Match of the Day
Season 1981/82
198142 episodes
The programme returned to Saturday nights. Only two games were allowed to be shown per show.
Episode 1
22nd August 1981: FA Charity Shield: Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
Aug 22, 19811h 20m
The annual curtain-raiser between the Football League Champions and the FA Cup holders played at the Empire Stadium, Wembley.
Episode 2
29th August 1981
Aug 29, 19811h 20m
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 Leeds United
Episode 3
5th September 1981
Sep 5, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches plus analysis and interviews. Manchester United v Ipswich Town West Bromwich Albion v Swansea City
Episode 4
12th September 1981
Sep 12, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Luton Town v Sheffield Wednesday Aston Villa v Manchester United
Episode 5
19th September 1981
Sep 19, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Liverpool v Aston Villa Norwich City v Newcastle United
Episode 6
26th September 1981
Sep 26, 19811h 20m
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 Liverpool Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
Episode 7
3rd October 1981
Oct 3, 19811h 20m
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 Rovers Liverpool v Swansea City Notts County v Arsenal
Episode 8
10th October 1981
Oct 10, 19811h 20m
Jimmy Hill presents highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Ipswich Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers Bristol City v Preston North End
Episode 9
17th October 1981
Oct 17, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Leeds United v West Bromwich Albion Arsenal v Manchester City
Episode 10
24th October 1981
Oct 24, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa Crystal Palace v Derby County
Episode 11
31st October 1981
Oct 31, 19811h 20m
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 Leicester City v Sheffield Wednesday
Episode 12
7th November 1981
Nov 7, 19811h 20m
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 Southampton
Episode 13
14th November 1981
Nov 14, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Watford v Cardiff City Middlesbrough v Sunderland
Episode 14
21st November 1981
Nov 21, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United Birmingham City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Episode 15
28th November 1981
Nov 28, 19811h 20m
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 Villa v Nottingham Forest Fulham v Millwall Halifax v Scunthorpe United
Episode 16
5th December 1981
Dec 5, 19811h 20m
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 City
Episode 17
12th December 1981
Dec 12, 19811h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Swansea City v Nottingham Forest Queens Park Rangers v Barnsley
Episode 18
19th December 1981
Dec 19, 19811h 20m
Jimmy Hill presents highlights of two Football League matches plus analysis and interviews. Everton v Aston Villa Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers
Episode 19
26th December 1981
Dec 26, 19811h 20m
Includes the Christmas Goal of the Month competition. Liverpool v Manchester City Portsmouth v Bristol Rovers
Episode 20
2nd January 1982: FA Cup Third Round
Jan 2, 19821h 20m
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 Division. Tonight action highlights of three games, interviews, analysis and comment. Plus the result of the December Goal of the Month competition. Leicester City v Southampton Barnet v Brighton & Hove Albion Swansea City v Liverpool
Episode 21
9th January 1982
Jan 9, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Manchester City v Stoke City Huddersfield Town v Oxford United
Episode 22
16th January 1982
Jan 16, 19821h 20m
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 Wanderers
Episode 23
23rd January 1982: FA Cup Fourth Round
Jan 23, 19821h 20m
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 Manchester City v Coventry City
Episode 24
30th January 1982
Jan 30, 19821h 20m
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 City v Manchester United
Episode 25
6th February 1982
Feb 6, 19821h 20m
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 Sheffield United Southampton v Manchester City Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Episode 26
13th February 1982: FA Cup Fifth Round
Feb 13, 19821h 20m
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
Episode 27
20th February 1982
Feb 20, 19821h 20m
Watford v Luton Town Manchester United v Arsenal
Episode 28
27th February 1982
Feb 27, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Brighton & Hove Albion v West Bromwich Albion Everton v West Ham United
Episode 29
6th March 1982: FA Cup Sixth Round
Mar 6, 19821h 20m
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 Tottenham Hotspur Leicester City v Shrewsbury Town
Episode 30
13th March 1982
Mar 13, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Oldham Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday Arsenal v Ipswich Town
Episode 31
20th March 1982
Mar 20, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton Notts County v Manchester United
Episode 32
27th March 1982
Mar 27, 19821h 20m
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 Manchester United v Sunderland
Episode 33
3rd April 1982: FA Cup Semi-Final
Apr 3, 19821h 20m
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 Bromwich Albion Div 1: Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Episode 34
10th April 1982
Apr 10, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, plus analysis and interviews. Gillingham v Fulham Manchester City v Liverpool
Episode 35
17th April 1982
Apr 17, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches, analysis and interviews. Swansea City v Manchester City Blackburn Rovers v Watford
Episode 36
24th April 1982
Apr 24, 19821h 20m
Rotherham United v Luton Town Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United
Episode 37
1st May 1982
May 1, 19821h 20m
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 selection of goals for the Goal of the Season competition. Ipswich Town v Middlesbrough Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
Episode 38
8th May 1982
May 8, 19821h 20m
Highlights of two Football League matches affecting championship honours, promotion and relegation. Birmingham City v Liverpool Watford v Leicester City
Episode 39
15th May 1982
May 15, 19821h 20m
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 programme, a chance to win £300 worth of Premium Bonds in the Goal of the Season competition. Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest
Episode 40
22nd May 1982: FA Cup Final: Queens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur
May 22, 19821h 20m
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.
Episode 41
27th May 1982: Home International Championship
May 27, 19821h 20m
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 they missed out has made Manager Mike England all the more determined that Wales do well in the British Championships. For his opposite number, Billy Bingham , the game provides the final chance to experiment before Northern Ireland's opening World Cup game against Yugoslavia on 17 June.
Episode 42
29th May 1982: Home International Championship
May 29, 19821h 20m
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 39 occasions, England 38 with the remaining 22 matches drawn.