The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.
Diary of the season 6 June 1983: Resurgent Portsmouth, newly promoted to the Second Division after winning last season's Third Division title, prepare for their latest challenge by paying a club record £180,000 for Coventry City's 21-year-old striker Mark Hateley.
1 July 1983: Joe Fagan, 62, is appointed as the new manager of Liverpool on a two-year contract following Bob Paisley's retirement after nine years in charge.
1 August 1983: Gerry Francis, former England midfielder, is appointed player-manager of Exeter City.
4 August 1983: Chelsea, who narrowly avoided relegation to the Third Division last season, pay Reading £175,000 for 21-year-old striker Kerry Dixon.
20 August 1983: Bryan Robson scores both of Manchester United's goals in the FA Charity Shield as they beat Liverpool 2–0.
27 August 1983: The Football League season commences. Notts County are top of the First Division with a 4–0 away win over East Midlands rivals Leicester City. A seven-goal thriller at Villa Park sees Aston Villa beat local rivals West Bromwich Albion 4–3. Liverpool begin their quest for a third successive league title with a 1–1 away draw against newly promoted Wolves. Chelsea record the biggest win in the Second Division with a 5–0 triumph over Derby County at Stamford Bridge.
31 August 1983: Notts County, West Ham United, Aston Villa and Arsenal all win their first two matches of the First Division season to lead the table at the end of August. Leicester City, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion lose their first two matches of the season.
3 September 1983: West Ham are the only First Division side with a 100% record after three games after beating London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 at White Hart Lane.
6 September 1983: West Ham extend their 100% start to the season to four games and remain top with a 3–1 home win over Leicester City. Manchester United beat Arsenal 3–2 at Highbury. Ipswich are second in the table with three wins from their opening four games after a 3–0 home win over Everton.
10 September 1983: West Ham make it five wins in a row with a 5–2 home win over Coventry City, with David Swindlehurst scoring a hat-trick. Ipswich keep up their challenge with a 5–0 home win over Stoke City, as do third-placed Manchester United with a 2–0 home win over Luton Town. Leicester City are still looking for their first point of the season after a 3–0 home defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
17 September 1983: West Ham's perfect start to the season ends with a 1–0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion, although they are still top of the First Division. Southampton go second with a 3–0 home win over Manchester United. Manchester City's bid for an immediate return to the First Division is boosted by a 6–0 home win over Blackburn Rovers, lifting them to second place in the Second Division. Swansea City are facing a battle avoid a second successive relegation after collecting one point from their first five games.
21 September 1983: England lose 1–0 to Denmark in their European Championship qualifier at Wembley, making qualification for the Finals unlikely.
23 September 1983: Newcastle United boost their Second Division promotion push by signing Peter Beardsley, who was rejected by Manchester United last previous season, in a £150,000 deal from Vancouver Whitecaps.
24 September 1983: West Ham return to their winning ways and maintain their lead of the First Division by beating Notts County 3–0 at Upton Park. Manchester United keep up the pressure by beating Liverpool 1–0 at Old Trafford. Southampton's title challenge is hit with a 1–0 defeat away to Aston Villa, who go sixth in the table. Wolves, with no wins from their first seven games, lose 4–0 at home to QPR. Leicester City finally pick up a league point at the seventh attempt with a 2–2 draw at home to Stoke City.
27 September 1983: Manchester United progress to the second round of the European Cup Winners' Cup by eliminating Czech side Dukla Prague on away goals.
28 September 1983: All four English entrants in the UEFA Cup – Watford, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa – progress to the second round. Tottenham recorded a 14–0 aggregate victory over Irish side Drogheda United, while Watford came from 3–1 down against West German side Kaiserlautern in the first leg to win the second leg 3–0 at Vicarage Road.
30 September 1983: With six wins from seven matches, West Ham United are top of the First Division at the end of September, with Manchester United, Southampton, Liverpool and Ipswich Town completing the top five. Leicester City's terrible start to the season sees them prop up the top flight with only a single point from their opening seven games. Wolverhampton Wanderers (winless) and Stoke City (one win) complete the bottom three. Sheffield Wednesday head the race for promotion from the Second Division, followed closely behind by recently relegated Manchester City and a Huddersfield Town side who only won promotion from the Fourth Division four seasons ago. Middlesbrough, Charlton Athletic and Chelsea have also made a good start to the Second Division campaign.Chelsea FC News. Chelsea MAD (24 September 1983). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
1 October 1983: First Division leaders West Ham lose 3–1 to Stoke City at the Victoria Ground. Southampton cut their lead of the table to a single point with a 1–0 win over Wolves at The Dell. Ipswich keep up the pressure by beating Coventry City 2–1 at Highfield Road. Manchester United miss the chance to draw level on points with the leaders when Norwich City hold them to a 3–3 draw in the thrilling match at Carrow Road. Leicester's shambolic start to the season continues with a 2–1 away defeat to Birmingham City. In the Second Division, leaders Sheffield Wednesday beat Blackburn Rovers 4–2 at Hillsborough. Struggling Derby County lose 4–1 at home to Carlisle United. Newcastle United boost their promotion push with a 4–2 home win over Portsmouth. Brighton give their hopes of an instant return to the First Division a major boost by beating Charlton Athletic 7–0 at the Goldstone Ground. Fallen giants Leeds United lose 5–1 at Shrewsbury.
2 October 1983: In the first fully televised Football League match for 23 years, Tottenham beat Nottingham Forest 2–1 at White Hart Lane.
8 October 1983: Despite the lack of First Division today, all 22 Second Division clubs are in action. Craven Cottage is the scene of an eight-goal thriller in which Chelsea boost their promotion push with a 5–3 away win over West London rivals Fulham.
12 October 1983: England keep their faint hopes of European Championship qualification alive by beating Hungary 3–0 in Budapest in their penultimate qualifying game, but Denmark remain top of the group.
15 October 1983: First Division action returns with Manchester United beating West Bromwich Albion 3–0 at Old Trafford to go top of the First Division, with West Ham's lead of the table being ended by a 3–1 home defeat to Liverpool. Wolves are still without a victory nine games into the season after losing 3–2 at home to Tottenham.
16 October 1983: Nottingham Forest beat neighbours Notts County 3–1 at the City Ground in the only First Division action of the day.
20 October 1983: Coventry City sign 21-year-old full-back Stuart Pearce from Alliance Premier League side Wealdstone.
22 October 1983: Manchester United remain top of the First Division with a 1–0 win over Sunderland at Roker Park. A mid-table clash at Highbury sees Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 4–1. Leicester City claim their second point of the season with a 2–2 draw at Ipswich, but are still winless after 10 league games.
23 October 1983: The only league action of the day sees Wolves draw 1–1 at home to local rivals Aston Villa in a First Division, making it three points after 10 games, but still no league victories.
26 October 1983: Giant-killings in the second round of the Football League Cup, as third-tier clubs Oxford United and Wimbledon knock out Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. Elsewhere in round two, Leeds United overcome a 1–0 deficit from the first leg to beat the Football League's basement club Chester City 4–2 on aggregate and Lincoln City win on the night at home to Tottenham Hotspur but lose out on aggregate. There is no such joy for Bury, who lose 10–0 to West Ham at Upton Park (12–1 on aggregate) with teenage striker Tony Cottee scoring four goals.
30 October 1983: Manchester United maintain their lead of the First Division with a 3–0 home win over Wolves, who are still winless after 11 games. Leicester City record their first league win of the season with a 2–0 home win over Everton. Tony Woodcock scores five goals in Arsenal's 6–2 away win over Aston Villa. Ian Rush scores five in Liverpool's 6–0 home win over Luton Town. QPR go third with a 3–0 away win over Norwich City. The Abbey Stadium is the scene of a goal glut in the Second Division as Brighton beat Cambridge United 4–3. Chelsea boost their promotion hopes and deal a blow to the visiting side's by defeating Charlton Athletic 3–2 at Stamford Bridge. Peter Beardsley scores a hat-trick in Newcastle's 5–0 home win over Manchester City.
31 October 1983: October draws to a close with Manchester United top of the First Division. Liverpool continue their push for a third successive league title as they stand second, while newly promoted Queens Park Rangers occupy third place, level on points with West Ham United, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. Wolverhampton Wanderers, still without a win after 11 games, remain bottom of the table. Leicester City and Notts County complete the bottom three. Sheffield Wednesday are still top of the Second Division, joined in the top three by Newcastle United and Manchester City. Chelsea, Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town are pushing them hard for promotion.Chelsea FC News. Chelsea MAD (29 October 1983). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
1 November 1983: Watford sign 20-year-old striker Mo Johnston from Partick Thistle for £200,000.
2 November 1983: Liverpool progress to the quarter-finals of the European Cup at the expense of Spanish champions Atletico Bilbao. Manchester United reach the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup with a 4–1 aggregate win over Bulgarian side Spartak Varna. Tottenham eliminate Dutch side Feyenoord 6–2 on aggregate in the second round of the UEFA Cup. Watford eliminate Levski Sofia from the competition and Nottingham Forest oust PSV Eindhoven, but Aston Villa are edged out 4–3 on aggregate by Spartak Moscow.
5 November 1983 – Wolves are bottom of the First Division and still winless after 12 games following a 5–0 defeat at Nottingham Forest. Peter Withe scores twice as Aston Villa inflict a 2–1 defeat on Manchester United at Old Trafford, meaning that Liverpool can return to the top of the table if they win their game tomorrow. Arsenal's erratic form continues as they lose 2–1 at home to Sunderland. There is no shortage of action in the race to reach the First Division. Second Division leaders Sheffield Wednesday maintain a four-point lead at the top of the table by beating Yorkshire rivals Barnsley 2–0 at Hillsborough. Newcastle United win 3–2 at home to Fulham. Manchester City remain in the top three by beating Shrewsbury Town 3–1 at Gay Meadow. Chelsea's promotion push takes a dent when they are held to a 1–1 draw by struggling Oldham at Boundary Park, but they are just three points outside the top three with a game in hand.
6 November 1983 – Liverpool go top of the First Division with a 3–0 win over Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
10 November 1983 – Everton sign striker Andy Gray from Wolves for £250,000.