The 1978–79 season was the 99th season of competitive football by Rangers.

Overview Rangers played a total of 61 competitive matches during the 1978–79 season. The early season league form was terrible as the team failed to win any of the first six league matches but a run was put together. Things began to unravel, however, as leadership of the league evaporated. The team had to settle for second place behind champions Celtic. The pivotal match was a 4–2 Old Firm defeat a Parkhead. There was success for Greig in the national cup competitions. Victory in the 1979 Scottish Cup Final over Hibernian required a second replay to separate the sides before Rangers eventually won 3–2. The 1979 Scottish League Cup Final ended in a 2–1 win for Rangers over a strong Aberdeen with goals from Alex MacDonald and Colin Jackson.

Wallace's treble-winning team of the previous season performed well in the European Cup. Rangers eliminated Juventus after defeating the Italians 2–1 on aggregate – the first time Rangers had ever recovered from a first-leg defeat to win a two-legged European tie. Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, the then UEFA Cup holders, were overcome in the next round (the club's first home defeat in European competition), before an injury-stricken Rangers side lost to Cologne at the quarter-final stage.

Results All results are written with Rangers' score first.

Scottish Premier Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 12 August 1978St MirrenH0–128,000 19 August 1978HibernianA0–023,000 26 August 1978Partick ThistleH0–024,500 9 September 1978CelticA1–360,000Parlane 16 September 1978AberdeenH1–127,000A. Forsyth (pen.) 23 September 1978Greenock MortonA2–216,500Parlane, Johnstone 30 September 1978MotherwellH4–126,000Smith (2), McLean, Johnstone 7 October 1978Dundee UnitedH1–127,000A. MacDonald 14 October 1978Heart of MidlothianA0–018,159 21 October 1978St MirrenA1–026,000A. Forsyth (pen) 28 October 1978HibernianH2–124,750A. Forsyth (pen), Smith 4 November 1978Partick ThistleA0–120,641 11 November 1978CelticH1–152,330A. Forsyth (pen) 18 November 1978AberdeenA0–026,000 25 November 1978Greenock MortonH3–021,500Johnstone, Cooper, Smith 9 December 1978Dundee UnitedA0–315,247 16 December 1978Heart of MidlothianH5–316,250Johnstone (4), Watson 23 December 1978St MirrenH1–022,500Johnstone 20 January 1979Greenock MortonA2–016,312A. MacDonald, Watson 10 February 1979Dundee UnitedH1–023,500Robertson 24 February 1979Heart of MidlothianA2–316,500Smith, Parlane 14 March 1979HibernianH1–016,000Smith 17 March 1979Partick ThistleA2–018,685Cooper, Urquhart 27 March 1979St MirrenA2–120,000Urquhart (2) 7 April 1979Greenock MortonH1–115,750Cooper 10 April 1979MotherwellH3–012,000Cooper, A. MacDonald, Smith 14 April 1979MotherwellA0–214,612 21 April 1979Dundee UnitedA2–120,264Dawson, Smith 25 April 1979AberdeenA1–220,000Smith 28 April 1979Heart of MidlothianH4–020,050Russell (3), Parlane 2 May 1979MotherwellA2–113,052Smith, Jackson 5 May 1979CelticH1–052,841A. MacDonald 7 May 1979AberdeenH2–032,000Smith, Cooper 21 May 1979CelticA2–452,000A. MacDonald, Russell 23 May 1979Partick ThistleH1–06,087Johnstone 31 May 1979HibernianA1–25,000Urquhart

European Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 13 September 1978R1JuventusA0–170,000 27 September 1978R1JuventusH2–044,000A. MacDonald, Smith 18 October 1978R2PSV EindhovenH0–044,000 1 November 1978R2PSV EindhovenA3–229,000A. MacDonald, Johnstone, Russell 6 March 1979QFCologneA0–150,000 22 March 1979QFCologneH1–144,000McLean

Scottish Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 12 February 1979R3MotherwellH3–119,000Johnstone, Jackson, Cooper 21 February 1979R4KilmarnockH1–117,500A. MacDonald 26 February 1979R4 RKilmarnockA1–019,493Urquhart 10 March 1979QFDundeeH6–328,000Jardine (pen.), A. MacDonald, Smith, T.Forsyth, Russell, Cooper 4 April 1979SFPartick ThistleN0–026,232 16 April 1979SF RPartick ThistleN1–032,294Johnstone 12 May 1979FHibernianN0–050,610 16 May 1979F RHibernianN0–033,504 28 May 1979F 2RHibernianN3–230,602Johnstone (2), Duncan (o.g.)

League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 16 August 1978R1Albion RoversH3–010,000Parlane, Johnstone, Smith 23 August 1978R1Albion RoversA1–06,500Parlane 30 August 1978R2Forfar AthleticH3–09,000Cooper, McLean, Smith 2 September 1978R2Forfar AthleticA4–15,919Smith (2), A. MacDonald, Cooper 4 October 1978R3St MirrenH3–220,000Cooper, Miller, Johnstone 11 October 1978R3St MirrenA0–024,000 8 November 1978QFArbroathH1–010,000Wells (o.g.) 15 November 1978QFArbroathA2–14,000Smith, Russell 13 December 1978SFCelticN3–249,432Jardine (pen.), Jackson, Casey (o.g.) 31 March 1979FAberdeenN2–160,000A. MacDonald, Jackson

Non-competitive

Tennent Caledonian Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 5 August 1978SFHeartsH3–1 6 August 1978FSouthamptonH4–1

Glasgow Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 24 March 1979 SFPartick ThistleH3–3*9,250Urquhart, McDonald 17 May 1979 FCelticH3–13,000J. MacDonald, Forsyth, Strickland

*Rangers won the match 4–3 on penalties

Appearances PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals Peter McCloyGK610 Sandy JardineDF602 Alex ForsythDF294 Tom ForsythDF331 Colin JacksonDF464 Alex MacDonaldMF5811 Tommy McLeanMF563 Bobby RussellMF617 Derek JohnstoneFW5316 Gordon SmithFW5718 Kenny WatsonMF222 Billy UrquhartFW205 Derek ParlaneFW436 Alex MillerDF331 Davie CooperMF4910 Ally DawsonDF361 Chris RobertsonFW21 John MacDonaldFW20 Davie ArmourDF30 Billy MacKayMF10 Eric MorrisDF10 Derek StricklandFW20 Jim DennyDF30

League table

See also 1978–79 in Scottish football 1978–79 Scottish Cup 1978–79 Scottish League Cup 1977–78 European Cup

References