The 1972 European Championship was the fourth UEFA European Championships, it was held in Belgium between 5 June and 10 June 1972. The tournament was won by West Germany who defeated USSR 3-0 in the final at the Heysel Stadium, Brussels to claim their first title.
Only Iceland of UEFA's then 33 members did not enter the qualification for the 1972 European Nations Cup.
The remaining 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four teams. The group winners advanced to a quarter-final round with all ties played on a two-legged basis. The four quarter-final winners would qualify for the tournament proper with one of those four countries chosen to host it.
Wales were drawn in Group 1 alongside Romania, Czechoslovakia and Finland. This was the first time Wales had played both Romania and Finland.
Uefa qualifying group 1
| no. | date | score | scorers (wales) | venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/10/1970 | Czechoslovakia 1-1 Finland | Letenský stadion, Prague | EC | ||
| 11/10/1970 | Romania 3-0 Finland | Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest | EC | ||
| 292 | 11/11/1970 | Wales 0-0 Romania | Ninian Park, Cardiff | ECQ | |
| 293 | 21/04/1971 | Wales 1-3 Czechoslovakia | R Davies (pen) | Vetch Field, Swansea | ECQ |
| 16/05/1971 | Czechoslovakia 1-0 Romania | Letenský stadion, Prague | EC | ||
| 297 | 26/05/1971 | Finland 0-1 Wales | Toshack | Olympiastadion, Helsinki | ECQ |
| 16/06/1971 | Finland 0-4 Czechoslovakia | Olympiastadion, Helsinki | EC | ||
| 22/09/1971 | Finland 0-4 Romania | Olympiastadion, Helsinki | EC | ||
| 298 | 13/10/1971 | Wales 3-0 Finland | Durban, Toshack, Rees | Vetch Field, Swansea | ECQ |
| 299 | 27/10/1971 | Czechoslovakia 1-0 Wales | Letenský Stadion, Prague | ECQ | |
| 14/11/1971 | Romania 2-1 Czechoslovakia | Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest | EC | ||
| 300 | 24/11/1971 | Romania 2-0 Wales | Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest | ECQ |
Group standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts1 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Romania | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 9 |
| 2. | Czechoslovakia | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 9 |
| 3. | Wales | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| 4. | Finland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
Wales and the 1972 European Championship
Wales were drawn in Group 1 alongside Romania, Czechoslovakia and Finland. This was the first time Wales had played both Romania and Finland.
The campaign got off to a reasonable start with a 0-0 draw at home to group favourites, Romania, but despite taking the lead in the second match against Czechoslovakia, a disastrous four minute spell saw the visitors score three times and inflict a 3-1 defeat on Dave Bowen's side.
Two wins against the part-time Fins meant Wales needed to win both remaining away matches to be in with a chance of qualification.
Unfortunately, the game in Prague coincided with the fourth round of the Football League Cup which at the time took precedence over international matches. Having had eight players withdraw from the squad, Wales' relatively inexperienced side suffered a 1-0 defeat which put paid to their qualification campaign.
English clubs refused to release their players fro Wales' final game in Bucharest. Four payers were made unavailable ahead of the squad announcement with a further eight players being forced to withdraw from the original squad.
Herbie Williams of Swansea won his third and final cap for Wales, six years after winning his first two caps. Six of the side who lost 2-0 in Romania had a total of 16 caps between them.
Players used during qualifying
Wales used 34 players during the campaign with no player featuring in every game. Thirteen players appeared just once during the qualifying campaign.
Leighton Phillips, Tom Walley and Arfon Griffiths won their first caps in the second game of the campaign against Czechoslovakia with Malcolm Page, Raymond Mielczarek and Wayne Jones winning making their debut in the next game away in Finland.
Brian Evans and Trevor Hockey won their first caps in the home match against Finland with Hockey become the first player to represent Wales on the basis of his parents' birthplace.
Mick Hill and Leighton James were handed their debuts against Czechoslovakia in Prague with Cyril Davies coming on as a second half substitute in the final game in Romania meaning Dave Bowen gave 11 players their debut during the campaign.
| Player | ROM | CZE | FIN | FIN | CZE | ROM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ollie Burton | 90 | |||||
| Cyril Davies | 45 | |||||
| Ron Davies | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Wyn Davies | 90 | |||||
| Steve Derrett | 90 | |||||
| Alan Durban | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | |
| Mike England | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Brian Evans | 90 | 78 | ||||
| Arfon Griffiths | 45 | |||||
| Terry Hennessey | 90 | 57 | ||||
| Mick Hill | 90 | 45 | ||||
| Barrie Hole | 90 | |||||
| Trevor Hockey | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Glyn James | 90 | |||||
| Leighton James | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Wayne Jones | 90 | |||||
| Dick Krzywicki | 90 | 90 | 90 | 12 | ||
| John Mahoney | 45 | |||||
| Raymond Mielczarek | 90 | |||||
| Tony Millington | 90 | 90 | 45 | 90 | 90 | |
| Graham Moore | 90 | |||||
| Malcolm Page | 90 | |||||
| Leighton Phillips | 90 | 90 | 90 | |||
| David Powell | 90 | |||||
| Gil Reece | 90 | 90 | 90 | |||
| Ron Rees | 90 | 90 | 90 | 33 | 90 | |
| John Roberts | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Peter Rodrigues | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | |
| Gary Sprake | 90 | 45 | ||||
| Rod Thomas | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | |
| John Toshack | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Tom Walley | 90 | |||||
| Herbie Williams | 90 | |||||
| Terry Yorath | 90 |
12 pts for a win / 1 pt for a draw
