# 1977–78 in Scottish football

The 1977–78 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Scotland and the 81st season of Scottish league football. In the Scottish Premier League, the Rangers F.C. were champions. Notable events included the Scotland national football team qualifying for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

## Scottish Premier Division

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Rangers (C) | 36 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 76 | 39 | +37 | 55 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 36 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 68 | 29 | +39 | 53 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 3 | Dundee United | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 42 | 32 | +10 | 40 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Hibernian | 36 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 51 | 43 | +8 | 37 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Celtic | 36 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 36 | |
| 6 | Motherwell | 36 | 13 | 7 | 16 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 33 | |
| 7 | Partick Thistle | 36 | 14 | 5 | 17 | 52 | 62 | −10 | 33 | |
| 8 | St Mirren | 36 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 52 | 63 | −11 | 30 | |
| 9 | Ayr United (R) | 36 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 36 | 68 | −32 | 24 | Relegation to the 1978–79 Scottish First Division |
| 10 | Clydebank (R) | 36 | 6 | 7 | 23 | 23 | 64 | −41 | 19 | Relegation to the 1978–79 Scottish First Division |
Champions: Rangers Relegated: Ayr United, Clydebank

## Scottish League First Division

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Morton (C, P) | 39 | 25 | 8 | 6 | 85 | 42 | +43 | 58 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Heart of Midlothian (P) | 39 | 24 | 10 | 5 | 77 | 42 | +35 | 58 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Dundee | 39 | 25 | 7 | 7 | 91 | 44 | +47 | 57 | |
| 4 | Dumbarton | 39 | 16 | 17 | 6 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 49 | |
| 5 | Stirling Albion | 39 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 60 | 52 | +8 | 42 | |
| 6 | Kilmarnock | 39 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 52 | 46 | +6 | 40 | |
| 7 | Hamilton Academical | 39 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 54 | 56 | −2 | 36 | |
| 8 | St Johnstone | 39 | 15 | 6 | 18 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 36 | |
| 9 | Arbroath | 39 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 42 | 55 | −13 | 35 | |
| 10 | Airdrieonians | 39 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 50 | 64 | −14 | 34 | |
| 11 | Montrose | 39 | 10 | 9 | 20 | 55 | 71 | −16 | 29 | |
| 12 | Queen of the South | 39 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 44 | 68 | −24 | 29 | |
| 13 | Alloa Athletic (R) | 39 | 8 | 8 | 23 | 44 | 84 | −40 | 24 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 14 | East Fife (R) | 39 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 39 | 74 | −35 | 19 | Relegation to the Second Division |
Promoted: Morton, Hearts
Relegated: Alloa, East Fife

## Scottish League Second Division

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Clyde (C, P) | 39 | 21 | 11 | 7 | 71 | 32 | +39 | 53 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 2 | Raith Rovers (P) | 39 | 19 | 15 | 5 | 63 | 34 | +29 | 53 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | Dunfermline Ath | 39 | 18 | 12 | 9 | 64 | 41 | +23 | 48 | |
| 4 | Berwick Rangers | 39 | 16 | 16 | 7 | 68 | 51 | +17 | 48 | |
| 5 | Falkirk | 39 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 44 | |
| 6 | Forfar Athletic | 39 | 17 | 8 | 14 | 61 | 55 | +6 | 42 | |
| 7 | Queen's Park | 39 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 41 | |
| 8 | Albion Rovers | 39 | 16 | 8 | 15 | 68 | 68 | 0 | 40 | |
| 9 | East Stirlingshire | 39 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 55 | 65 | −10 | 38 | |
| 10 | Cowdenbeath | 39 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 75 | 78 | −3 | 34 | |
| 11 | Stranraer | 39 | 13 | 7 | 19 | 54 | 63 | −9 | 33 | |
| 12 | Stenhousemuir | 39 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 43 | 67 | −24 | 30 | |
| 13 | Meadowbank Thistle | 39 | 6 | 10 | 23 | 43 | 89 | −46 | 22 | |
| 14 | Brechin City | 39 | 7 | 6 | 26 | 45 | 73 | −28 | 20 | |
Promoted: Clyde, Raith Rovers

## Cup honours

| Competition | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| Scottish Cup 1977–78 | Rangers | 2–1 | Aberdeen |
| League Cup 1977–78 | Rangers | 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) | Celtic |
| Junior Cup | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | 1–0 | Stonehouse Violet |

## Other Honours
### National

| Competition | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| Scottish Qualifying Cup – North | Peterhead | 2–0 | Inverness Thistle |
| Scottish Qualifying Cup – South | Gala Fairydean | 3 – 2 * † | Vale of Leithen |

### County

| Competition | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| Aberdeenshire Cup | Keith | | |
| Ayrshire Cup | Ayr United | 2–1 | Kilmarnock |
| East of Scotland Shield | Hibernian | 4–0 | Meadowbank Thistle |
| Fife Cup | Dunfermline Athletic | 2–0 | Cowdenbeath |
| Renfrewshire Cup | Morton | 1 – 1 ‡ | St Mirren |
| Stirlingshire Cup | Stirling Albion | 4–1 | Clydebank |
$^*$ – aggregate over two legs † – play off ‡ – won on penalties

### Highland League

Top Three :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Inverness Caledonian | 30 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 85 | 40 | +45 | 49 |
| 2 | Peterhead | 30 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 85 | 33 | +52 | 47 |
| 3 | Ross County | 30 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 73 | 41 | +32 | 45 |

## Individual honours

| Award | Winner | Club |
| Footballer of the Year | Derek Johnstone | Rangers |
| Players' Player of the Year | Derek Johnstone | Rangers |
| Young Player of the Year | Graeme Payne | Dundee United |

## Scottish national team

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Competition | Scotland scorer(s) |
| 7 September 1977 | Stadion der Weltjugend, East Berlin (A) | East Germany | 0–1 | Friendly | |
| 21 September 1977 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Czechoslovakia | 3–1 | WCQG7 | Joe Jordan, Asa Hartford, Kenny Dalglish |
| 12 October 1977 | Anfield, Liverpool (A) | Wales | 2–0 | WCQG7 | Don Masson (pen.), Kenny Dalglish |
| 22 February 1978 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Bulgaria | 2–1 | Friendly | Archie Gemmill (pen.), Ian Wallace |
| 13 May 1978 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Northern Ireland | 1–1 | BHC | Derek Johnstone |
| 17 May 1978 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Wales | 1–1 | BHC | Derek Johnstone |
| 20 May 1978 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | England | 0–1 | BHC | |
| 3 June 1978 | Córdoba (N) | Peru | 1–3 | WCG4 | Joe Jordan |
| 7 June 1978 | Córdoba (N) | Iran | 1–1 | WCG4 | own goal |
| 11 June 1978 | Estadio San Martin, Mendoza (N) | Netherlands | 3–2 | WCG4 | Archie Gemmill (2, 1 pen.), Kenny Dalglish |
1978 British Home Championship – Third Place
Key:
* (H) = Home match
* (A) = Away match
* WCQG7 = World Cup qualifying – Group 7
* WCG4 = World Cup – Group 4
* BHC = British Home Championship