Season 1973/74 Plot
Match of the Day appoints Jimmy Hill as the new presenter, after signing him from LWT. He was the first to both present the programme and offer expert analysis.
Match of the Day Season 1973/74 aired on August 11th, 1973.
Season 1973/74 Episodes
1. 11th August 1973
Match of the Day features The Watney Cup. An annual pre-season knockout competition for eight teams from all four divisions who scored 555 Football League goals between them last season. The eight clubs invited to join the Watney Cup competition are: West Ham, Stoke City, Hull City, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Plymouth, Mansfield and Peterborough. Highlights from Bristol Rovers v West Ham United & Plymouth Argyle v Stoke City.
2. 18th August 1973
Match of the Day featuring the Watney Cup Final: Stoke City v Hull City Action from the final match in this season's Watney Cup with the winning team receiving £6,000 and the losing finalist £5,000. Bobby Charlton will present the Watney Cup. He was on the losing side in this competition on two occasions - first against Derby County (1970) and then against Halifax Town (1971).
3. 25th August 1973
Jimmy Hill analyses the key action from Match of the Day and highlights the news and views which matter on the first Saturday of the new season. Derby County v Chelsea Manchester City v Birmingham City
4. 1st September 1973
Personality action analysed and discussed by Jimmy Hill. Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United Everton v Ipswich Town
5. 8th September 1973
First Division action ... the most penetrating analysis in Soccer ... the news and views which matter. Liverpool v Chelsea Coventry City v Southampton
6. 15th September 1973
Highlights from two top First Division matches. Jimmy Hill focuses the action replay on the men and the moves which matter. Some second thoughts by the match commentators as Hill poses the views of Mr Football Public. Manchester United v West Ham United Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
7. 22nd September 1973
Two-match action and the most penetrating analysis in soccer. Arsenal v Stoke City Nottingham Forest v Preston North End
8. 29th September 1973
Jimmy Hill with the most talked-about action analysis in British soccer. Goal of the Month: a selection of the most eye-catching goals seen on BBC1 this season and £100-worth of premium bonds for the competition winner. West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland Manchester United v Liverpool
9. 6th October 1973
Action highlights from two top First Division games and the result of the first 'Goal of the Month' competition this season. Leeds United v Stoke City West Ham United v Burnley
10. 13th October 1973
Jimmy Hill's authoritative analysis from todays personality action. Southampton v Liverpool Hereford United v Cambridge United
11. 20th October 1973
Jimmy Hill presents his weekly action analysis on the men and the moves which matter. Derby County v Leicester City Fulham v Sunderland
12. 27th October 1973
Two-match action ... action analysis ... Goal of the Month. Manchester City v Leeds United Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal
13. 3rd November 1973
The personality focus on the day's top action ... by Jimmy Hill. The October 'Goal of the Month' competition result. Arsenal v Liverpool Norwich City v Leicester City
14. 10th November 1973
Jimmy Hill signposts the personality action of the day. Action, analysis, news and views. Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United Bristol City v Crystal Palace
15. 17th November 1973
First Division match action plus analysis and news from the Saturday Football League programme. Manchester City v Queens Park Rangers Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United
16. 24th November 1973
Jimmy Hill analyses the key action. Goal of the Month - the best goals seen on BBC1 throughout November. Everton v Newcastle United Derby County v Leeds United
17. 1st December 1973
Action analysis by Jimmy Hill and the result of the November Goal of the Month competition. Arsenal v Coventry City Blackpool v Sunderland
18. 8th December 1973
Personal analysis of the play and players that matter by Jimmy Hill. Ipswich Town v Leeds United Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United
19. 15th December 1973
Jimmy Hill slows down the key action and analyses the men behind the moves. Luton Town v Aston Villa Newcastle United v Derby County
20. 22nd December 1973
Introduced by Jimmy Hill. Liverpool v Manchester United Arsenal v Everton
21. 29th December 1973
Jimmy Hill searches out the key action analysis of the day. Goals, goals, goals from the December football action on BBC1. Birmingham City v Leeds United Leyton Orient v Fulham
22. 5th January 1974
The FA Cup Third Round and The World Cup Draw introduced by Jimmy Hill. Willie Ormond , team manager of Scotland, skipper Billy Bremner and Jock Stein, manager of Celtic, comment on Scotland's World Cup chances following the draw made earlier this evening. Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United West Ham United v Hereford United Manchester United v Plymouth Argyle
23. 12th January 1974
Two-match action, personality analysis, news and views of the day. Aston Villa v Middlesbrough Ipswich Town v Stoke City
24. 19th January 1974
Introduced by Jimmy Hill. Bristol Rovers v Bournemouth Everton v Leeds United
25. 26th January 1974
Action highlights from three of today's FA Cup 4th Round ties. Goal of the Month: a parade of the best goals seen on BBC1 throughout January. Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City Fulham v Leicester City Manchester United v Ipswich Town
26. 2nd February 1974
Two-match soccer action and the result of the January Goal of the Month Competition. Carlisle United v Leyton Orient Liverpool v Norwich City
27. 9th February 1974
Jimmy Hill selects the personality action analysis. Chelsea v Manchester City
28. 16th February 1974
Action highlights from three of today's important FA Cup Fifth Round ties. Bristol City v Leeds United West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United Liverpool v Ipswich Town
29. 23rd February 1974
Jimmy Hill spotlights the personality action of the day. The best goals from February for Goal of the Month and £100-worth of Premium Bonds. Tottenham Hotspur v Ipswich Town Leicester City v Sheffield United
30. 2nd March 1974
Action highlights from two key First Division matches plus the February Goal of the Month. Queens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur Sheffield United v Manchester United
31. 9th March 1974
The FA Cup Sixth Round introduced by Jimmy Hill with his Cup personality action analysis. Queens Park Rangers v Leicester City Derby County v West Ham United
32. 16th March 1974
Liverpool v Leeds United Leicester City v Derby County
33. 23rd March 1974
Jimmy Hill analyses life at the bottom of the table. Southampton v Birmingham City Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
34. 30th March 1974
Action highlights from one of today's FA Cup Semi-finals: Leicester City v Liverpool Cup analysis by Jimmy Hill and news, views and interviews from the Old Trafford and Hillsborough Cup venues. Goal of the Month: the March goal parade with £100-worth of Premium Bonds for the winner.
35. 6th April 1974
The action spotlight is on key promotion and relegation issues in the last weeks of the 1973-74 Football League season. Analysis by Jimmy Hill. Result of the March Goal of the Month competition. Hereford United v York City Leeds United v Derby County
36. 13th April 1974
Ipswich Town v Liverpool Bristol Rovers v Oldham Athletic
37. 20th April 1974
Two-match action involving promotion and relegation issues in the Football League and the annual 'Goal of the Season' competition worth £300 of Premium Bonds to the winner. Leyton Orient v Notts County Liverpool v Everton
38. 27th April 1974
Two-match action on the last Saturday of the 1973/74 Football League Season. West Ham United v Liverpool Everton v Southampton
39. 4th May 1974
Introduced by Jimmy Hill from the London West End hotel where the winners of the 1974 Cup Final celebrate victory with their wives and friends. Action highlights from this afternoon's clash of Liverpool, previous winners of the FA Cup in 1965, and Newcastle - who have six Cup wins to their credit. Jimmy Hill analyses the key action from Wembley and talks to the BBC Cup Final experts: Don Revie (Leeds United), Bob Stokoe (Sunderland) - last year's Cup Final managers - and Bobby Charlton.
40. 11th May 1974
International Match of the Day introduced by Jimmy Hill featuring highlights from today's two opening matches in the 1973-74 Home International Championships: Wales v England from Ninian Park, Cardiff and Northern Ireland v Scotland from Hampden Park, Glasgow. Analysis with Jimmy Hill and the BBC International Match experts - Don Revie, Manager of the new Football League champions, Leeds United; Jock Stein, Manager of Celtic who are once more League champions of Scotland, and Bobby Charlton, capped 106 times for England.
41. 18th May 1974
International Match of the Day introduced by Jimmy Hill featuring Scotland v England from Hampden Park, Glasgow and Wales v Northern Ireland from the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. Action highlights from the final matches in the 1973-74 Home International Championships. Jimmy Hill is joined by BBC soccer experts Don Revie, Jock Stein and Bobby Charlton.
42. 1st June 1974
International Match of the Day introduced by Jimmy Hill featuring Bulgaria v England. Action highlights from today's full international from the Levski Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria. Bulgaria have qualified for the World Cup Finals in West Germany later this month. There have been two previous clashes between the countries - a goalless draw in the 1962 World Cup in Chile, and a 1-1 draw at Wembley in 1968.