The 1972–73 season was the 93rd season of competitive football by Rangers.
Overview Rangers played a total of 53 competitive matches during the 1972–73 season. The season was the club's centenary year. After a stuttering start to the league campaign, three defeats and a draw from the first six matches, the sides fortunes greatly improved. From October to the end of the season Rangers suffered only one league defeat, at home to Hearts on 2 December 1972, and went on a run of sixteen wins. However this run was not enough to become league champions as the side finished second, one point behind Celtic.
In the cup competitions, the Scottish Cup campaign was to culminate in a 3–2 win over Celtic. The final was attended by Princess Alexandra along with 122,714 other spectators. It was Rangers first Scottish Cup win in seven years. The League Cup run was ended in the semi-finals at the hands of Hibernian after a 1–0 defeat.
This season also saw Rangers compete in the first ever European Super Cup. The side played the European Cup holders Ajax in January 1973. The Dutch side were the only continental opposition the side faced that season due to the club's European competition ban. In the end Ajax proved too strong and recorded a 6–3 aggregate win, with Rangers losing 1–3 at Ibrox and 3–2 in Amsterdam.
Results All results are written with Rangers' score first.
Scottish First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 2 September 1972Ayr UnitedA1–214,500Johnston 9 September 1972Partick ThistleH2–135,000MacDonald, Johnston 16 September 1972CelticA1–350,416Greig 23 September 1972FalkirkH1–028,798McLean (pen.) 30 September 1972KilmarnockA1–210,643McLean 7 October 1972MortonH1–130,000Fyfe 14 October 1972MotherwellA2–017,621Young, Parlane (pen.) 21 October 1972ArbroathA2–18,400Parlane, Mason 28 October 1972St. JohnstoneH5–124,202Conn (2), Parlane (2), Johnstone 4 November 1972DundeeA1–119,600Conn 11 November 1972AirdrieoniansH1–022,201Conn 18 November 1972HibernianA2–133,356Conn, Fyfe 25 November 1972DumbartonH3–124,500Young, Conn, Jardine 2 December 1972Heart of MidlothianH0–127,350 9 December 1972Dundee UnitedA4–112,500Parlane (2), Conn, Jardine 16 December 1972AberdeenH0–026,375 23 December 1972East FifeA4–08,608Johnstone (2), Young, Parlane 30 December 1972Ayr UnitedH2–127,653Conn, Parlane 1 January 1973Partick ThistleA1–018,500Young 6 January 1973CelticH2–172,479Parlane, Conn 13 January 1973FalkirkA4–217,000Young (2), Parlane (pen.), Conn 20 January 1973KilmarnockH4–024,515Parlane (2), Young, Greig 27 January 1973MortonA2–116,000MacDonald, Young 10 February 1973MotherwellH2–127,000Young, Jardine 19 February 1973ArbroathH5–025,662Parlane (2), Young, Greig, Miller 3 March 1973St. JohnstoneA2–112,000Miller, Mason 10 March 1973DundeeH3–132,500Parlane (2), MacDonald 20 March 1973AirdrieoniansA6–220,000Parlane, Greig, Johnstone, McLean, MacDonald, Young 24 March 1973HibernianH1–051,226McLean 31 March 1973DumbartonA2–113,000Young, Parlane 7 April 1973Heart of MidlothianA1–024,064Greig 14 April 1973Dundee UnitedH2–138,000Greig (2) 21 April 1973AberdeenA2–233,000McLean, Conn 28 April 1973 East FifeH2–027,544Young, Conn
European Super Cup DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 16 January 1973 AjaxH1–358,199MacDonald 24 January 1973 AjaxA2–343,000MacDonald, Young
Scottish Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 3 February 1973R3Dundee UnitedH1–035,657Young 24 February 1973R4HibernianH1–163,889Johnstone 28 February 1973R4 RHibernianA2–149,007McLean (2, 1 pen.) 17 March 1973QFAirdrieoniansH2–035,500Parlane (pen.), Young 4 April 1973SFAyr UnitedN2–051,815Parlane (2) 5 May 1973FCelticN3–2122,714Parlane, Conn, Forsyth
League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 12 August 1972SRClydebankH2–026,240Conn, MacDonald 16 August 1972SRSt. MirrenA4–015,000Johnstone, Greid, Stein, Conn 19 August 1972SRAyr UnitedH2–125,000Johnstone, Parlane 23 August 1972SRSt. MirrenH1–420,000Conn 26 August 1972SRClydebankA5–09,000 30 August 1972SRAyr UnitedA2–115,000Johnston, Johnstone 20 September 1972R2StenhousemuirA5–03,650Johnstone (3), Parlane, Greig 4 October 1972R2StenhousemuirH1–26,000Fyfe 11 October 1972QFSt. JohnstoneH1–115,000Parlane 1 November 1972QFSt. JohnstoneA2–012,300Young, Parlane (pen.) 22 November 1972SFHibernianN0–146,513
Appearances PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals Peter McCloyGK520 Sandy JardineDF532 Willie MathiesonDF530 John GreigDF4810 Colin JacksonDF140 Derek JohnstoneDF4710 Tommy McLeanMF388 Jim DennyDF90 Willie JohnstonFW95 Colin SteinFW82 Graham FyfeMF133 Alex MacDonaldMF457 Dave SmithMF451 Alfie ConnMF3014 Derek ParlaneFW4527 George DonaldsonMF90 Quinton YoungMF3717 Tom ForsythMF291 Joe MasonFW172 Gerry NeefGK10 Alex MillerDF42 Andy PenmanMF20 Iain McDonaldMF10 Phil BonnymanMF10
See also 1972–73 in Scottish football 1972–73 Scottish Cup 1972–73 Scottish League Cup 1972 European Super Cup
References