1980–81 Rangers F.C. season explained

Club:Rangers
Season:1980–81
Manager:John Greig
Chairman:Rae Simpson
Stdtitle:Ground
Stadium:Ibrox Park
League:Scottish Premier Division
League Result:3rd
P36 W16 D12 L8 F60 A32 Pts44
Cup1:Scottish Cup
Cup1 Result:Winners
Cup2 Result:Third round
Cup3 Result:Quarter-final
Cup4 Result:Semi-final
Season Topscorer:
Colin McAdam (21)
League Topscorer:
Colin McAdam (12)
Prevseason:1979–80
Nextseason:1981–82

The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football by Rangers.

Overview

Rangers played a total of 47 competitive matches during the 1980–81 season. The summer of 1980 saw Greig bring in Jim Bett from Lokeren for £150,000. Bett was joined by Colin McAdam a £165,000 signing from Partick Thistle. The side got off to a good start in the league, going on a fifteen match unbeaten run, including two Old Firm wins, was to end in November. A disastrous run in November and December all but ended the title challenge as the team finished third, twelve points behind champions Celtic.

The League Cup campaign was halted after a controversial defeat to Aberdeen in a match where the Dons were awarded two contentious penalties. Due to having no European participation, Rangers entered the Anglo-Scottish Cup which led to a defeat at the hands of English minnows, Chesterfield. The Third Division side held Rangers to a 1–1 draw at Ibrox before defeating Rangers 3–0 in the away leg at Saltergate. Rangers did win the 1981 Scottish Cup Final after beating Dundee United 4–1 in a final replay. After a tedious 0–0 draw where Ian Redford missed a last minute penalty, Rangers won the replay with goals from Davie Cooper, a John MacDonald double and Bobby Russell.

Results

All results are written with Rangers' score first.

Scottish Premier Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1980AirdrieoniansA1–116,000MacDonald
16 August 1980Partick ThistleH4–025,898Cooper, McAdam, MacDonald, Jardine
23 August 1980CelticA2–158,102Bett, Miller
6 September 1980Dundee UnitedA4–216,269Cooper, McAdam, MacDonald, Hegarty (o.g.)
13 September 1980AberdeenH1–134,000McAdam
20 September 1980KilmarnockA8–115,021MacDonald (3), Redford (2, 1 (pen.)), McAdam, Jardine, Bett
27 September 1980St MirrenH2–030,000Bett, Cooper
4 October 1980MortonA2–215,000Miller (pen), McAdam
11 October 1980Heart of MidlothianH3–122,443McAdam (2), Jefferies (o.g.)
18 October 1980AirdrieoniansH0–023,000
25 October 1980Partick ThistleA1–114,250McAdam
1 November 1980CelticH3–036,000McAdam (2), MacDonald
8 November 1980St MirrenA0–017,362
15 November 1980KilmarnockH2–025,791Johnston, Jardine
22 November 1980Heart of MidlothianA0–016,315
29 November 1980MortonH0–120,000
13 December 1980AberdeenA0–222,500
20 December 1980KilmarnockA1–19,172Russell
1 January 1981Partick ThistleH1–121,326McAdam
3 January 1981AirdrieoniansA1–111,800Dawson
10 January 1981MortonA2–013,000MacDonald, Redford
31 January 1981AberdeenH1–032,500Johnstone
7 February 1981Dundee UnitedA1–214,328MacDonald
21 February 1981CelticA1–352,800Johnstone
28 February 1981AirdrieoniansH2–012,200MacDonald, Redford
14 March 1981Heart of MidlothianA1–211,500Redford
18 March 1981Dundee UnitedH1–414,000McAdam
21 March 1981KilmarnockH2–08,488Redford, Russell
28 March 1981St MirrenA1–29,988Dawson
1 April 1981MortonH4–07,202Johnstone (2), Redford, MacDonald
4 April 1981Dundee UnitedH2–116,000Russell, Redford (pen.)
15 April 1981St MirrenH1–010,000Russell
18 April 1981CelticH0–136,000
22 April 1981AberdeenA0–011,500
25 April 1981Partick ThistleA1–17,077Russell
2 May 1981Heart of MidlothianH4–09,770Bett, Russell, Redford, Johnston

Scottish Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
24 January 1981R3AirdrieoniansA5–016,054Johnstone (2), Stevens, Redford, Bett
14 February 1981R4St JohnstoneA3–317,595Redford (2), McAdam
18 February 1981R4 RSt JohnstoneH3–130,000McAdam (2), Stevens
7 March 1981QFHibernianH3–126,345Russell, McAdam, MacDonald
11 April 1981SFMortonN2–127,050Jackson, Russell
9 May 1981FDundee UnitedN0–053,346
12 May 1981F RDundee UnitedN4–143,099MacDonald (2), Cooper, Russell

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
27 August 1980R2 L1Forfar AthleticA2–04,500McAdam (2)
30 August 1980R2 L2Forfar AthleticH3–115,500Miller (pen.), Johnstone, McAdam (pen.)
3 September 1980R3 L1AberdeenH1–033,000McAdam
24 September 1980R3 L2AberdeenA1–323,926McAdam

Anglo-Scottish Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
30 July 1980R1 L1Partick ThistleH3–1MacDonald (2), Jardine
6 August 1980R1 L2Partick ThistleA2–3
13 October 1980R2 L1ChesterfieldH1–1Dalziel
28 October 1980R2 L2ChesterfieldA0–3

Glasgow Cup

Appearances

PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals
Peter McCloyGK340
Jim StewartGK130
Sandy JardineDF423
Alex ForsythDF10
Tom ForsythDF300
Colin JacksonDF381
Alex MillerDF333
Gregor StevensDF142
Ally DawsonDF292
Jim BettMF455
Davie CooperMF344
Bobby RussellMF359
Colin McAdamFW4021
Ian RedfordMF4612
John MacDonaldFW3814
Willie JohnstonMF372
Derek JohnstoneFW337
Tommy McLeanMF340
Billy MacKayMF60
Robert ClarkDF10

See also

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1980–81 Rangers F.C. season".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.