1983–84 in English football

The 1983-84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.

Overview

First Division

Liverpool had a great 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.

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.

Second Division

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.

A terrible season saw Cambridge United finish bottom of the Second Division and go down 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.

Third Division

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 dismal league form by reaching the FA Cup semi finals for the first time in their history.

Fourth Division

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 welcome piece of good news 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.

FA Cup

Everton overcame Watford 2-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup, with goals from Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray.

League Cup

Liverpool won their fourth successive League Cup, with a 1-0 win over neighbours Everton in a replay.

European football

Liverpool also won the European Cup, to complete a unique treble of trophies. Keith Burkinshaw resigned after seven years as Tottenham Hotspur manager, and went out on a high after his side won the UEFA Cup.

Star Players

*Luton Town's promising young striker Paul Walsh was voted PFA Young Player of the Year, and would soon join Liverpool to team up with Ian Rush - who had been voted Player of the Year by both the PFA and FWA.
*Also hitting the headlines were Watford striker Luther Blissett, Manchester United midfielder Bryan Robson and Everton midfielder Peter Reid.
*Retiring striker Kevin Keegan ended his playing career on a high as he helped Newcastle United gain promotion to the First Division.

Star Managers

*Joe Fagan became the first manager to lead an English club to three major trophies in the same season as he ended his first season as Liverpool manager as league champions, League Cup winners and European Cup winners.
*Howard Kendall won his first major trophy as Everton manager in shape of the FA Cup.
*Lawrie McMenemy guided Southampton to their highest-ever league finish - runners-up in the First Division.
*Arthur Cox helped Newcastle United return to the First Division before suddenly quitting and moving to fallen giants Derby County in hope of reversing their sharp decline.
*Howard Wilkinson brought First Division football back to Sheffield Wednesday just a few seasons after they had narrowly avoided relegation to the Fourth Division.
*John Neal guided Chelsea to the Second Division championship with a new-look side, having helped the club narrowly avoid relegation to the Third Division a year earlier.
*Jim Smith took Oxford United to title glory in the Third Division.
*Dennis Smith took York City to the Fourth Division championship.
*Dave Bassett took Wimbledon into the Second Division in only their seventh season as a Football League club.

Honours

Third Division

Fourth Division

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

National team

The England national football team had failed to qualify for Euro 84 but the FA kept faith in manager Bobby Robson. England also performed badly at the 1984 British Home Championship, coming joint second with Wales behind Northern Ireland but only scoring two goals in the process. However, a tour to South America during June instigated to replace the European Championship for the England team was more successful, with a notable victory over Brazil in the Maracana Stadium.

American tour

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date = June 10, 1984
team1 = fb-rt|BRA
score = 0–2
team2 = fb|ENG
goals1 =
goals2 = John Barnes, Mark Hateley
stadium = Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro----footballbox
date = June 13, 1984
team1 = fb-rt|URU
score = 2–0
team2 = fb|ENG
goals1 = Luis Acosta (P), Wilmar Cabrera
goals2 =
stadium = Centenario Stadium, Montevideo----footballbox
date = June 17, 1984
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stadium = Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago