Match of the Day: Season 1981/82
The programme returned to Saturday nights. Only two games were allowed to be shown per show.
Season 18 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Match of the Day Season 17.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Season overview
The programme returned to Saturday nights. Only two games were allowed to be shown per show.
Episode Guide
Season 18 Progress Shield
22nd August 1981: FA Charity Shield: Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
Aug 22, 1981 · 80 min
The annual curtain-raiser between the Football League Champions and the FA Cup holders played at the Empire Stadium, Wembley.
29th August 1981
Aug 29, 1981 · 80 min
Jimmy Hill presents match highlights from the opening day of the Football League season. Nottingham Forest v Southampton Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion Swansea City v Le
5th September 1981
Sep 5, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches plus analysis and interviews. Manchester United v Ipswich Town West Bromwich Albion v Swansea City
12th September 1981
Sep 12, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Luton Town v Sheffield Wednesday Aston Villa v Manchester United
19th September 1981
Sep 19, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Liverpool v Aston Villa Norwich City v Newcastle United
26th September 1981
Sep 26, 1981 · 80 min
Bob Wilson gathers together the day's news, including the late-night pools check. Also in tonight's programme the August/September Goal of the Month competition. West Ham United v
3rd October 1981
Oct 3, 1981 · 80 min
Match highlights plus the day's news, including the late-night pools check and the result of the August/September Goal of the Month competition. Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Ro
10th October 1981
Oct 10, 1981 · 80 min
Jimmy Hill presents highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Ipswich Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers Bristol City v Preston North End
17th October 1981
Oct 17, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Leeds United v West Bromwich Albion Arsenal v Manchester City
24th October 1981
Oct 24, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa Crystal Palace v Derby County
31st October 1981
Oct 31, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Also in tonight's programme the October Goal of the Month competition. Everton v Manchester City Leiceste
7th November 1981
Nov 7, 1981 · 80 min
Introduced by Jimmy Hill. Bob Wilson gathers together the day's other news. Plus the result of the October Goal of the Month competition. Liverpool v Everton Stoke City v Southam
14th November 1981
Nov 14, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Watford v Cardiff City Middlesbrough v Sunderland
21st November 1981
Nov 21, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United Birmingham City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
28th November 1981
Nov 28, 1981 · 80 min
Introduced by Jimmy Hill. Bob Wilson gathers together the day's other news including the late-night pools check. Also tonight, the November Goal of the Month competition. Aston Vi
5th December 1981
Dec 5, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Plus the result of the November Goal of the Month competition. West Ham United v Arsenal Everton v Swansea Cit
12th December 1981
Dec 12, 1981 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Swansea City v Nottingham Forest Queens Park Rangers v Barnsley
19th December 1981
Dec 19, 1981 · 80 min
Jimmy Hill presents highlights of two Football League matches plus analysis and interviews. Everton v Aston Villa Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers
26th December 1981
Dec 26, 1981 · 80 min
Includes the Christmas Goal of the Month competition. Liverpool v Manchester City Portsmouth v Bristol Rovers
2nd January 1982: FA Cup Third Round
Jan 2, 1982 · 80 min
The most romantic football Saturday of the season, where the minnows from the Third and Fourth Divisions and outside the Football League meet the mighty teams from the First Divisi
9th January 1982
Jan 9, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Manchester City v Stoke City Huddersfield Town v Oxford United
16th January 1982
Jan 16, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Bob Wilson reports on the World Cup draw from Madrid. Coventry City v Ipswich Town Liverpool v Wolverhampton W
23rd January 1982: FA Cup Fourth Round
Jan 23, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of three outstanding ties, which encompass the glamour, the romance and the excitement of the FA Cup. Watford v West Ham United Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United Manch
30th January 1982
Jan 30, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Also in tonight's programme the January Goal of the Month competition. Luton Town v Leicester City Swansea Cit
6th February 1982
Feb 6, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of three Football League matches plus analysis and interviews. Also in tonight's programme the result of the January Goal of the Month competition. Colchester United v
13th February 1982: FA Cup Fifth Round
Feb 13, 1982 · 80 min
Featuring highlights from three matches in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Leicester City v Watford West Bromwich Albion v Norwich City
20th February 1982
Feb 20, 1982 · 80 min
Watford v Luton Town Manchester United v Arsenal
27th February 1982
Feb 27, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Brighton & Hove Albion v West Bromwich Albion Everton v West Ham United
6th March 1982: FA Cup Sixth Round
Mar 6, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights from two of this afternoon's games plus all the atmosphere and tension that surrounds the Cup. Plus the result of the February Goal of the Month competition. Chelsea v
13th March 1982
Mar 13, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Oldham Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday Arsenal v Ipswich Town
20th March 1982
Mar 20, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton Notts County v Manchester United
27th March 1982
Mar 27, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches plus analysis and interviews. Also in tonight's programme the March Goal of the Month competition. Sheffield Wednesday v Leyton Orient M
3rd April 1982: FA Cup Semi-Final
Apr 3, 1982 · 80 min
Match of the Day cameras bring you the special excitement and tension that surrounds a Cup semi-final and an important First Division game. FAC SF: Queens Park Rangers v West Brom
10th April 1982
Apr 10, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Gillingham v Fulham Manchester City v Liverpool
17th April 1982
Apr 17, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Swansea City v Manchester City Blackburn Rovers v Watford
24th April 1982
Apr 24, 1982 · 80 min
Rotherham United v Luton Town Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United
1st May 1982
May 1, 1982 · 80 min
Action highlights of two Football League matches affecting championship honours, promotion and relegation. Also tonight the result of the April Goal of the Month competition, and a
8th May 1982
May 8, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of two Football League matches affecting championship honours, promotion and relegation. Birmingham City v Liverpool Watford v Leicester City
15th May 1982
May 15, 1982 · 80 min
As the season draws to an end, Jimmy Hill introduces highlights of two Football League games affecting promotion, relegation and entry into Europe next season. Also in tonight's pr
22nd May 1982: FA Cup Final: Queens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur
May 22, 1982 · 80 min
Highlights of the 1982 FA Cup Final. Jimmy Hill presents the best action, analyses the key moments and talks to the players and manager of the victorious side.
27th May 1982: Home International Championship
May 27, 1982 · 80 min
Wales v Northern Ireland at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham At one stage Wales looked the likeliest of all the British nations to qualify for the World Cup finals. The fact that th
29th May 1982: Home International Championship
May 29, 1982 · 80 min
Featuring the 100th full international between Scotland and England, played this afternoon at Hampden Park, Glasgow. The score so far could hardly be closer - Scotland have won on