Match of the Day was back on Saturday nights as a highlights show but was supplemented by live matches on Friday evenings. The BBC and ITV had been allocated seven games each with the commercial channel choosing to broadcast theirs on Sunday afternoons. This was a radical change in strategy by all involved as prior to this new two year contract the only regular live domestic football had been the FA Cup Final, England against Scotland and the European Cup Final. Match of the Day was cancelled from 15 October to 19 November due to strike action at the BBC.
Episode 1
Highlights of the Football Association's annual curtain-raiser between the Football League Champions, Liverpool, and the FA Cup holders, Manchester United, played at the Empire Stadium, Wembley.
Episode 2
Jimmy Hill presents action highlights from two First Division games on the opening day of the football league season. Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers
Episode 3
Action highlights from first and second division games in the north and south, plus analysis and interviews. Liverpool v Nottingham Forest Fulham v Portsmouth
Episode 4
Action highlights from two First Division games plus analysis and interviews. Arsenal v Liverpool Wolverhampton Wanderers v Birmingham City
Episode 5
Action highlights from two First Division games plus analysis and interviews. Southampton v Manchester United Tottenham Hotspur v Everton
Episode 6
Action highlights from two First Division games plus analysis and interviews. Also, a chance to win £100 worth of Premium Bonds in the August/September Goal of the Month competition. Manchester United v Liverpool Watford v Tottenham Hotspur
Episode 7
Action highlights from two First Division games plus analysis and interviews. Also the result of the August/September Goal of the Month competition. Stoke City v West Ham United Luton Town v Aston Villa
Episode 8
Jimmy Hill presents highlights from two second division matches plus analysis and interviews. Newcastle United v Charlton Athletic Manchester City v Swansea City
Episode 9
Action highlights from two First Division games plus analysis and interviews. West Ham United v Liverpool Leicester City v Southampton
Episode 10
Action highlights from First and Second Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Luton Town v Tottenham Hotspur Aston Villa v Leicester City
Episode 11
Action highlights from two First Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Also, a chance to win £100 worth of Premium Bonds in the November Goal of the Month competition. Ipswich Town v Liverpool West Bromwich Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Episode 12
Chelsea v Manchester City Sunderland v Ipswich Town
Episode 13
Action highlights from two First Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Coventry City v Liverpool West Ham United v Arsenal
Episode 14
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur. One of the season's most attractive Canon League matches in one of the game's finest arenas, Old Trafford. FA Cup holders Manchester United have already held the championship lead in 1983/4 as they challenge for their first League title since 1967, while Tottenham's away record is among the best.
Episode 15
Action highlights from two First Division matches, plus analysis and interviews. Aston Villa v Queens Park Rangers Everton v Coventry City
Episode 16
Traditionally the most enthralling stage of the season, as first and second division clubs join the 20 survivors from the Leagues lower reaches and beyond. Match of the Day kicks off the third round tonight with live coverage of one of the most absorbing ties. And at half time, a bumper edition of Goal of the Month with the best goals from November and December. Liverpool v Newcastle United
Episode 17
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur
Episode 18
Queens Park Rangers v Manchester United. For Manchester United, with the most expensive squad ever assembled in British football, there is an entirely new experience tonight when they play for League Championship points on an artificial pitch. Their first League victory this season was against Queens Park Rangers on the opening day at Old Trafford, and now live, full-length coverage of the return fixture promises an intriguing contest of skill as Rangers, last year's Second Division champions, set out to avenge that defeat in their own compact west London stadium. And at half-time, the result of the November/December Goal of the Month competition.
Episode 19
Aston Villa v Liverpool. In the last five seasons the League Championship has eluded Liverpool only once - in 1981 when the title went to Aston Villa for the seventh time. Tonight Liverpool go to Villa Park and so do the Match of the Day cameras to bring live coverage of a fixture that traditionally produces fine football and plenty of goals. Villa lost 2-1 at Anfield back in September.
Episode 20
Featuring highlights from three matches in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Also a chance to win £100 worth of Premium Bonds in the January Goal of the Month competition. Shrewsbury Town v Ipswich Town Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City Portsmouth v Southampton
Episode 21
Match of the Day highlights the quality football in the lower divisions featuring important Canon League matches in the Second and Fourth Divisions, plus analysis and interviews. Also, the result of the January Goal of the Month Competition. Grimsby Town v Manchester City Blackpool v York City
Episode 22
Action highlights from First and Second Division matches in the Canon League plus analysis and interviews. Notts County v Watford Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic
Episode 23
Blackburn Rovers v Southampton. From an entry of 448 clubs, the FA Cup is down to the last 16, but there is still plenty of 'Cup tradition' among the survivors. Blackburn Rovers, a founder member of the Football League, have won the Cup six times - all those triumphs long ago - but Rovers are currently prominent in the Second Division. Their opponents Southampton were in the Second Division when they won the cup in 1976. They now stand high in the championship and go to Ewood Park in search of a quarter-final place.
Episode 24
Action highlights from two First Division matches, plus analysis and interviews. Also, a chance to win £100 worth of premium bonds in the February Goal of the Month competition. Nottingham Forest v Arsenal Norwich City v West Ham United
Episode 25
Action highlights from First and Second Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Also the result of the February Goal of the Month competition. Leicester City v Watford Chelsea v Oldham Athletic
Episode 26
Action highlights from this afternoon's games, plus all the atmosphere and tension that surrounds the Cup. Birmingham City v Watford Plymouth Argyle v Derby County Notts County v Everton
Episode 27
Southampton v Liverpool. This Canon Division One match, live from the Dell, suggests a busy night is in store for both goalkeepers based on the results of this fixture for the last four seasons.
Episode 28
Action highlights from First and Third Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Queens Park Rangers v Southampton Wimbledon v Walsall
Episode 29
Action highlights from First and Second Division matches. Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday Birmingham City v Aston Villa
Episode 30
Action highlights from First and Second Division matches plus analysis and interviews. And the result of the March Goal of the Month competition. Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town Swansea City v Manchester City
Episode 31
Will Plymouth Argyle become the first Third Division team to play in an FA Cup Final? They face First Division Watford, eager to write their own bit of history with a first Wembley appearance, at Villa Park in one of this afternoon's FA Cup semi-finals. While at Highbury, there's an exciting all-First Division clash as currently on-form Southampton meet an Everton side hoping to make a second appearance at Wembley this season.
Episode 32
Action highlights from First and Second Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Manchester United v Coventry City Sheffield Wednesday v Grimsby Town
Episode 33
Action highlights from two First Division matches plus analysis and interviews. Also a chance to win £100 in Premium Bonds in the April Goal of the Month competition. Liverpool v Ipswich Town Nottingham Forest v Stoke City
Episode 34
Manchester City v Chelsea. Maine Road, Manchester is the venue for the last of five Canon League matches shown live this season. It is currently a Second Division location, but Manchester City have surprised many people by their efforts to win back a place in the top company. Chelsea's bid has been even stronger and, with only one more weekend of League football to follow, this could be the night when the London club clinch a return to the First Division. Plus the results of the April Goal of the Month competition.
Episode 35
Highlights of two Canon League matches affecting championship honours, promotions and relegations. Notts County v Liverpool Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Episode 36
Everton v Watford. Jimmy Hill presents best of the action, analyses the key moments and follows the after-match celebrations of the winners.
Episode 37
England v USSR from Wembley Stadium. Introduced by Jimmy Hill.