1971–72 in English football

The 1971-72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.

Overview

First Division

Brian Clough, 37, won the first major trophy of his managerial career by guiding Derby County to their first ever league championship. They overcame Leeds United to win a four-horse race also contested with Liverpool and Manchester City. There were later bribery allegations from The Sun newspaper regarding Leeds manager Don Revie and Leeds' final opponents Wolverhampton Wanderers. The footballing authorities never investigated these allegations to decide whether they were true or not.

Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town lost their First Division status. By the end of the decade, Forest had made an explosive comeback to the top flight. 1971-72 was Huddersfield's last season in the top flight to date, and within a few seasons they would be in the Fourth Division - most of their existence since 1972 has been spent in the league's lower two divisions.

Second Division

Norwich City and Birmingham City were promoted. This marked the first time that Norwich City reached the top flight in their history, less than 70 years after the club was founded. Charlton Athletic and Watford were relegated.

Third Division

Aston Villa ended their two-year spell in the Third Division by gaining promotion as champions, and by the end of the decade would be firmly re-established as a First Division club. Brighton & Hove Albion followed Villa into the Second Division, but would not reach the heady heights that the midlanders would experience. Mansfield Town, Barnsley, Torquay United and Bradford City were relegated.

Fourth Division

Grimsby Town, Southend United, Brentford and Scunthorpe United were promoted. Barrow were voted out of the Football League and replaced by Hereford United, who a short time earlier had achieved a shock FA Cup victory over Newcastle United.

Ernie Tagg sacked himself as manager of Crewe Alexandra because he felt that a younger manager should take charge of the club.

FA Cup

Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the FA Cup. Allan Clarke got the solitary goal.

Birmingham City beat Stoke City 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at The Hawthorns in a third-place playoff, held "three months" after the final.

League Cup

Stoke City won the League Cup to claim the only major trophy in their history so far.

Star players

*Stoke City goalkeeper Gordon Banks added the FWA Player of the Year Award to his League Cup winners medal.
*Norman Hunter and Billy Bremner helped Leeds win the FA Cup.
*Roy McFarland and Colin Todd helped Derby win the league championship.

Star managers

*Brian Clough guided Derby to their first-ever league championship triumph.
*Don Revie helped Leeds lift the FA Cup for the first time.
*Tony Waddington ended Stoke City's trophyless history by winning the League Cup.

National team

England were eliminated from Euro 72 in the quarter finals after losing 3-1 on aggregate over two legs (1-3 at Wembley and 0-0 in West Berlin) to West Germany, who went on to win the tournament.

Honours

Third Division

Fourth Division

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