The 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division season was the penultimate season of Scottish Premier Division football before the change to the Scottish Premier League. It began on 10 August 1996.
Overview The 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division season ended in success for Rangers who won the title by five points from nearest rivals Celtic to clinch nine titles in a row, equalling Celtic's record from the 1973–74 season. Raith Rovers were relegated to the First Division after finishing bottom. As champions, Rangers qualified for the Champions League while Celtic were joined by third-placed Dundee United in qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Seventh-placed Kilmarnock qualified for the penultimate Cup Winners' Cup as Scottish Cup winners.
The season began on 10 August with the first goal of the season scored by Dundee United's Gary McSwegan as they drew 1–1 at home to Motherwell. The season ended on 10 May with Celtic's Tommy Johnson netting a late goal to cap a 3–0 win at home to Dundee United to claim the final goal of the season.
Clubs Promotion and relegation from 1995–96 Promoted from First Division to Premier League Dunfermline Athletic Dundee United (via play-off)
Relegated from Premier Division to First Division Partick Thistle (via play-off) Falkirk
Stadia and locations
Team Location StadiumAberdeen Aberdeen Pittodrie StadiumCeltic Parkhead, Glasgow Celtic ParkDundee UnitedDundeeTannadice ParkDunfermline AthleticDunfermlineEast End ParkHeart of MidlothianGorgie, EdinburghTynecastle ParkHibernianLeith, EdinburghEaster RoadKilmarnockKilmarnockRugby ParkMotherwellMotherwellFir ParkRaith RoversKirkcaldyStark's ParkRangersIbrox, GlasgowIbrox Park
Managers Team ManagerAberdeen Roy AitkenCeltic Billy Stark (caretaker)Dundee United Tommy McLeanDunfermline Athletic Bert PatonHeart of Midlothian Jim JefferiesHibernian Jim DuffyKilmarnock Bobby WilliamsonMotherwell Alex McLeishRaith Rovers Steve Kirk Miodrag Krivokapić (joint caretakers)Rangers Walter Smith
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Manner of departure Incoming manager Date of appointmentRaith Rovers Jimmy Thomson24 August 1996Resigned Tommy McLean2 September 1996Hibernian Alex Miller30 September 1996Sacked Jocky Scott (interim) Jim Duffy (permanent)30 September 199630 December 1996Dundee United Billy Kirkwood10 September 1996Sacked Tommy McLean10 September 1996Raith Rovers Tommy McLean10 September 1996Signed by Dundee United Iain Munro20 September 1996Kilmarnock Alex Totten4 December 1996Sacked Bobby Williamson4 December 1996Raith Rovers Iain Munro14 April 1997Sacked Steve Kirk Miodrag Krivokapić (joint caretakers)16 April 1997Celtic Tommy Burns2 May 1997Resigned Billy Stark (caretaker)2 May 1997
Events 17 August: Ally McCoist hits the first hat-trick of the season in a 5–2 win at Dunfermline. 7 May: Rangers win the title with a 1–0 win at Dundee United
League table
Results
Matches 1–18 During matches 1–18 each team plays every other team twice (home and away).
Matches 19–36 During matches 19–36 each team plays every other team a further two times (home and away).
Play-off A two leg play-off took place between the 9th placed team in the Premier Division (Hibernian) and the runner-up of the First Division (Airdrieonians) for a place in the 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division.
Hibernian won the first leg 1–0 at Easter Road, and went on to win the second leg by 4 goals to 2 at Broadwood Stadium. Therefore, Hibernian maintained their Premier Division status for another season, 5–2 on aggregate.
Top scorers Player Goals Team Jorge Cadete 25 Celtic Brian Laudrup 16 Rangers Paul Wright 15 Kilmarnock Billy Dodds 14 Aberdeen John Robertson Hearts Pierre van Hooijdonk Celtic Gerry Britton 13 Dunfermline Athletic Paul Gascoigne Rangers Paolo Di Canio 12 Celtic Kjell Olofsson Dundee United Tommy Coyne 11 Motherwell Darren Jackson Hibernian Jörg Albertz 10 Rangers Ally McCoist Rangers Andy Smith Dunfermline Athletic Dean Windass Aberdeen Source: Soccerbot
Awards
Player awards
AwardWinnerClubPFA Players' Player of the Year CelticPFA Young Player of the Year Dundee UnitedSFWA Footballer of the Year Rangers
Manager awards
AwardWinnerClubSFWA Manager of the Year Rangers
Attendances
References