# 1961–62 in Scottish football

The 1961–62 season was the 89th season of competitive football in Scotland and the 65th season of the Scottish Football League.

## Scottish League Division One

Dundee had an excellent start to the season, including a 5–1 win away to Rangers, and having a seemingly invincible lead by Christmas. A poor run of form in the new year, including a run of three successive defeats, allowed Rangers to move to the top of the table. Rangers themselves lost to Dundee United and Aberdeen in the closing weeks, allowing Dundee to take the title with a 3–0 win at St Johnstone on the last day of the season.
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Dundee (C) | 34 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 80 | 46 | 1.739 | 54 | Qualified for the European Cup |
| 2 | Rangers | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 84 | 31 | 2.710 | 51 | Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup |
| 3 | Celtic | 34 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 81 | 37 | 2.189 | 46 | Invited for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
| 4 | Dunfermline Athletic | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 77 | 46 | 1.674 | 43 | Invited for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
| 5 | Kilmarnock | 34 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 74 | 58 | 1.276 | 42 | |
| 6 | Hearts | 34 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 55 | 49 | 1.122 | 38 | |
| 7 | Partick Thistle | 34 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 60 | 55 | 1.091 | 35 | |
| 8 | Hibernian | 34 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 58 | 72 | 0.806 | 33 | Invited for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
| 9 | Motherwell | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 65 | 62 | 1.048 | 32 | |
| 10 | Dundee United | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 70 | 71 | 0.986 | 32 | |
| 11 | Third Lanark | 34 | 13 | 5 | 16 | 59 | 60 | 0.983 | 31 | |
| 12 | Aberdeen | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 60 | 73 | 0.822 | 29 | |
| 13 | Raith Rovers | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 51 | 73 | 0.699 | 27 | |
| 14 | Falkirk | 34 | 11 | 4 | 19 | 45 | 68 | 0.662 | 26 | |
| 15 | Airdrieonians | 34 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 57 | 78 | 0.731 | 25 | |
| 16 | St Mirren | 34 | 10 | 5 | 19 | 52 | 80 | 0.650 | 25 | |
| 17 | St Johnstone (R) | 34 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 35 | 61 | 0.574 | 25 | Relegated to the Second Division |
| 18 | Stirling Albion (R) | 34 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 34 | 76 | 0.447 | 18 | Relegated to the Second Division |
Champions: Dundee Relegated: St Johnstone, Stirling Albion

## Scottish League Division Two

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Clyde | 36 | 25 | 4 | 7 | 108 | 47 | +61 | 54 | Promotion to the 1962–63 First Division |
| 2 | Queen of the South | 36 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 78 | 33 | +45 | 53 | Promotion to the 1962–63 First Division |
| 3 | Morton | 36 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 78 | 64 | +14 | 44 | |
| 4 | Alloa Athletic | 36 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 92 | 78 | +14 | 42 | |
| 5 | Montrose | 36 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 63 | 50 | +13 | 41 | |
| 6 | Arbroath | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 66 | 59 | +7 | 41 | |
| 7 | Stranraer | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 61 | 62 | −1 | 39 | |
| 8 | Berwick Rangers | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 83 | 70 | +13 | 38 | |
| 9 | Ayr United | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 71 | 63 | +8 | 38 | |
| 10 | East Fife | 36 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 60 | 59 | +1 | 37 | |
| 11 | East Stirlingshire | 36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 70 | 81 | −11 | 34 | |
| 12 | Queen's Park | 36 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 64 | 62 | +2 | 33 | |
| 13 | Hamilton Academical | 36 | 14 | 5 | 17 | 78 | 79 | −1 | 33 | |
| 14 | Cowdenbeath | 36 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 65 | 77 | −12 | 31 | |
| 15 | Stenhousemuir | 36 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 69 | 86 | −17 | 31 | |
| 16 | Forfar Athletic | 36 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 68 | 76 | −8 | 30 | |
| 17 | Dumbarton | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 49 | 66 | −17 | 28 | |
| 18 | Albion Rovers | 36 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 42 | 74 | −32 | 25 | |
| 19 | Brechin City | 36 | 5 | 2 | 29 | 44 | 123 | −79 | 12 | |
Promoted: Clyde, Queen of the South

## Cup honours

| Competition | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| Scottish Cup 1961–62 | Rangers | 2 – 0 | St Mirren |
| League Cup 1961–62 | Rangers | 3 – 1 (rep.) | Heart of Midlothian |
| Junior Cup | Kirkintilloch Rob Roy | 1 – 0 (rep.) | Renfrew |

## Other honours
### National

| Competition | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| Scottish Qualifying Cup – North | Keith | 4 – 3 * | Inverness Caledonian |
| Scottish Qualifying Cup – South | Duns | 7 – 2 * | Eyemouth United |

### County

| Competition | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| Aberdeenshire Cup | Deveronvale | | |
| Ayrshire Cup | Kilmarnock | 7 – 2 * | Ayr United |
| East of Scotland Shield | Hearts | 3 – 1 | Hibernian |
| Fife Cup | Raith Rovers | 4 – 0 * | East Fife |
| Forfarshire Cup | Montrose | 2 – 1 | Arbroath |
| Glasgow Cup | Celtic | 3 – 2 † | Third Lanark |
| Lanarkshire Cup | Motherwell | 7 – 1 | Albion Rovers |
| Renfrewshire Cup | Morton | 4 – 3 * | St Mirren |
| Stirlingshire Cup | East Stirling | 3 – 1 | Stenhousemuir |
$^*$ – aggregate over two legs † – replay

### Highland League

Top Three :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Keith | 28 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 93 | 29 | +64 | 46 |
| 2 | Elgin City | 28 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 91 | 46 | +45 | 40 |
| 3 | Deveronvale | 28 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 87 | 48 | +39 | 36 |

## Scotland national team

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Competition | Scotland scorer(s) |
| 26 September 1961 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Czechoslovakia | 3–2 | WCQG8 | Denis Law (2), Ian St John |
| 7 October 1961 | Windsor Park, Belfast (A) | Northern Ireland | 6–1 | BHC | Alex Scott (3), Ralph Brand (2), Davie Wilson |
| 8 November 1961 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Wales | 2–0 | BHC | Ian St John (2) |
| 29 November 1961 | Heysel Stadium, Brussels | Czechoslovakia | 2–4 (a.e.t.) | WCQPO | Ian St John (2) |
| 14 April 1962 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | England | 2–0 | BHC | Davie Wilson, Eric Caldow (pen.) |
| 2 May 1962 | Hampden Park, Glasgow (H) | Uruguay | 2–3 | Friendly | Jim Baxter, Ralph Brand |
* 1962 British Home Championship – Winners
Key:
* (H) = Home match
* (A) = Away match
* WCQG8 = World Cup qualifying – Group 8
* WCQPO = World Cup qualifying – play-off match
* BHC = British Home Championship