1979–80 Dundee United F.C. season

The 1979–80 season was the 71st year of football played by Dundee United, and covers the period from 1 July 1979 to 30 June 1980. United finished in third place, securing UEFA Cup football for the following season.

Dundee United

1979–80 season
Manager	Jim McLean
Scottish Premier Division	3rd W12 D13 L11 F43 A30 P37
Scottish Cup	4th round
League Cup	Winners
UEFA Cup	2nd round
Drybrough Cup	Semi-final

Match results

Dundee United played a total of 53 competitive matches during the 1979–80 season.

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

All results are written with Dundee United's score first. Own goals in italics

Premier Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
11 August 1979	Dundee	H	3–0	17,968	Sturrock, Kirkwood, Stark
18 August 1979	Kilmarnock	A	0–1	5,882
25 August 1979	Aberdeen	H	1–3	10,982	Sturrock
8 September 1979	Celtic	A	2–2	25,959	Pettigrew (penalty), Milne
15 September 1979	St Mirren	A	2–3	6,276	Pettigrew (2)
22 September 1979	Partick Thistle	H	2–1	6,786	Pettigrew, Kopel
29 September 1979	Greenock Morton	A	1–4	6,558	Pettigrew
6 October 1979	Rangers	H	0–0	19,464
13 October 1979	Hibernian	H	2–0	7,487	Pettigrew, Milne
20 October 1979	Dundee	A	0–1	16,305
27 October 1979	Kilmarnock	H	4–0	6,403	Fleming (2), Pettigrew, Kirkwood
3 November 1979	Aberdeen	A	3–0	13,432	Pettigrew, Phillip, Bannon
10 November 1979	Celtic	H	0–1	18,630
17 November 1979	St Mirren	H	0–0	6,281
28 November 1979	Partick Thistle	A	1–1	2,830	Sturrock
15 December 1979	Rangers	A	1–2	18,934	Dodds
22 December 1979	Dundee	H	2–0	15,431	Holt, Pettigrew
29 December 1979	Kilmarnock	A	0–0	4,515
5 January 1980	Celtic	A	0–1	23,822
12 January 1980	St Mirren	A	1–2	8,355	Narey
23 February 1980	Hibernian	H	1–0	7,822	Pettigrew
1 March 1980	Dundee	A	1–1	15,116	Sturrock
8 March 1980	Kilmarnock	H	0–0	6,497
12 March 1980	Partick Thistle	H	0–0	6,154
15 March 1980	Aberdeen	A	1–2	7,836	Kirkwood
19 March 1980	Rangers	H	0–0	9,533
29 March 1980	St Mirren	H	0–0	6,292
2 April 1980	Hibernian	A	2–0	5,919	Dodds, Pettigrew
5 April 1980	Partick Thistle	A	2–2	3,354	Dodds, Holt
8 April 1980	Celtic	H	3–0	14,616	Dodds (2), Holt
12 April 1980	Greenock Morton	H	2–0	6,467
19 April 1980	Hibernian	A	2–0	4,921	Pettigrew, Bannon (penalty)
23 April 1980	Greenock Morton	H	2–0	4,687	Dodds, Bannon (penalty)
26 April 1980	Rangers	A	1–2	16,343	Pettigrew
28 April 1980	Aberdeen	H	1–1	12,764	Holt
1 May 1980	Greenock Morton	A	0–0	2,614

Scottish Cup

Date	Rd	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
30 January 1980	R3	Dundee	H	5–1	18,064	Pettigrew (4 including 1 penalty), Sturrock
16 February 1980	R4	Rangers	A	0–1	29,000

League Cup

Date	Rd	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
29 August 1979	R2 1	Airdrieonians	A	1–2	2,570	Addison
1 September 1979	R2 2	Airdrieonians	H	2–0	5,760	Sturrock, Payne
26 September 1979	R3 1	Queen's Park	A	3–0	939	Pettigrew, Dodds, Sturrock
10 October 1979	R3 2	Queen's Park	H	2–1	3,395	Sturrock (penalty), Dodds
31 October 1979	QF 1	Raith Rovers	H	0–0	7,426
14 November 1979	QF 2	Raith Rovers	A	1–0	6,838	Hegarty
24 November 1979	SF	Hamilton Academical	N	6–2	7,974	Sturrock (2), Kirkwood (2), Pettigrew, Hegarty
8 December 1979	F	Aberdeen	N	0–0	27,156
12 December 1979	F R	Aberdeen	N	3–0	28,984	Pettigrew (2), Sturrock

UEFA Cup

Date	Rd	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
19 September 1979	R1 1	R.S.C. Anderlecht	H	0–0	12,282
2 October 1979	R1 2	R.S.C. Anderlecht	Émile Versé Stadium A	1–1	25,000	Kopel
24 October 1979	R2 1	Diosgyori VTK	H	0–1	10,500
7 November 1979	R2 2	Diosgyori VTK	A	1–3	27,000	Kopel

Drybrough Cup

Date	Rd	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
28 July 1979	QF	Dunfermline Athletic	H	3–0	4,480	Kopel, Sturrock, Milne
1 August 1979	SF	Celtic	N	2–3	21,000	Stewart (penalty), Payne

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
2	Celtic	36	18	11	7	61	38	+23	47	Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
3	St Mirren	36	15	12	9	56	49	+7	42	Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4	Dundee United	36	12	13	11	43	30	+13	37
5	Rangers	36	15	7	14	50	46	+4	37
6	Morton	36	14	8	14	51	46	+5	36

Source: Statto and RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

See also

• 1979–80 in Scottish football