1977–78 in Scottish football

1977–78 in Scottish football
Premier Division champions
Rangers
First Division champions
Morton
Second Division champions
Clyde
Scottish Cup winners
Rangers
League Cup winners
Rangers
Junior Cup winners
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
Teams in Europe
Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Rangers
Scotland national team
1978 BHC, 1978 World Cup qualification, 1978 World Cup

The 1977–78 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Scotland and the 81st season of Scottish league football. In the Scottish Premier League, the Rangers F.C. were champions. Notable events included the Scotland national football team qualifying for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

Scottish Premier Division

Main article: 1977–78 Scottish Premier Division
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Rangers (C) 36 24 7 5 76 39 +37 55 Qualification for the European Cup first round
2 Aberdeen 36 22 9 5 68 29 +39 53 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
3 Dundee United 36 16 8 12 42 32 +10 40 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4 Hibernian 36 15 7 14 51 43 +8 37
5 Celtic 36 15 6 15 63 54 +9 36
6 Motherwell 36 13 7 16 45 52 −7 33
7 Partick Thistle 36 14 5 17 52 62 −10 33
8 St Mirren 36 11 8 17 52 63 −11 30
9 Ayr United (R) 36 9 6 21 36 68 −32 24 Relegation to the 1978–79 Scottish First Division
10 Clydebank (R) 36 6 7 23 23 64 −41 19
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Champions: Rangers
Relegated: Ayr United, Clydebank

Scottish League First Division

Main article: 1977–78 Scottish First Division
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Morton (C, P) 39 25 8 6 85 42 +43 58 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Heart of Midlothian (P) 39 24 10 5 77 42 +35 58
3 Dundee 39 25 7 7 91 44 +47 57
4 Dumbarton 39 16 17 6 65 48 +17 49
5 Stirling Albion 39 15 12 12 60 52 +8 42
6 Kilmarnock 39 14 12 13 52 46 +6 40
7 Hamilton Academical 39 12 12 15 54 56 −2 36
8 St Johnstone 39 15 6 18 52 64 −12 36
9 Arbroath 39 11 13 15 42 55 −13 35
10 Airdrieonians 39 12 10 17 50 64 −14 34
11 Montrose 39 10 9 20 55 71 −16 29
12 Queen of the South 39 8 13 18 44 68 −24 29
13 Alloa Athletic (R) 39 8 8 23 44 84 −40 24 Relegation to the Second Division
14 East Fife (R) 39 4 11 24 39 74 −35 19
Source: RSSSF and statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Promoted: Morton, Hearts
Relegated: Alloa, East Fife

Scottish League Second Division

Main article: 1977–78 Scottish Second Division
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion
1 Clyde (C, P) 39 21 11 7 71 32 +39 53 Promotion to the First Division
2 Raith Rovers (P) 39 19 15 5 63 34 +29 53
3 Dunfermline Ath 39 18 12 9 64 41 +23 48
4 Berwick Rangers 39 16 16 7 68 51 +17 48
5 Falkirk 39 15 14 10 51 46 +5 44
6 Forfar Athletic 39 17 8 14 61 55 +6 42
7 Queen's Park 39 13 15 11 52 51 +1 41
8 Albion Rovers 39 16 8 15 68 68 0 40
9 East Stirlingshire 39 15 8 16 55 65 −10 38
10 Cowdenbeath 39 13 8 18 75 78 −3 34
11 Stranraer 39 13 7 19 54 63 −9 33
12 Stenhousemuir 39 10 10 19 43 67 −24 30
13 Meadowbank Thistle 39 6 10 23 43 89 −46 22
14 Brechin City 39 7 6 26 45 73 −28 20
Source: "1977-1978 Second Division - SPFL Archive". SPFL. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Promoted: Clyde, Raith Rovers

Cup honours

Competition Winner Score Runner-up
Scottish Cup 1977–78 Rangers 2–1 Aberdeen
League Cup 1977–78 Rangers 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) Celtic
Junior Cup Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 1–0 Stonehouse Violet

Other Honours

National

Competition Winner Score Runner-up
Scottish Qualifying Cup – North Peterhead 2–0 Inverness Thistle
Scottish Qualifying Cup – South Gala Fairydean 3 – 2 * † Vale of Leithen

County

Competition Winner Score Runner-up
Aberdeenshire Cup Keith
Ayrshire Cup Ayr United 2–1 Kilmarnock
East of Scotland Shield Hibernian 4–0 Meadowbank Thistle
Fife Cup Dunfermline Athletic 2–0 Cowdenbeath
Renfrewshire Cup Morton 1 – 1 ‡ St Mirren
Stirlingshire Cup Stirling Albion 4–1 Clydebank

* – aggregate over two legs
† – play off
‡ – won on penalties

Highland League

Top Three
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Inverness Caledonian 30 23 3 4 85 40 +45 49
2 Peterhead 30 22 3 5 85 33 +52 47
3 Ross County 30 19 7 4 73 41 +32 45
Source: [citation needed]

Individual honours

Award Winner Club
Footballer of the Year Derek Johnstone Rangers
Players' Player of the Year Derek Johnstone Rangers
Young Player of the Year Graeme Payne Dundee United

Scottish national team

Main article: Scotland national football team 1960–79 results
Date Venue Opponents Score Competition Scotland scorer(s)
7 September 1977 Stadion der Weltjugend, East Berlin (A)  East Germany 0–1 Friendly
21 September 1977 Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Czechoslovakia 3–1 WCQG7 Joe Jordan, Asa Hartford, Kenny Dalglish
12 October 1977 Anfield, Liverpool (A)  Wales 2–0 WCQG7 Don Masson (pen.), Kenny Dalglish
22 February 1978 Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Bulgaria 2–1 Friendly Archie Gemmill (pen.), Ian Wallace
13 May 1978 Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Northern Ireland 1–1 BHC Derek Johnstone
17 May 1978 Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Wales 1–1 BHC Derek Johnstone
20 May 1978 Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)  England 0–1 BHC
3 June 1978 Córdoba (N)  Peru 1–3 WCG4 Joe Jordan
7 June 1978 Córdoba (N)  Iran 1–1 WCG4 own goal
11 June 1978 Estadio San Martin, Mendoza (N)  Netherlands 3–2 WCG4 Archie Gemmill (2, 1 pen.), Kenny Dalglish

1978 British Home Championship – Third Place

Key:

  • (H) = Home match
  • (A) = Away match
  • WCQG7 = World Cup qualifying – Group 7
  • WCG4 = World Cup – Group 4
  • BHC = British Home Championship

Notes and references

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "Scottish Division One 1977-1978 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. ^ Scotland's score is shown first.