Opinion and history from a Liverpool supporter.
Liverpool · Season reference
A historical reference entry. Original long-form writing appears in Articles.
Liverpool won the First Division and the UEFA Cup, securing their first league title since 1966 and their first European trophy. A goalless draw with Leicester City at Anfield on 28 April clinched the championship; they finished with 60 points, three ahead of Arsenal.
Kevin Keegan was the leading scorer with 22 goals in all competitions. He and John Toshack each scored 13 in the league, while summer signing Peter Cormack contributed ten goals across the campaign after joining from Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool reached the UEFA Cup final by beating Tottenham Hotspur on away goals. Against Borussia Mönchengladbach, two goals from Keegan and one from Larry Lloyd gave them a 3–0 first-leg win at Anfield on 10 May. A 2–0 defeat in the return on 23 May left Liverpool 3–2 winners on aggregate and completed the league and European double.
Explore 13 published reports from 1972–73, in match order.
Brian Hall needed only three minutes to score Liverpool’s first league goal of 1972–73. Ian Callaghan supplied the second near the end, as a season that would bring the championship began with a 2–0 win against Manchester City.
Liverpool scored three times in five minutes against Sheffield United, turning a goalless match into a commanding lead. Two further goals after half-time completed a 5–0 win which put them top of the First Division.
Liverpool came from behind at Elland Road to remain top of the First Division. Phil Boersma supplied the winning goal, having already helped create the equaliser.
Peter Cormack supplied the late winner in his first Merseyside derby, keeping Liverpool top of the First Division and continuing his productive introduction to Anfield.
Liverpool recovered from defeat at Old Trafford with a five-goal victory over Newcastle. John Toshack made it 3–1, but a reply from Malcolm Macdonald and a missed Liverpool penalty kept the contest open.
Birmingham led 2–0 and 3–1 at Anfield, but Liverpool recovered to win. Alec Lindsay scored twice before John Toshack completed the comeback with thirteen minutes remaining.
Phil Boersma scored inside the opening minute, but Dynamo Berlin’s equaliser briefly put Liverpool behind on away goals. Steve Heighway and John Toshack secured passage to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
Emlyn Hughes scored twice late in the game at Goodison Park, completing a league double over Everton and keeping Liverpool ahead in a closely contested championship race.
Alec Lindsay's early goal beat the UEFA Cup holders at Anfield, leaving Liverpool with a narrow advantage to defend at White Hart Lane.
Second-half goals from Peter Cormack and Kevin Keegan ended Leeds United's title hopes and left Liverpool needing one more point to be certain of the championship.
Martin Peters scored twice for Tottenham, but Steve Heighway's reply sent Liverpool into the UEFA Cup final on away goals after a 2–2 aggregate draw.
After rain forced the first attempt to be abandoned, John Toshack returned to the team and helped Kevin Keegan score twice. Larry Lloyd's header and Ray Clemence's penalty save gave Liverpool a commanding first-leg advantage.
Two first-half goals from Jupp Heynckes brought Borussia Mönchengladbach close to overturning Liverpool's lead. A goalless second half secured a 3–2 aggregate victory and the club's first European trophy.
Significant senior moves. Fees are included only where established reliably; summer arrivals are grouped with the campaign they joined.
Joined in July 1972.
Joined in July 1972 and made ten competitive appearances during the season.
Left in June 1972.
A 0–0 draw with Leicester City at Anfield secured the First Division championship.
Keegan scored twice and Lloyd once as Liverpool beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3–0 in the completed first leg at Anfield.
Despite losing the return leg 2–0, Liverpool won the final 3–2 on aggregate to claim their first European trophy.
Researched and checked 13 September 2026. These sources support this season’s statistics, transfers and historical account. Key players are an editorial selection.
Keegan scored 22 in all competitions. His league tally was 13, shared with Toshack; those are distinct categories.
The final was won 3–2 on aggregate, not 5–0 as one Liverpool anniversary article states. UEFA, RSSSF and the two match records resolve the discrepancy. The original first leg on 9 May was abandoned; the completed match was on 10 May.
Jimmy Case’s May 1973 recruitment is recorded with the incoming 1973–74 campaign, not among this season’s first-team contributors.
Peter Spiring is not copied from the 1973–74 transfer ledger into that season: the date printed there is March 1973. He is omitted from these selected senior moves rather than given an incorrect arrival season.