# 1981–82 Rangers F.C. season

The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football by Rangers.

## Overview

Rangers played a total of 55 competitive matches during the 1981–82 season. Greig's fourth season in charge ended yet again without the league championship. Rangers finished third, twelve points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic who were champions. There was an apparent lack of ambition at the club due a lack of transfer funds which were being directed towards the redevelopment of Ibrox Park. There was the surprise signing of Northern Ireland international John McClelland from Mansfield Town. The Ulsterman proved to be a shrewd acquisition and later became the club captain. European participation was halted by Dukla Prague who soundly beat the team 3–0 in Prague and a 2–1 second leg win for Rangers was not enough for the team to progress. The domestic cup competitions provided successful ground as Rangers reached both finals. The team lost the 1982 Scottish Cup Final 4–1 to Aberdeen despite taking the lead in the match. The game went into extra-time where the Dons added a trio. Rangers did win the 1981 Scottish League Cup Final by defeating Dundee United 2–1 with goals from Davie Cooper and Ian Redford.

## Results

All results are written with Rangers' score first.

### Scottish Premier Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 29 August 1981 | Partick Thistle | A | 1–0 | 19,159 | McLean (pen) |
| 5 September 1981 | Hibernian | H | 2–2 | 23,500 | Bett, Cooper |
| 12 September 1981 | St Mirren | A | 1–1 | 15,652 | MacDonald |
| 19 September 1981 | Celtic | H | 0–2 | 40,900 | |
| 3 October 1981 | Airdrieonians | H | 4–1 | 12,500 | Bett (2), Johnstone, Jardine |
| 10 October 1981 | Aberdeen | H | 0–0 | 30,000 | |
| 17 October 1981 | Dundee | A | 3–2 | 11,956 | MacDonald (2), Russell |
| 24 October 1981 | Morton | H | 1–1 | 21,000 | Russell |
| 31 October 1981 | Partick Thistle | H | 0–2 | 17,000 | |
| 7 November 1981 | Hibernian | A | 2–1 | 14,685 | Bett (2, 1 pen) |
| 11 November 1981 | Dundee United | A | 0–2 | 16,138 | |
| 14 November 1981 | St Mirren | H | 4–1 | 18,000 | Johnstone, Russell, Bett (pen), Cooper |
| 21 November 1981 | Celtic | A | 3–3 | 48,600 | Dalziel, Bett, MacDonald |
| 5 December 1981 | Airdrieonians | A | 2–2 | 13,750 | MacDonald, Russell |
| 19 December 1981 | Dundee | H | 2–1 | 11,000 | Bett, McAdam |
| 9 January 1982 | Celtic | H | 1–0 | 44,000 | Bett (pen) |
| 16 January 1982 | Dundee United | H | 2–0 | 23,000 | Dalziel, Cooper |
| 30 January 1982 | Hibernian | H | 1–1 | 20,000 | Johnstone |
| 17 February 1982 | Partick Thistle | A | 0–2 | 6,513 | |
| 20 February 1982 | Dundee United | A | 1–1 | 12,945 | Dawson |
| 27 February 1982 | Morton | H | 3–0 | 10,200 | MacDonald, Dalziel, MacKay |
| 10 March 1982 | St Mirren | A | 3–2 | 8,633 | Johnstone (2), Bett (pen) |
| 13 March 1982 | Aberdeen | H | 1–3 | 25,000 | Johnstone |
| 17 March 1982 | Morton | A | 0–0 | 4,579 | |
| 20 March 1982 | Partick Thistle | H | 4–1 | 13,000 | Johnstone, Russell, Bett (pen), MacDonald |
| 27 March 1982 | Hibernian | A | 0–0 | 12,390 | |
| 31 March 1982 | Airdrieonians | H | 1–0 | 8,000 | MacDonald |
| 10 April 1982 | Celtic | A | 1–2 | 49,144 | Johnstone |
| 14 April 1982 | Dundee | A | 1–3 | 7,975 | MacDonald |
| 17 April 1982 | Airdrieonians | A | 1–0 | 10,000 | MacDonald |
| 21 April 1982 | Aberdeen | A | 1–3 | 15,700 | Johnstone |
| 24 April 1982 | Dundee United | H | 1–1 | 12,000 | MacDonald |
| 1 May 1982 | Morton | A | 3–1 | 6,500 | MacDonald (2), Russell |
| 5 May 1982 | St Mirren | H | 3–0 | 6,000 | MacDonald, McAdam, Redford |
| 8 May 1982 | Dundee | H | 4–0 | 8,500 | Dalziel (3), Redford |
| 15 May 1982 | Aberdeen | A | 0–4 | 16,200 | |

### Cup Winners' Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 16 September 1981 | R1 | Dukla Prague | A | 0–3 | 22,500 | |
| 30 September 1981 | R1 | Dukla Prague | H | 2–1 | 35,000 | Bett, MacDonald |

### Scottish Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 6 February 1982 | R3 | Albion Rovers | H | 6–2 | 9,200 | Johnstone, MacDonald, Russell, McAdam, McPherson (pen), Redford |
| 13 February 1982 | R4 | Dumbarton | H | 4–0 | 15,000 | Jardine (2), McAdam, Johnstone |
| 6 March 1982 | QF | Dundee | H | 2–0 | 16,500 | Johnstone, McAdam |
| 3 April 1982 | SF | Forfar Athletic | N | 0–0 | 15,878 | |
| 6 April 1982 | SF R | Forfar Athletic | N | 3–1 | 11,864 | Johnstone, Bett, Cooper |
| 22 May 1982 | F | Aberdeen | N | 1–4 | 53,788 | MacDonald |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 8 August 1981 | SR | Morton | A | 1–1 | 11,500 | McAdam |
| 12 August 1981 | SR | Dundee | H | 4–1 | 13,500 | McAdam, Johnstone, Miller, MacDonald |
| 15 August 1981 | SR | Raith Rovers | H | 8–1 | 18,000 | Redford (4), Russell (2), Jardine, McAdam |
| 19 August 1981 | SR | Dundee | A | 2–1 | 9,124 | Stevens, McGeachie (og) |
| 22 August 1981 | SR | Morton | H | 1–0 | 30,000 | Johnstone |
| 26 August 1981 | SR | Raith Rovers | A | 3–1 | 6,000 | Redford, Johnstone, MacDonald |
| 2 September 1981 | QF | Brechin City | A | 4–0 | 7,000 | Russell, Jackson, McLean (pen), Redford |
| 23 September 1981 | QF | Brechin City | H | 1–0 | 5,000 | MacDonald |
| 7 October 1981 | SF | St Mirren | A | 2–2 | 14,058 | McAdam, MacDonald |
| 28 October 1981 | SF | St Mirren | H | 2–1 | 28,000 | Bett (pen), MacDonald |
| 28 November 1981 | F | Dundee United | N | 2–1 | 53,777 | Cooper, Redford |

### Glasgow Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 12 December 1981 | SF | Clyde | H | 2–0 | 4,500 | Redford (2) |
| 13 May 1982 | F | Celtic | H | 1–2 | 5,000 | Garner (own goal) |

## Appearances

| Player | Position | Appearances | Goals |
| Peter McCloy | GK | 13 | 0 |
| Jim Stewart | GK | 42 | 0 |
| Sandy Jardine | DF | 52 | 4 |
| Alex Miller | DF | 27 | 1 |
| Gregor Stevens | DF | 22 | 1 |
| Tom Forsyth | DF | 21 | 0 |
| Jim Bett | MF | 51 | 14 |
| Davie Cooper | MF | 47 | 5 |
| Bobby Russell | MF | 49 | 10 |
| Colin McAdam | FW | 36 | 9 |
| Derek Johnstone | FW | 42 | 16 |
| Tommy McLean | MF | 12 | 2 |
| Ian Redford | MF | 50 | 10 |
| John MacDonald | FW | 53 | 22 |
| Ally Dawson | DF | 38 | 1 |
| Willie Johnston | MF | 17 | 0 |
| John McClelland | DF | 22 | 0 |
| Colin Jackson | DF | 32 | 1 |
| Billy MacKay | MF | 10 | 1 |
| Kenny Black | MF | 10 | 0 |
| Gordon Dalziel | MF | 24 | 6 |
| Billy Davies | MF | 8 | 0 |
| Kenny Lyall | MF | 4 | 0 |
| Doug Robertson | FW | 3 | 0 |
| Jim McIntyre | MF | 1 | 0 |
| Dave McPherson | DF | 2 | 1 |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Celtic (C) | 36 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 79 | 33 | +46 | 55 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 36 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 71 | 29 | +42 | 53 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 3 | Rangers | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 57 | 45 | +12 | 43 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Dundee United | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 61 | 38 | +23 | 40 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | St Mirren | 36 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 37 | |