premier League, Maidstone United (1897) won for the second time the right to apply for election to the Football League, to replace one of the four bottom teams in the 1983–84 Football League Fourth Division. The vote went as follows:

Club Final Position Votes
Chester City24th (Fourth Division)52
Halifax Town21st (Fourth Division)52
Rochdale22nd (Fourth Division)50
Hartlepool United23rd (Fourth Division)32
Maidstone United (1897)1st (Alliance Premier League)22

Hence, all four Football League teams were re-elected, and Maidstone United were again denied membership of the League.

See also

References

  1. "England 1983–84". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  • Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
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