# 1980–81 Scottish Premier Division

The 1980–81 Scottish Premier Division was the sixth season of the Premier Division, and the 75th edition overall of the top national league competition.
Ten teams contested the league. Eight teams from the 1979–80 season (Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Kilmarnock, Morton, Partick Thistle, Rangers, and St Mirren) plus two clubs promoted from the 1979–80 Scottish First Division (Heart of Midlothian and Airdrieonians).
Aberdeen were the defending champions, having won their first title in 25 years in the previous season.
The title was won by Celtic on 22 April 1981, after defeating Dundee United 3–2 at Tannadice Park, with two matches still to play. They finished seven points ahead of closest challengers Aberdeen. At the end of the season, Kilmarnock and Heart of Midlothian were relegated.

## Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Celtic (C) | 36 | 26 | 4 | 6 | 84 | 37 | +47 | 56 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 36 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 61 | 26 | +35 | 49 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Rangers | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 60 | 32 | +28 | 44 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 4 | St Mirren | 36 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 44 | |
| 5 | Dundee United | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 66 | 42 | +24 | 43 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 6 | Partick Thistle | 36 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 32 | 48 | −16 | 30 | |
| 7 | Airdrieonians | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 36 | 55 | −19 | 29 | |
| 8 | Morton | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 36 | 58 | −22 | 28 | |
| 9 | Kilmarnock (R) | 36 | 5 | 9 | 22 | 23 | 65 | −42 | 19 | Relegation to the 1981–82 Scottish First Division |
| 10 | Heart of Midlothian (R) | 36 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 27 | 71 | −44 | 18 | Relegation to the 1981–82 Scottish First Division |

## Results
### Matches 1–18

During matches 1–18 each team plays every other team twice (home and away).
| Home \ Away | ABE | AIR | CEL | DNU | HEA | KIL | MOR | PAR | RAN | STM |
| Aberdeen | | 4–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| Airdrieonians | 0–4 | | 1–4 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Celtic | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Dundee United | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–3 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Kilmarnock | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–8 | 1–6 |
| Morton | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–4 |
| Partick Thistle | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Rangers | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | | 2–0 |
| St Mirren | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | |

### Matches 19–36

During matches 19–36 each team plays every other team twice (home and away).
| Home \ Away | ABE | AIR | CEL | DNU | HEA | KIL | MOR | PAR | RAN | STM |
| Aberdeen | | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| Airdrieonians | 0–0 | | 1–2 | 0–5 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| Celtic | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 7–0 |
| Dundee United | 0–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | | 4–1 | 7–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 0–4 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Kilmarnock | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Morton | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Partick Thistle | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Rangers | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 |
| St Mirren | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | |