The current contractual agreement meant that Match of the Day had to lead with a Division Two fixture, and twice with a match from Division Three.
Episode 1
29th July 1972
July 29, 1972
Match of the Day kicks off with the first of football's 1972/73 action highlights - from two of today's first-round ties in the Watney Cup Competition. Eight of the leading goal-scoring teams from the four divisions of the Football League - Sheffield United, Wolves, Blackpool, Burnley, Bristol Rovers, Notts County, Peterborough, Lincoln - are taking part in this knock-out competition.
Episode 2
5th August 1972
August 5, 1972
Match of the Day features The Watney Cup Final. Bristol Rovers v Sheffield United, Action highlights from the final of the Watney Cup tournament - the attractive pre-season event between the highest-scoring soccer clubs in all four divisions of the Football League.
Episode 3
12th August 1972
August 12, 1972
League Soccer Begins: Match of the Day features action from two outstanding First Division matches on the first Saturday of the 1972-73 Football League season. Leicester City v Arsenal, Liverpool v Manchester City. Analysis, interviews and news with the best goals counting for the highly popular Goal of the Month competition.
Episode 4
19th August 1972
August 19, 1972
Match of the Day features two-match First Division action and the news and views from the second Saturday of the new Football League season. Sheffield United v Newcastle United, Derby County v Chelsea.
Episode 5
26th August 1972
August 26, 1972
Match of the Day featuring two of the day's outstanding fixtures from the First Division of the Football League and 'Goal of the Month': The return of television's most popular soccer competition in which you are invited to pick the three best goals from Match of the Day's August coverage. Norwich City v Derby County, Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United.
Episode 6
2nd September 1972
September 2, 1972
Two-match action from today's Football League programme and the top three goals from the August 'Goal of the Month' competition. Blackpool v Millwall, Arsenal v Chelsea.
Episode 7
9th September 1972
September 9, 1972
Leicester City v Everton, Manchester United v Coventry City
Episode 8
16th September 1972
September 16, 1972
Match of the Day features action from two First Division matches and the news-views from another Saturday in the Football League season. Goals, action replay and professional comment. Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich Town v Stoke City.
Episode 9
23rd September 1972
September 23, 1972
Barry Davies introduces action, analysis, news and views from the Saturday Football League programme. Newcastle United v Leeds United, Watford v Notts County.
Episode 10
30th September 1972
September 30, 1972
Two-match action and the £100 'Goal of the Month' competition. Luton Town v Burnley, Derby County v Tottenham Hotspur. Barry Davies introduces the eye-catching goals scored during September with the opportunity to win £100-worth of Premium Bonds.
Episode 11
7th October 1972
October 7, 1972
News, views, analysis and the result of the September 'Goal of the Month' competition. Liverpool v Everton, Fulham v Aston Villa.
Episode 12
14th October 1972
October 14, 1972
Action, analysis, news and interviews from the Football League Saturday scene. Sheffield Wednesday v Burnley, Arsenal v Ipswich Town.
Episode 13
21st October 1972
October 21, 1972
Action from two First Division matches with the Saturday Football League news and views which matter. Leeds United v Coventry City, Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea.
Episode 14
28th October 1972
October 28, 1972
Match of the Day features top soccer action from the First Division and the October 'Goal of the Month' £100 competition. Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea v Newcastle United.
Episode 15
4th November 1972
November 4, 1972
Match of the Day features action highlights from two First Division matches and the £100 result of October's 'Goal of the Month' competition. Crystal Palace v Everton, Southampton v Norwich City.
Episode 16
11th November 1972
November 11, 1972
David Coleman introduces top soccer action from the Football League programme. Manchester United v Liverpool Aston Villa v Blackpool
Episode 17
18th November 1972
November 18, 1972
David Coleman introduces two-match action, analysis and the views which matter from the Football League Saturday. West Ham United v Derby County Wolverhampton Wanderers v Ipswich Town
Episode 18
25th November 1972
November 25, 1972
Action from two important First Division matches and one Second Division match. Plus the outstanding goals on show for November's 'Goal of the Month' competition. Leeds United v Manchester City West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City Cardiff City v Fulham
Episode 19
2nd December 1972
December 2, 1972
David Coleman introduces two-match action and the result of the November 'Goal of the Month' competition. Liverpool v Birmingham City Coventry City v Everton
Episode 20
9th December 1972
December 9, 1972
Action, analysis, news and views from the Football League Saturday programme. Derby County v Coventry City Luton Town v Queens Park Rangers
Episode 21
16th December 1972
December 16, 1972
Two-match First Division action and the news and views of the day. West Ham United v Stoke City Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea
Episode 22
23rd December 1972
December 23, 1972
Action and analysis from two First Division matches. Manchester United v Leeds United West Bromwich Albion v Ipswich Town Action, news and views from the Saturday Football League scene.
Episode 23
30th December 1972
December 30, 1972
Barry Davies introduces two-match action and the best goals of the month. Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Episode 24
6th January 1973
January 6, 1973
Barry Davies introduces action from two famous First Division grounds and the result of the December 'Goal of the Month.' Arsenal v Manchester United Derby County v Norwich City Action and analysis from the first Football League Saturday of 1973.
Episode 25
13th January 1973
January 13, 1973
Match of the Day featuring The FA Cup. Action highlights from three of today's outstanding FA Cup third round ties. Arsenal v Leicester City Norwich City v Leeds United Leyton Orient v Coventry City Analysis, news and interviews as 64 clubs set out on the Wembley Cup Final trail.
Episode 26
20th January 1973
January 20, 1973
David Coleman introduces soccer action from two First Division grounds plus analysis, news and interviews. Manchester United v West Ham United Norwich City v Leeds United
Episode 27
27th January 1973
January 27, 1973
Two matches from Divs 1 and 2. Introduced by David Coleman with the Goal of the Month competition. Queens Park Rangers v Burnley, Leeds United v Stoke City.
Episode 28
3rd February 1973
February 3, 1973
The FA Cup: Fourth Round. Newcastle United v Luton Town, Liverpool v Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday v Crystal Palace. David Coleman introduces Cup action, news and views with the winner of the January 'Goal of the Month' competition.
Episode 29
10th February 1973
February 10, 1973
David Coleman introduces action and analysis from two First Division matches. Liverpool v Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City.
Episode 30
17th February 1973
February 17, 1973
Introduced by David Coleman. Two-match action, analysis, news and views from the busy Saturday Football League scene. Bournemouth v Bolton Wanderers, Ipswich Town v Manchester United.
Episode 31
24th February 1973
February 24, 1973
FA Cup: Fifth Round. Action highlights from three of today's Fifth Round ties with commentators David Coleman , Barry Davies and John Motson. Carlisle United v Arsenal, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Millwall, Derby County v Queens Park Rangers. David Coleman introduces Cup action, analysis and news with the February parade of 'Goals of the Month'.
Episode 32
3rd March 1973
March 3, 1973
David Coleman introduces two-match action from the First Division and the result of February's Goal of the Month competition. Derby County v Leeds United, Everton v Liverpool.
Episode 33
10th March 1973
March 10, 1973
Introduced by David Coleman. Queens Park Rangers v Aston Villa, Birmingham City v Manchester United.
Episode 34
17th March 1973
March 17, 1973
Match of the Day featuring the FA Cup Quarter-finals. David Coleman and Barry Davies are the match commentators at two of FA Cup Sixth Round ties. Chelsea v Arsenal, Sunderland v Luton Town. David Coleman introduces action, news and views from the last eight teams in this year's FA Cup competition.
Episode 35
24th March 1973
March 24, 1973
Two-match action involving championship and relegation issues in the Football League. Bournemouth v Grimsby Town, West Bromwich Albion v Southampton.
Episode 36
31st March 1973
March 31, 1973
Two-match soccer action involving teams near the top of their Divisions in the Football League. Arsenal v Derby County, Nottingham Forest v Burnley, Goal of the Month. The monthly competition parade of the best goals seen on BBCtv during March. Worth £100 in premium bonds to the winner.
Episode 37
7th April 1973
April 7, 1973
FA Cup Semi-finals. Action highlights from one of today's semi-final ties in which Leeds, Wolves, Arsenal and Sunderland compete for the final place at Wembley Stadium on 5 May. Leeds United v Wolverhampton Wanderers. News, views, analysis from both semi-finals and the result of the March 'Goal of the Month' competition.
Episode 38
14th April 1973
April 14, 1973
Introduced by David Coleman. Action highlights from two matches involving championship issues. West Ham United v Leeds United, Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion, Action, analysis, news, interviews.
Episode 39
21st April 1973
April 21, 1973
David Coleman introduces two-match action, news and interviews from the end-of-the-season Football League scene. Newcastle United v Liverpool, Everton v Arsenal.
Episode 40
28th April 1973
April 28, 1973
David Coleman introduces action and analysis on the final Saturday of the 1972/73 Football League Season. Chelsea v Manchester United, Southampton v Leeds United. Goal of the Season: a parade of the best goals shown on BBC1 throughout the season and a chance to win £300-worth of Premium Bonds as first prize. The winner to be announced on next Saturday's Cup Final Grandstand.
Episode 41
5th May 1973
May 5, 1973
Cup Final Match of the Day. David Coleman introduces action, analysis, news and interviews about Wembley's 50th Cup Final from the Winners' Banquet Hotel in the heart of London's West End. The Leeds United v Sunderland Cup Final action is analysed by Brian Clough, Manager of Derby County, Bobby Charlton, England's most-capped international, saying farewell to soccer as a player this month, and Arsenal and Scotland goalkeeper Bob Wilson.
Episode 42
12th May 1973
May 12, 1973
International Match of the Day featuring. Northern Ireland v England from Goodison Park, Liverpool. Wales v Scotland from the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. David Coleman introduces two match action on the opening day of the 'Home International' week.
Episode 43
19th May 1973
May 19, 1973
International Match of the Day. Introduced by David Coleman featuring action from the two final matches in this week's Home International tournament. England v Scotland from Wembley Stadium. David Coleman is the commentator at this match, the oldest international fixture in the world.