Spring Cup

The Spring Cup was a Scottish football tournament played in 1976. It was introduced for members of Division One and Two of the Scottish Football League in the wake of league reconstruction in 1975, to be played after the conclusion of all the league fixtures at the end of the 1975–76 season. It derived its title from the season (spring) it was played in.

This article is about the football tournament. For other uses, see Spring Cup (disambiguation).
Spring Cup
SportFootball
Founded1976
No. of teams28
CountryScotland
Most recent
champion(s)		Airdrieonians

League reconstruction and foundation

When Scottish Football League member clubs voted in favour reconstruction in the summer of 1974, the format they approved was a three division structure of 10, 14 and 14 teams respectively, to be introduced at the beginning of the 1975–76 season. The new Divisions One and Two would now contain 14 teams, previously considered a difficult number for creating a balanced schedule. A 26-game programme (with every team playing each other home and away) was considered too short, a 52-game programme (with each team playing each other home and away twice) too congested. A 39-game schedule would leave an imbalance with sides having two fixtures at home against some teams, and one against others. The solution the Scottish Football League opted for was a 26-game calendar augmented by a supplementary cup competition, the "Spring Cup". The tournament, to be played at the season's end, was open only to teams from Divisions One and Two.

Format

The 28 Division One and Two clubs were divided into seven groups of 4 teams. These sides would play each other home and away, with two points awarded for a win and one for a draw, the top two sides in the group qualifying for the second round. In addition, the two third-placed sides with the best record would also qualify. The second round and quarter-finals were played on a two-leg, home and away basis, while the semi-finals and final were to be played at neutral venues.

1975–76 Spring Cup

Division One Airdrieonians won the competition, defeating Division Two Clydebank in the final. They had qualified from a group containing Brechin City, East Fife and Stranraer. In the second round they eliminated Dunfermline Athletic 5–4 on aggregate, while in the quarter-finals they beat Hamilton Academical. In the semi-final, a strike from Cairney and two own goals helped them defeat Morton 3–1 at Love Street.

First round

Group 1
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Airdrieonians 6411117+39
East Fife 6312105+57
Brechin City 613298+15
Stranraer 6114717-103
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Airdrieonians2–1Brechin City6 March 1976
Stranraer1–0East Fife6 March 1976
Brechin City4–0Stranraer13 March 1976
East Fife3–0Airdrieonians13 March 1976
East Fife2–0Brechin City20 March 1976
Stranraer0–1Airdrieonians20 March 1976
Airdrieonians1–0East Fife27 March 1976
Stranraer2–2Brechin City27 March 1976
Brechin City1–1Airdrieonians3 April 1976
East Fife4–2Stranraer3 April 1976
Airdrieonians6–2Stranraer10 April 1976
Brechin City1–1East Fife10 April 1976

Group 2
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Falkirk 6411105+59
Alloa Athletic 6231108+27
Kilmarnock 613256-1 5
Berwick Rangers 6033410-63
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Airdrieonians2–1Brechin City6 March 1976
Stranraer1–0East Fife6 March 1976
Brechin City4–0Stranraer13 March 1976
East Fife3–0Airdrieonians13 March 1976
East Fife2–0Brechin City20 March 1976
Stranraer0–1Airdrieonians20 March 1976
Airdrieonians1–0East Fife27 March 1976
Stranraer2–2Brechin City27 March 1976
Falkirk3–1Alloa Athletic3 April 1976
Kilmarnock3–1Berwick Rangers3 April 1976
Alloa Athletic2–0Berwick Rangers10 April 1976
Falkirk2–0Kilmarnock10 April 1976

Group 3
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
St Mirren 6501182+1610
Partick Thistle 6402145+98
Meadowbank Thistle 6213617-11 5
Forfar Athletic 6015515-101
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Forfar Athletic0–1Partick Thistle6 March 1976
Meadowbank Thistle0–4St Mirren6 March 1976
Partick Thistle5–0Meadowbank Thistle13 March 1976
St Mirren5–0Forfar Athletic13 March 1976
Forfar Athletic3–3Meadowbank Thistle20 March 1976
St Mirren1–2Partick Thistle20 March 1976
Forfar Athletic0–1St Mirren27 March 1976
Meadowbank Thistle2–1Partick Thistle27 March 1976
Partick Thistle4–2Forfar Athletic3 April 1976
St Mirren4–0Meadowbank Thistle3 April 1976
Meadowbank Thistle1–0Forfar Athletic10 April 1976
Partick Thistle1–3St Mirren10 April 1976

Group 4
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Dumbarton 6402127+58
Arbroath 630386+2 6
Albion Rovers 6303910-16
Stenhousemuir 6204610-44
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Stenhousemuir0–2Arbroath6 March 1976
Dumbarton4–1Albion Rovers10 March 1976
Albion Rovers1–0Stenhousemuir13 March 1976
Arbroath0–1Dumbarton13 March 1976
Albion Rovers1–0Arbroath20 March 1976
Stenhousemuir2–1Dumbarton20 March 1976
Dumbarton1–2Arbroath27 March 1976
Stenhousemuir2–3Albion Rovers27 March 1976
Arbroath0–1Stenhousemuir3 April 1976
Albion Rovers1–2Dumbarton7 April 1976
Arbroath3–2Albion Rovers10 April 1976
Dumbarton3–1Stenhousemuir10 April 1976

Group 5
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Queen's Park 623196+3 7
Dunfermline Athletic 631278-17
Hamilton Academical 622258-36
Cowdenbeath 620487+14
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Cowdenbeath3–0Hamilton Academical6 March 1976
Queen's Park1–1Dunfermline Athletic6 March 1976
Dunfermline Athletic1–0Cowdenbeath13 March 1976
Hamilton Academical1–1Queen's Park13 March 1976
Dunfermline Athletic1–2Hamilton Academical20 March 1976
Queen's Park2–0Cowdenbeath20 March 1976
Cowdenbeath4–0Dunfermline Athletic27 March 1976
Queen's Park1–1Hamilton Academical27 March 1976
Dunfermline Athletic2–1Queen's Park3 April 1976
Hamilton Academical1–0Cowdenbeath6 April 1976
Cowdenbeath1–3Queen's Park10 April 1976
Hamilton Academical0–2Dunfermline Athletic10 April 1976

Group 6
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Raith Rovers 6411129+39
Clydebank 6401156+9 8
Clyde 6213711-45
Queen of the South 6105614-82
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Clyde1–3Clydebank6 March 1976
Raith Rovers4–2Queen of the South10 March 1976
Clydebank1–2Raith Rovers13 March 1976
Queen of the South1–2Clyde13 March 1976
Clyde2–2Raith Rovers20 March 1976
Clydebank4–0Queen of the South20 March 1976
Queen of the South1–3Clydebank27 March 1976
Raith Rovers2–1Clyde27 March 1976
Clydebank3–0Clyde3 April 1976
Queen of the South2–0Raith Rovers3 April 1976
Clyde1–0Queen of the South10 April 1976
Raith Rovers2–1Clydebank10 April 1976

Group 7
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Montrose 64111511+49
Morton 6411117+4 9
East Stirlingshire 612448-44
Stirling Albion 6024610-42
Home Team Score Away Team Date
East Stirlingshire1–2Morton6 March 1976
Morton2–4Montrose13 March 1976
Stirling Albion0–0East Stirlingshire13 March 1976
Montrose3–0East Stirlingshire20 March 1976
Stirling Albion0–1Morton20 March 1976
East Stirlingshire2–1Stirling Albion27 March 1976
Montrose1–4Morton27 March 1976
Montrose3–2Stirling Albion31 March 1976
Stirling Albion2–3Montrose3 April 1976
Morton1–0East Stirlingshire7 April 1976
East Stirlingshire1–1Montrose10 April 1976
Morton1–1Stirling Albion10 April 1976

Second Rounds

First Leg
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Arbroath2–1Falkirk14 April 1976
Clydebank4–1Albion Rovers14 April 1976
Dunfermline Athletic4–2Airdrieonians14 April 1976
Montrose3–1Hamilton Academical14 April 1976
Morton1–1Queen's Park14 April 1976
Partick Thistle1–0East Fife14 April 1976
St Mirren3–0Alloa Athletic14 April 1976
Raith Rovers2–2Dumbarton17 April 1976

Second Leg
Home Team Score Away Team Date Agg
Airdrieonians3–0Dunfermline Athletic17 April 19765–4
Albion Rovers2–0Clydebank17 April 19763–4
Alloa Athletic1–4St Mirren17 April 19761–7
East Fife2–0Partick Thistle17 April 19762–1
Falkirk2–0Arbroath17 April 19763–2
Hamilton Academical6–3Montrose17 April 19767–6
Queen's Park2–3Morton17 April 19763–4
Dumbarton4–0Raith Rovers19 April 19766–2

Quarter-finals

First Leg
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Clydebank1–0East Fife21 April 1976
Dumbarton4–2Falkirk21 April 1976
Hamilton Academical0–4Airdrieonians21 April 1976
Morton1–0St Mirren21 April 1976

Second Leg
Home Team Score Away Team Date Agg
Airdrieonians5–0Hamilton Academical24 April 19769–0
East Fife1–0Clydebank24 April 19761–1[1]
Falkirk1–2Dumbarton24 April 19763–6
St Mirren0–1Morton24 April 19760–2

Semi-finals
Home Team Score Away Team Date
Airdrieonians3–1Morton28 April 1976
Clydebank3–1Dumbarton28 April 1976

Final
Airdrieonians4 – 2 (a.e.t.)Clydebank
McCulloch  74'  106',
McVeigh  105'
Walker  115'		 Larnach  2'  100'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: W Mullan (Dalkeith)

Demise

It quickly became apparent that the competition was not proving popular with spectators, and club directors began to talk of further change. The Scottish Football League itself seemed to have an ambiguous attitude to the competition, failing to have the trophy engraved before the first final. In May 1976, a motion forwarded by Albion Rovers to have a 39-game Division One and Two calendar, effectively ending the Spring Cup, was overwhelmingly backed, coming into force for the start of the 1976–77 season.

See also

References
  1. After Extra Time, Clydebank won on penalties
  • Crampsey, Bob (1990). Scottish Football League: The First 100 Years (Paperback). Scottish Football League. ISBN 0-9516433-0-4.
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