1980–81 Rangers F.C. season

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 humiliation and embarrassment at the hands of English minnows, Chesterfield. The Third Division side held Rangers to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox before thumping 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

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
09 Aug 1980	Airdrieonians	A	1–1	16,000	MacDonald
16 Aug 1980	Partick Thistle	H	4–0	25,898	Cooper, McAdam, MacDonald, Jardine
23 Aug 1980	Celtic	A	2–1	58,000	Bett, Miller
06 Sep 1980	Dundee United	A	4–2	16,269	Cooper, McAdam, MacDonald, Hegarty (o.g.)
13 Sep 1980	Aberdeen	H	1–1	34,000	McAdam
20 Sep 1980	Kilmarnock	A	8–1	15,021	MacDonald (3), Redford (2, 1 (pen.)), McAdam, Jardine, Bett
27 Sep 1980	St. Mirren	H	2–0	30,000	Bett, Cooper
04 Oct 1980	Greenock Morton	A	2–2	15,000	Miller (pen), McAdam
11 Oct 1980	Heart of Midlothian	H	3–1	22,443	McAdam (2), Jefferies (o.g.)
18 Oct 1980	Airdrieonians	H	0–0	23,000
25 Oct 1980	Partick Thistle	A	1–1	14,250	McAdam
01 Nov 1980	Celtic	H	3–0	35,000	McAdam (2), MacDonald
08 Nov 1980	St. Mirren	A	0–0	17,362
15 Nov 1980	Kilmarnock	H	2–0	15,791	Johnston, Jardine
22 Nov 1980	Heart of Midlothian	A	0–0	16,315
29 Nov 1980	Greenock Morton	H	0–1	20,000
13 Dec 1980	Aberdeen	A	0–2	22,500
20 Dec 1980	Kilmarnock	A	1–1	9,172	Russell
01 Jan 1981	Partick Thistle	H	1–1	18,000	McAdam
03 Jan 1981	Airdrieonians	A	1–1	11,800	Dawson
10 Jan 1981	Greenock Morton	A	2–0	13,000	MacDonald, Redford
31 Jan 1981	Aberdeen	H	1–0	32,500	Johnstone
07 Feb 1981	Dundee United	A	1–2	14,328	MacDonald
21 Feb 1981	Celtic	A	1–3	52,800	Johnstone
28 Feb 1981	Airdrieonians	H	2–0	12,200	MacDonald, Redford
14 Mar 1981	Heart of Midlothian	A	1–2	11,500	Redford
18 Mar 1981	Dundee United	H	1–4	14,000	McAdam
21 Mar 1981	Kilmarnock	H	2–0	8,488	Redford, Russell
28 Mar 1981	St. Mirren	A	1–2	9,988	Dawson
01 Apr 1981	Greenock Morton	H	4–0	7,000	Johnstone (2), Redford, MacDonald
04 Apr 1981	Dundee United	H	2–1	16,000	Russell, Redford (pen.)
15 Apr 1981	St. Mirren	H	1–0	10,000	Russell
18 Apr 1981	Celtic	H	0–1	35,000
22 Apr 1981	Aberdeen	A	0–0	11,500
25 Apr 1981	Partick Thistle	A	1–1	7,077	Russell
02 May 1981	Heart of Midlothian	H	4–0	9,770	Bett, Russell, Redford, Johnston

Scottish Cup

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
24 Jan 1981	R3	Airdrieonians	A	5–0	16,054	Johnstone (2), Stevens, Redford, Bett
14 Feb 1981	R4	St. Johnstone	A	3–3	17,595	Redford (2), McAdam
18 Feb 1981	R4 R	St. Johnstone	H	3–1	30,000	McAdam (2), Stevens
07 Mar 1981	QF	Hibernian	H	3–1	26,345	Russell, McAdam, MacDonald
11 Apr 1981	SF	Greenock Morton	N	2–1	27,050	Jackson, Russell
09 May 1981	F	Dundee United	N	0–0	53,346
12 May 1981	F R	Dundee United	N	4–1	43,099	MacDonald (2), Cooper, Russell

League Cup

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
27 Aug 1980	R2	Forfar Athletic	A	2–0	4,500	McAdam (2)
30 Aug 1980	R2	Forfar Athletic	H	3–1	15,500	Miller (pen.), Johnstone, McAdam (pen.)
03 Sep 1980	R3	Aberdeen	H	1–0	33,000	McAdam
24 Sep 1980	R3	Aberdeen	A	1–3	23,926	McAdam

Appearances

Player	Position	Appearances	Goals
Peter McCloy	GK	34	0
Sandy Jardine	DF	42	3
Alex Forsyth	DF	1	0
Tom Forsyth	DF	30	0
Colin Jackson	DF	38	1
Jim Bett	MF	45	5
Davie Cooper	MF	34	4
Bobby Russell	MF	35	9
Colin McAdam	FW	40	21
Ian Redford	MF	46	12
John MacDonald	FW	38	14
Willie Johnston	MF	37	2
Derek Johnstone	FW	33	7
Tommy McLean	MF	34	0
Alex Miller	DF	33	3
Gregor Stevens	DF	14	2
Ally Dawson	DF	29	2
Billy MacKay	MF	6	0
Robert Clark	DF	1	0
Jim Stewart	GK	13	0

Rangers Football Club

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1980–81 Rangers F.C. season

Contents

Overview

Results

Scottish Premier Division

Scottish Cup

League Cup

Appearances

See also