The 1972–73 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 70th season in the Football League and their 39th season in the First Division, to which they were promoted as Second Division runners-up in 1971–72. After spending much of the season in the lower reaches of the table, eight wins and a draw from the last ten matches brought them up to tenth position in the 22-team division. They entered the 1972–73 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost in that round to Swindon Town, and entered the League Cup in the second round, eliminated in the fourth by Blackpool.

Twenty-seven players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competitions, and there were fourteen different goalscorers. Centre-forward Bob Latchford played in all but one of the 48 first-team matches over the season, and finished as the leading goalscorer with 20 goals, of which 19 came in league competition. The home attendance in First Division matches never fell below 30,000.

Football League First Division

DateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance12 August 197215thSheffield UnitedHL1–2R. Latchford37,39015 August 19729thNewcastle UnitedHW3–2McFaul og, Hope, R. Latchford35,83119 August 197213thIpswich TownAL0–217,77523 August 197219thTottenham HotspurAL0–230,79826 August 197218thCrystal PalaceHD1–1Francis31,06630 August 197216thWest Bromwich AlbionAD2–2Hatton, R. Latchford37,1082 September 197219thWolverhampton WanderersAL2–3Hope, Burns32,5399 September 197215thManchester CityHW4–1R. Latchford 3, Campbell32,98316 September 197218thDerby CountyAL0–133,75323 September 197215thEvertonHW2–1R. Latchford, Francis37,13326 September 197215thArsenalAL0–230,00330 September 197216thWest Ham UnitedAL0–226,4827 October 197217thChelseaHD2–2Hope, R. Latchford38,75614 October 197219thManchester UnitedAL0–152,10421 October 197218thSouthamptonHD1–1Roberts30,75728 October 197219thCoventry CityAD0–035,3044 November 197219thTottenham HotspurHD0–038,50411 November 197221stNewcastle UnitedAL0–326,04218 November 197217thStoke CityAW2–1R. Latchford 223,04025 November 197216thNorwich CityHW4–1Pendrey, Hope, Want, Hatton32,8902 December 197216thLiverpoolAL3–4Taylor, Hope, R. Latchford45,4079 December 197216thLeicester CityHD1–1Calderwood32,48116 December 197217thLeeds UnitedAL0–425,27523 December 197219thArsenalHD1–1Bowker32,72126 December 197218thEvertonAD1–1R. Latchford39,36330 December 197219thIpswich TownHL1–2Hatton32,70527 January 197321stManchester CityAL0–131,87710 February 197320thDerby CountyHW2–0R. Latchford, Francis38,09617 February 197318thSheffield UnitedAW1–0Francis22,22027 February 197319thWolverhampton WanderersHL0–143,7593 March 197318thChelseaAD0–026,2596 March 197316thCrystal PalaceAD0–026,01410 March 197315thManchester UnitedHW3–1R. Latchford, Hatton, Campbell pen51,27817 March 197317thSouthamptonAL0–214,61224 March 197317thCoventry CityHW3–0Hatton, R. Latchford, Taylor34,77531 March 197315thNorwich CityAW2–1R. Latchford 223,8997 April 197316thLiverpoolHW2–1R. Latchford, Hatton48,11414 April 197312thLeicester CityAW1–0Campbell27,65221 April 197311thStoke CityHW3–1Page, Francis, Hatton32,51323 April 197311thWest Ham UnitedHD0–036,94228 April 197311thWest Bromwich AlbionHW3–2R. Latchford, Hynd, Burns36,78430 April 197310thLeeds UnitedHW2–1Francis, Burns34,449

League table (part) +Final First Division table (part)PosClubPldWDLFAGAPts8thTottenham Hotspur4216131358481.21459thNewcastle United4216131360511.184510thBirmingham City4215121553540.984211thManchester City4215111657600.954112thChelsea4213141549510.9640Key Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played;W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceThird round13 January 1973Swindon TownAL0–217,373

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceSecond round5 September 1972Luton TownHD1–1R. Latchford20,962Second round replay13 September 1972Luton TownAD1–1Campbell13,806Second round 2nd replay19 September 1972Luton TownCounty Ground,NorthamptonW1–0Francis11,451Third round3 October 1972Coventry CityHW2–1Francis, Barry og27,803Fourth round31 October 1972BlackpoolAL0–213,332

Appearances and goals

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute. :Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

+ Players' appearances and goals by competitionNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGK Paul Cooper30001040GK Mike Kelly70000070GK Dave Latchford3201040370DF Keith Bowker51000051DF Tommy Carroll1100030140DF Stan Harland1811030220DF Dave Howitt20001030DF Roger Hynd4011040451DF Ray Martin2300010240DF Garry Pendrey39 (1)1105045 (1)1DF John Roberts2110000211DF Dave Robinson00001010DF Tony Want2011020231DF Alan Whitehead10000010MF Kenny Burns9 (5)3003 (2)012 (7)3MF Jimmy Calderwood51000051MF Alan Campbell29 (3)3004133 (3)4MF Paul Hendrie0 (1)000000 (1)0MF Bobby Hope24 (1)5104029 (1)5MF Malcolm Page26 (1)1103030 (1)1MF George Smith50001060MF Gordon Taylor34 (2)2102 (1)037 (3)2FW Trevor Francis3161052378FW Bob Hatton31 (1)70 (1)03034 (2)7FW Bob Latchford421910514720FW Steve Phillips30000030FW Phil Summerill1 (1)000102 (1)0

See also Birmingham City F.C. seasons

References General

Source for match dates and results: Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 380–381. Specific