1972–73 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1972–73 season was Stoke City's 66th season in the Football League and the 42nd in the First Division.
After the jubilation of last season's success the club was able to sign world cup winner Geoff Hurst which boosted season ticket sales. They also entered European competition for the first time losing 5–3 on aggregate to German side 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Stoke failed to build on last season and had to settle for a mid table position of 15th.

Season review

League

After winning the League Cup last season there was a number of notable departures during the early part of the season. They sold Mike Bernard to Everton for a record £140,000, with the money being spent on Jimmy Robertson from Ipswich Town and World Cup winner Geoff Hurst from West Ham United. Stoke now had an abundance of attacking talent but both Harry Burrows and Peter Dobing decided to retire during the season.
The arrival of Hurst certainly boosted season ticket sales and a record takings were banked before a ball was kicked prior to the start of the 1972–73 season. It proved that the public of Stoke-on-Trent were now right behind the team but despite high hopes and expectations, the "Potters" started the new campaign rather poorly and found themselves in the bottom six. Stoke's immediate plans were hit when on the Sunday morning of 22 October 1972 after visiting the Victoria Ground for treatment Gordon Banks crashed his car on the way home and effectively ended his career. Such was the scale of Banks' presence his condition was headline news. Realising that Banks was to be out of action for quite some time Waddington moved in for Scotland international Bobby Clark, but the deal fell through as he failed to impress the Stoke directors. Mike McDonald was signed instead from Clydebank as cover for John Farmer after it was learnt that Banks had lost an eye and would never play competitive football again.
George Eastham returned to the club in February after spending time doing coaching work in South Africa, he added his experience to the cause as he helped Stoke to recover and take 15th place. Three players reached double figures in the league scoring charts this term, Jimmy Greenhoff, John Ritchie and Geoff Hurst as Stoke scored 61 goals. They ended the season with a tour of Oceania.

FA Cup

In the FA Cup Stoke went out in the third round losing 3–2 to Manchester City at Maine Road.

League Cup

As holders of the League Cup, Stoke started off with high hopes of retaining the trophy and they began with good wins over Sunderland and Ipswich Town but a bad night at Notts County in the fourth round put paid to any hopes of a return to Wembley.

UEFA Cup

Their success in the 1972 Football League Cup Final, had placed them into a European competition for the first time, and they drew little known West German side 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the first round. A comfortable 3–1 home win was achieved in the first leg and two weeks later Waddington favoured a defensive team for the match at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion. The plan backed fired and Stoke were crushed 4–0 with John Ritchie being sent-off just seconds after being brought on as a substitute without even touching the ball.

Final league table

Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Football League First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
112 August 1972Crystal PalaceH2–022,564Smith 32', Ritchie 64'
215 August 1972SouthamptonA0–118,242
319 August 1972ArsenalA0–242,164
423 August 1972Sheffield UnitedH2–220,402Smith 55', Hurst 68'
526 August 1972EvertonH1–126,360Ritchie 12'
630 August 1972Norwich CityA0–230,069
72 September 1972Coventry CityA1–214,317Pejic 85'
89 September 1972Leeds UnitedH2–226,709Hurst 59', Conroy 80'
916 September 1972Ipswich TownA0–217,810
1023 September 1972Manchester CityH5–126,448Conroy 6', Greenhoff 13', 68', 82', Hurst 57'
1130 September 1972Wolverhampton WanderersA3–524,133Hurst 3', Greenhoff 24', Bloor 75'
127 October 1972Tottenham HotspurA3–431,951Ritchie 32', 51', Bloor 82'
1314 October 1972Newcastle UnitedH2–021,205Hurst 77', Robertson 90'
1421 October 1972LiverpoolA1–243,604Greenhoff 34'
1528 October 1972Leicester CityH1–024,421Hurst 9'
164 November 1972Sheffield UnitedA0–019,322
1711 November 1972SouthamptonH3–317,772Smith 5', Ritchie 45', Conroy 50'
1818 November 1972Birmingham CityH1–223,046Greenhoff 3'
1925 November 1972West Bromwich AlbionA1–213,316Hurst 38'
202 December 1972ChelseaH1–121,274Conroy 65'
219 December 1972Manchester UnitedA2–041,347Pejic 17', Ritchie 42'
2216 December 1972West Ham UnitedA2–323,269Hurst 8', Ritchie 89'
2323 December 1972Derby CountyH4–023,084Ritchie 10', 58', Hurst 30', Greenhoff 36'
2426 December 1972Manchester CityA1–136,334Mahoney 65'
2530 December 1972ArsenalH0–024,586
266 January 1973EvertonA0–226,818
2727 January 1973Leeds UnitedA0–133,487
2814 February 1973Derby CountyA3–022,106Mahoney 19', Robertson 44', Greenhoff 80'
2917 February 1973Crystal PalaceA2–332,099Greenhoff 56', Smith 68'
3024 February 1973West Ham UnitedH2–021,885Greenhoff 4', Robertson 15'
3110 March 1973Newcastle UnitedA0–123,570
3214 March 1973Tottenham HotspurH1–123,351Greenhoff 87'
3317 March 1973LiverpoolH0–133,540
3424 March 1973Leicester CityA0–218,473
3526 March 1973Coventry CityH2–120,218Ritchie 47', Haslegrave 64'
3631 March 1973West Bromwich AlbionH2–021,296Greenhoff 68', Hurst 70'
374 April 1973Ipswich TownH1–018,319Ritchie 13'
387 April 1973ChelseaA3–119,706Greenhoff 23', Ritchie 39', Haslegrave 78'
3914 April 1973Manchester UnitedH2–236,051Greenhoff 75', Ritchie 82'
4021 April 1973Birmingham CityA1–332,513Robertson 85'
4124 April 1973Wolverhampton WanderersH2–025,251Robertson 29', Greenhoff 87'
4228 April 1973Norwich CityH2–019,350Greenhoff 25', Ritchie 58'

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R313 January 1973Manchester CityA2–338,648Greenhoff 22', 55'

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R26 September 1972SunderlandH3–016,706Greenhoff 8', 70', Hurst 90'
R33 October 1972Ipswich TownA2–114,602Hurst 64', Ritchie 88'
R431 October 1972Notts CountyA1–320,297Bloor 80'

UEFA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1st Round 1st Leg13 September 19721. FC KaiserslauternH3–122,182Conroy 51', Hurst 72', Ritchie 85'
1st Round 2nd Leg27 September 19721. FC KaiserslauternA0–418,000

Friendlies

Squad statistics