1975–76 Rangers F.C. season

The 1975–76 season was the 96th season of competitive football by Rangers.

Rangers
1975-76 season
ChairmanMatt Taylor
(until September)
Rae Simpson
(from September)
ManagerJock Wallace
GroundIbrox Park
Scottish Premier Division1st
P36 W23 D8 L5 F60 A24 Pts54
Scottish CupWinners
League CupWinners
European CupSecond round
Glasgow CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague:
Derek Johnstone (31)

All:
Derek Johnstone (16)

Overview

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Rangers played a total of 55 competitive matches during the 1975–76 season. The club won a third domestic treble in its history and, what would become, the first of two in three seasons.

This was the first season of the new Scottish Premier Division and the previous season's league flag was hoisted much to the delight of the home support in front of the visitors who just happened to be Celtic. A tense match ensued and although the visitors took the lead, Derek Johnstone equalised and Quinton Young netted the winner. The side did not continue this good form and only won five, and lost five, of the next fourteen league matches. On 13 December the club embarked on a 26 match unbeaten run in the league and cup competitions.

Despite Celtic still having a one-point lead as late as February, Rangers eventually clinched the league at Tannadice, thanks to a Johnstone goal after just 22 seconds, during the third last league match of the season. The side had won 16 out of the final 21 matches. The final margin of the title win was six points.

On the domestic cup front, the League Cup was won in the October against Celtic in a lunchtime Old Firm final, which were a feature of that time in trying to curb crowd violence. An Alex McDonald flying header in the second half, being the difference between the sides. The 1976 Scottish Cup Final saw Rangers play Heart of Midlothian. The side got off to a great start when Johnstone netted on 42 seconds. It was all but over when Alex McDonald scored right on the stroke of half time and Derek Johnstone grabbed a brace late on.

Results

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All results are written with Rangers' score first.

Scottish Premier Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
30 August 1975 Celtic H 2–1 69,594 Johnstone, Young
6 September 1975 Heart of Midlothian A 2–0 28,000 Anderson (o.g.), Murray (o.g.)
13 September 1975 St. Johnstone H 2–0 25,000 Stein, Johnstone
20 September 1975 Hibernian H 1–1 37,000 Blackley (o.g.)
27 September 1975 Dundee A 0–0 15,087
4 October 1975 Aberdeen H 1–0 22,000 McDougall
11 October 1975 Ayr United A 0–3 20,000
18 October 1975 Motherwell A 1–2 18,925 Johnstone
1 November 1975 Celtic A 1–1 60,000 Parlane
8 November 1975 Heart of Midlothian H 1–2 30,000 Henderson
12 November 1975 Dundee United H 4–1 25,760 Parlane, Johnstone, Jackson, MacDonald
15 November 1975 St. Johnstone A 5–1 9,500 Parlane, McKean, McLean, Jardine, McDonald (o.g.)
22 November 1975 Hibernian A 1–2 26,547 Young
29 November 1975 Dundee H 2–1 16,500 Henderson (2)
6 December 1975 Aberdeen A 0–1 19,565
13 December 1975 Ayr United H 3–0 15,500 Jardine (pen.), Henderson, McKean
20 December 1975 Motherwell H 3–2 25,000 Johnstone (2), Henderson
27 December 1975 Dundee United A 0–0 11,500
1 January 1976 Celtic H 1–0 57,839 Johnstone
3 January 1976 Heart of Midlothian A 2–1 24,000 Henderson (2)
10 January 1976 St. Johnstone H 4–0 20,209 Miller (pen.), Hamilton, Johnstone, McKean
17 January 1976 Hibernian H 2–0 40,761 Parlane, McLean
31 January 1976 Dundee A 1–1 14,407 Johnstone
7 February 1976 Aberdeen H 2–1 35,000 Henderson, MacDonald
21 February 1976 Ayr United A 1–0 18,000 McKean
28 February 1976 Motherwell A 1–0 25,241 Johnstone
20 March 1976 Heart of Midlothian H 3–1 31,698 Johnstone, Jackson, McLean
27 March 1976 St. Johnstone A 3–0 9,079 Johnstone (2), Greig
3 April 1976 Hibernian A 3–0 18,820 MacDonald, Henderson, Johnstone
10 April 1976 Dundee H 3–0 25,012 McKean, Greig, Johnstone
14 April 1976 Aberdeen A 0–0 17,968
17 April 1976 Ayr United H 2–1 25,602 MacDonald, Parlane
21 April 1976 Motherwell H 2–1 27,910 McLean, Henderson
24 April 1976 Dundee United A 1–0 17,000 Johnstone
26 April 1976 Celtic A 0–0 51,000
4 May 1976 Dundee United H 0–0 50,209

European Cup

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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
17 September 1975 R1 Bohemian H 4–1 25,000 Fyfe, O'Hara, Johnstone, Burke (o.g.)
1 October 1975 R1 Bohemian A 1–1 8,000 Johnstone
22 October 1975 R2 Saint-Etienne A 0–2 28,394
5 November 1975 R2 Saint-Etienne H 1–2 51,411 MacDonald

Scottish Cup

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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
24 January 1976 R3 East Fife H 3–0 30,106 MacDonald, Henderson, Hamilton
14 February 1976 R4 Aberdeen H 4–1 60,244 Johnstone, MacDonald, Henderson, Parlane
6 March 1976 QF Queen of the South A 5–0 18,700 McKean (2), Johnstone (2), Henderson
31 March 1976 SF Motherwell N 3–2 50,915 Miller (pen.), Johnstone (2)
1 May 1976 F Heart of Midlothian N 3–1 85,354 Johnstone (2), MacDonald

League Cup

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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 1975 SR Airdrieonians H 6–1 45,000 Jardine (3, 2 pen.), Stein, Parlane, Miller (pen.)
13 August 1975 SR Clyde A 1–0 28,000 Johnstone
16 August 1975 SR Motherwell H 1–1 31,500 Greig
20 August 1975 SR Clyde H 6–0 16,000 Parlane (2), Jackson, Miller (pen.),
Young, Johnstone
23 August 1975 SR Motherwell A 2–2 20,561 Jardine, Miller (pen.)
27 August 1975 SR Airdrieonians A 2–1 20,000 Johnstone, Young
10 September 1975 QF Queen of the South H 1–0 12,000 Johnstone
24 September 1975 QF Queen of the South A 2–2 7,500 Johnstone, MacDonald
8 October 1975 SF Montrose N 5–1 20,319 Parlane, Johnstone, Miller (pen.), Scott, Jardine
25 October 1975 F Celtic N 1–0 58,806 MacDonald

Appearances

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Player Position Appearances Goals
  Gordon Boyd FW 1 0
  Ally Dawson DF 6 0
  Jim Denny DF 12 0
  Tom Forsyth MF 37 0
  Graham Fyfe MF 6 1
  John Greig DF 55 3
  Johnny Hamilton MF 27 2
  Martin Henderson FW 33 13
  Colin Jackson DF 52 3
  Sandy Jardine DF 37 7
  Derek Johnstone DF 51 31
  Stewart Kennedy GK 14 0
  Peter McCloy GK 41 0
  Alex MacDonald MF 52 8
  Ian McDougall DF 7 1
  Bobby McKean MF 43 7
  Tommy McLean MF 52 4
  Alex Miller DF 44 6
  Alex O'Hara MF 7 1
  Derek Parlane FW 40 10
  Quinton Young MF 19 4
  Ally Scott FW 3 1
  Colin Stein FW 15 2

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Rangers (C) 36 23 8 5 60 24 +36 54 Qualification for the European Cup first round
2 Celtic 36 21 6 9 71 42 +29 48 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3 Hibernian 36 18 7 11 55 43 +12 43
4 Motherwell 36 16 8 12 57 49 +8 40
5 Heart of Midlothian 36 13 9 14 39 45 −6 35 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

See also

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References

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