1983-84 In English Football Article Index for
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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. It was still a successful season for Southampton, as runners-up spot was their highest finish of all time.

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.


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. 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 compensated for an average season in the league by overcoming Watford at Wembley to win the FA Cup .


LEAGUE CUP

Liverpool , who also won the league championship and European Cup , won their fourth successive League Cup to complete a unique treble of trophies.


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.


BIGGEST RISE

Chelsea returned to the First Division as Second Division champions, ending a two-year period of recovery from bankruptcy and the threat of Third Division football which they had been saved from by new chairman Ken Bates and new manager John Neal.


BIGGEST FALL

Derby County slipped into the Third Division just nine years after being crowned league champions.


SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

  • Liverpool, in their first season under the management of Joe Fagan, became the first English club to win three trophies in the same season after they were crowned league champions as well as lifting the European Cup and League Cup.

  • Howard Kendall won his first major trophy with Everton by guiding them to victory over Watford in the F.A Cup final.

  • England failed to qualify for the European Champions but the F.A kept faith in manager Bobby Robson. France went on to win the trophy.

  • Southampton finished second in the league to record their highest-ever final position.

  • Kevin Keegan hung up his boots at the age of 33 after helping Newcastle United win promotion back to the First Division.

  • Derby County were relegated to the Third Division just nine years after they had won the league title.

  • The Alliance Premier League - the highest division outside the Football League - was renamed the Gola League as part of a two-year sponsorship deal.

  • Keith Burkinshaw resigned after seven years as Tottenham manager, and went out on a high after his side won the UEFA Cup.

  • Cyrille Regis, the last remaining third of the 'Three Degrees' at West Bromwich Albion (the others were Brendan Batson and Laurie Cunningham), was sold to Coventry City.

  • 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.