1980–81 Rangers F.C. season

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

Rangers
1980-81 season
ChairmanRae Simpson
ManagerJohn Greig
GroundIbrox Park
Scottish Premier Division3rd
P36 W16 D12 L8 F60 A32 Pts44
Scottish CupWinners
League CupThird Round
Anglo-Scottish CupQuarter-final
Glasgow CupSemi-final
Top goalscorerLeague:
Colin McAdam (12)
All:
Colin McAdam (21)

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 1980CelticA2–158,000Bett, 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 1980KilmarnockH2–015,791Johnston, 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 ThistleH1–118,000McAdam
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 1981MortonH4–07,000Johnstone (2), Redford, MacDonald
4 April 1981Dundee UnitedH2–116,000Russell, Redford (pen.)
15 April 1981St MirrenH1–010,000Russell
18 April 1981CelticH0–135,000
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
DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
12 January 1981SFPartick ThistleA0–14,000

Appearances
Player Position Appearances Goals
Peter McCloy GK 340
Jim Stewart GK 130
Sandy Jardine DF 423
Alex Forsyth DF 10
Tom Forsyth DF 300
Colin Jackson DF 381
Alex Miller DF 333
Gregor Stevens DF 142
Ally Dawson DF 292
Jim Bett MF 455
Davie Cooper MF 344
Bobby Russell MF 359
Colin McAdam FW 4021
Ian Redford MF 4612
John MacDonald FW 3814
Willie Johnston MF 372
Derek Johnstone FW 337
Tommy McLean MF 340
Billy MacKay MF 60
Robert Clark DF 10

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Celtic (C) 36 26 4 6 84 37 +47 56 Qualification for the European Cup first round
2 Aberdeen 36 19 11 6 61 26 +35 49 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3 Rangers 36 16 12 8 60 32 +28 44 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
4 St Mirren 36 18 8 10 56 47 +9 44
5 Dundee United 36 17 9 10 66 42 +24 43 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion.

See also
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