1972–73 Eerste Divisie
# 1972–73 Eerste Divisie

The Dutch Eerste Divisie in the 1972–73 season was contested by 20 teams, one less than in the previous year. This was due to the merger of Blauw-Wit Amsterdam with eredivisie-club DWS to form FC Amsterdam. Roda JC won the championship.

It was the first season in which a promotion competition was held. In this promotion competition, four period winners (the best teams during each of the four quarters of the regular competition) played for promotion to the eredivisie.

## New entrants

Relegated from the 1971–72 Eredivisie

* Vitesse Arnhem
* FC Volendam

DFC changed their name to FC Dordrecht for this season.

## League standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Roda JC | 38 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 54 | 32 | +22 | 52 | Promoted to Eredivisie. |
| 2 | PEC Zwolle | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 72 | 48 | +24 | 48 | Qualified for Promotion play-off as Period champions. |
| 3 | Vitesse Arnhem | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 58 | 38 | +20 | 48 | |
| 4 | De Graafschap | 38 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 52 | 34 | +18 | 47 | Qualified for Promotion play-off as Period champions. |
| 5 | Helmond Sport | 38 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 47 | |
| 6 | FC Volendam | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 65 | 35 | +30 | 45 | Qualified for Promotion play-off as Period champions. |
| 7 | SC Cambuur | 38 | 12 | 20 | 6 | 53 | 40 | +13 | 44 | |
| 8 | FC Wageningen | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 57 | 52 | +5 | 44 | Qualified for Promotion play-off as Period champions. |
| 9 | Fortuna SC | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 40 | 36 | +4 | 42 | |
| 10 | sc Heerenveen | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 41 | |
| 11 | FC Eindhoven | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 37 | |
| 12 | Veendam | 38 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 40 | 50 | −10 | 34 | |
| 13 | SVV | 38 | 8 | 17 | 13 | 26 | 41 | −15 | 33 | |
| 14 | Willem II | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 39 | 55 | −16 | 32 | |
| 15 | Heracles | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 45 | 58 | −13 | 30 | |
| 16 | HVC | 38 | 5 | 18 | 15 | 40 | 52 | −12 | 28 | Changed name next season to SC Amersfoort. |
| 17 | Fortuna Vlaardingen | 38 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 30 | 48 | −18 | 28 | |
| 18 | VVV-Venlo | 38 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 25 | 45 | −20 | 28 | |
| 19 | De Volewijckers | 38 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 43 | 65 | −22 | 28 | |
| 20 | FC Dordrecht | 38 | 3 | 18 | 17 | 29 | 58 | −29 | 24 | |

## Promotion competition

In the promotion competition, four period winners (the best teams during each of the four quarters of the regular competition) played for promotion to the Eredivisie.

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | De Graafschap | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 | Promoted to Eredivisie. |
| 2 | FC Volendam | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 6 | +9 | 8 | |
| 3 | FC Wageningen | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 14 | −6 | 4 | |
| 4 | PEC Zwolle | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 15 | −7 | 3 | |
