Rangers FC: Season 1974/75

Beer Belly Loyal

Well-Known Member
An 18 club league with teams facing each other home and away. no silly unfair split in those days, 2 Points for a win, all teams played at the same time, no moving matches for tv.

The Bheasts were going for 10iar, league fixtures kicked off on August 31.

Rangers didn't have the best of starts held 1-1 at Somerset Park while Celtic opened with a 5-0 win at home to Killie as Hibs won 3-2 at Pittodrie.

The following week 7th Sept Rangers beat Partick 3-2, Celtic and Hibs also recorded victories.

14th Sept, we now go to Parkhead where Rangers hadn't had a league victory there since 1968, Dalglish fired them into an early lead, h-t 1-0. Rangers hit back in the second half with goals from Iain McDougall and Colin Jackson, the match finished 1-2 to The Famous. A 5-1 win for Hibs at Firhill took them top of the league.

The next 5 games saw both Rangers & Celtic take full points, Rangers recorded 6-0 and 6-1 wins at Kilmarnock and Dunfermline respectfully, Derek Parlane netting 5 goals at East End Park, which included a second half 15 minute hat-trick. Hibs lost ground with a home loss to St Johnstone, a draw with Dundee and a 0-5 hammering from Celtic.

Table:
Rangers .8 7 1 0 26 8 15
Celtic .... 8 7 0 1 26 9 14
Hibs ......8 5 1 2 19 12 11

With Celtic and Hibs contesting the League Cup Final, Rangers had the chance to stretch their lead further at the top with a visit to Tynecastle, Hearts led 1-0 at the break, Sandy Jardine rescued a point with a 66th minute penalty. At Hampden Celtic were thrashing Hibs 6-3 to lift the League Cup.

Rangers went on to bag full points from their next three games as both Celtic and Hibs were dropping a point during the same period which included their games in hand.
23rd November: It was to be unlucky 13 for Rangers as they suffered a 0-1 defeat at Ibrox to Hibs, Joe Harper grabbing the winner deep into the second half. Hearts held Celtic to a 1-1 draw, it was enough to put them top on goal difference.

Table:
Celtic ....13 10 2 1 36 11 22
Rangers .13 10 2 1 35 11 22
Hibs ......13 8 3 2 28 14 19

The next 3 games would see Celtic and Rangers swapping places on GD as each recorded victories, Hibs were falling further behind with a no-scoring draw at Airdrie sandwiched between two home wins.

Four days before Christmas Rangers suffered a devastating defeat to Airdrie going down 4-3 in a tense match at Broomfield, wins for Celtic & Hibs added to the pain of that loss.

28th December: Rangers 3 Ayr United 0, Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 1, Hibs 0 Aberdeen 1.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (We hoped)

1st January: Thistle 0 Rangers 4, Celtic 5 Clyde 1, Hearts 0 Hibs 0.

Table:
Celtic ....19 16 2 1 54 14 34
Rangers .19 15 2 2 54 18 32
Hibs ......19 11 5 3 34 16 27

Next game Ibrox v them, defeat would be unthinkable, confidence was high due to the earlier win at Parkhead.
Rangers won well and deservedly. Jock Wallace's match-winning stroke was to play without a left-back. John Greig was moved into a defensive midfield position cutting off Dalglish's work at source.
Goals from Johnstone (6) McLean (50) and Parlane (74) secured a 3-0 victory and put Rangers back to the top of the league on GD. This was the turning point of the season - Celtic suffered another loss in the next match at home to Motherwell 2-3 as Rangers were stuffing Dumbarton at Boghead 5-1 which featured a Tommy McLean hat-trick, Parlane & Johnstone the other goalscorers.

Table:
Rangers .21 17 2 2 62 19 36
Celtic ....21 16 2 3 56 20 34
Hibs ......21 12 6 3 39 19 30

Over the course of the next five games Rangers increased their lead further when Hibs dumped Celtic at Easter Road to gain some revenge for the heavy defeats handed out to them in both the League and the Cup.

Table:
Rangers .26 20 4 2 72 25 44
Celtic ....26 18 4 4 69 29 40
Hibs ......26 15 7 4 49 26 37

Rangers now had one hand on the title but were not sitting back, the club brought home Barcelona '72 hero Colin Stein from Coventry City for an £80,000 fee. Rangers romped to three more consecutive wins as Celtic collapsed with back-to-back losses to Aberdeen and Dundee United and surrendered 2nd place to Hibs.

Table:
Rangers .29 23 4 2 78 26 50
Hibs ......29 17 7 5 57 28 41
Celtic ....29 18 4 7 71 34 40

March 29th 1975: A point was all that was required to clinch the title, a title that Rangers fans had been waiting 11 long years for.

Rangers team for Easter Road: Kennedy; Jardine, Jackson, Forsyth, Miller; McKean, MacDonald, Johnstone; McLean, Stein, Parlane.

Hibs took the lead on the 19th minute - a McLeod header from a Schaedler cross, Rangers were then awarded a penalty - Jardine hit a post with the effort - tensions were high. Into the second half Rangers needing a goal, 61 minutes Bobby McKean sends over a cross, Stein meets it with his head - GOAAAAL...! "Colin Colin Colin Stein, Colin, Colin Stein" filled the air, the fans were ecstatic! Rangers dominated the final stages.
As the game drew to a close Jock Wallace sent on the injured John Greig in place of Jardine to soak in the final seconds. The referee blew the final whistle - Rangers were the Champions!

Rangers had lost only 2 games during the march to the Title with four matches still to play. Rangers ended the campaign with defeat to Airdrieonians, who had already dealt them what seemed a serious damaging blow in that game just four days before Christmas.

Final table:
Rangers .34 25 6 3 86 33 56
Hibs ......34 20 9 5 71 34 49
Celtic ....34 20 5 9 81 41 45
 
the game at dens park a fortnight before we went to easter rd ,was when I knew we were going to win it,,1 down at half time and down to 10 men,,we came out fired up in the second half and got our 2 goals, not sure of the crowd that day but at least 75% of the crowd were bears
 
After 10 years of the League being away from Ibrox, 1974-75 was very special to us. The 3-0 New Year victory against Celtic gave us the hope and belief that the wheel was finally turning in our favour. As it will again one day.
 
After 10 years of the League being away from Ibrox, 1974-75 was very special to us. The 3-0 New Year victory against Celtic gave us the hope and belief that the wheel was finally turning in our favour. As it will again one day.
was at that game with the townhead club with my dad in the east enclosure, wee calimeros cross for dj headed goal was sublime as good a cross as I have ever seen
 
I was only a young boy then but a few good memories of that season. One that sticks in my mind is my dad coming in off the night shift with the papers announcing the return of Colin Stein. His first match back was versus St. Johnstone at Ibrox which finished 1-0 ( I think Cutty Young scored) and attendance was 45,000 which I think outwith Celtic games was massive for the time.
 
the game at dens park a fortnight before we went to easter rd ,was when I knew we were going to win it,,1 down at half time and down to 10 men,,we came out fired up in the second half and got our 2 goals, not sure of the crowd that day but at least 75% of the crowd were bears
30,000 crowd mate...aye Dundee scored straight from the k.o, wee McLean equalised just after h-t then 'Born is the King' notched the winner 6 minutes from time.
 
The memories!

Colin Jackson's winner at the piggery.
Tommy McLean's masterclass on a mudheap at New Year.
Bobby McKean scoring a thunderbolt at Rugby Park.
Colin Stein sending tens of thousands of bears into ecstasy.
Jock Wallace bringing his injured captain on for the last few minutes at Easter Road.
And John Greig on a chariot!
 
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Thanks for posting. Brought back a lot of memories. My first season of going to most of the games. The game against St Jonston was packed. We wore red shirts. Culminated in the never to be forgotten day at Easter Road.
 
Great memories and the first time we won the league in my lifetime. One of the best performances of the season was at Rugby Park:


 
Colin Jackson's winner at the piggery.
Tommy McLean's masterclass on a mudheap at New Year.
Bobby McKean scoring a thunderbolt at Rugby Park.
Colin Stein sending tens of thousands of bears into ecstasy.
Jock Wallace bringing his injured captain on for the last few minutes at Easter Road.
And John Greig on a chariot![/QUOTE]


 
the game at dens park a fortnight before we went to easter rd ,was when I knew we were going to win it,,1 down at half time and down to 10 men,,we came out fired up in the second half and got our 2 goals, not sure of the crowd that day but at least 75% of the crowd were bears
22,700 that day at Dens
 
Highlights of a great season
Home and away Celtic games . 1st league win for me at Parkhead.
Always remember away to Dumbarton after New game standing behind goal when Tommy McLean hit hat trick thinking this was our year.
Easter road celebrations, standing on the massive side terrace.
After the Airdrie home game my own personal highlight was won a prize from the lucky numbers programmes. Turned up at Ibrox midweek after school to collect a prize, on arrival at front door sent up marble staircase to meet Jock Wallace in his office.
He then told me to choose from a selection of football souvenirs (plus a few bottles of Bell's) , I then asked if ok to have a Bottle of whisky for my Dad as he took me to home and away games.
He said in typical Jock Wallace style "ok son as long as you don't drink it on the way home "
 
the game at dens park a fortnight before we went to easter rd ,was when I knew we were going to win it,,1 down at half time and down to 10 men,,we came out fired up in the second half and got our 2 goals, not sure of the crowd that day but at least 75% of the crowd were bears

would love to see TV highlights from that game.
as a mere youth I made it onto the pitch to avoid the 'barney' in the Derry
 
Glad to hear my first full season on planet Earth was a successful one for us Bears! RTID and beyond!
 
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