# 1970–71 Rangers F.C. season

The 1970–71 season was the 91st season of competitive football by Rangers.

## Overview

Rangers played a total of 53 competitive matches during the 1970–71 season. The season was largely overshadowed by the Second Ibrox disaster when 66 people were crushed to death on Stairway 13 of Ibrox Park following an Old Firm game on 2 January 1971.

## Results

All results are written with Rangers' score first.

### Scottish First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 29 August 1970 | St Mirren | A | 0–0 | 27,400 | |
| 5 September 1970 | Falkirk | H | 2–0 | 39,000 | Willie Johnston (2, 1 pen.) |
| 12 September 1970 | Celtic | A | 0–2 | 75,202 | |
| 19 September 1970 | Cowdenbeath | H | 5–0 | 31,000 | Derek Johnstone (2), John Greig (2), Alex MacDonanld |
| 26 September 1970 | Dundee United | A | 2–0 | 23,000 | Alfie Conn, Graham Fyfe |
| 3 October 1970 | Motherwell | H | 3–1 | 37,000 | Alex MacDonald, Colin Stein, Willie Johnston |
| 10 October 1970 | Hearts | A | 1–0 | 32,500 | Willie Johnston (pen.) |
| 17 October 1970 | Aberdeen | H | 0–2 | 39,763 | |
| 31 October 1970 | Airdrieonians | H | 5–0 | 28,788 | Willie Johnston (2, 1 pen.), Colin Stein (2), Alfie Conn |
| 7 November 1970 | Dunfermline Athletic | A | 1–1 | 20,000 | Colin Jackson |
| 14 November 1970 | Clyde | H | 5–0 | 25,915 | Colin Stein (2), Willie Johnston (pen.), Derek Johnstone, Mulheron (o.g.) |
| 21 November 1970 | Ayr United | A | 1–2 | 20,000 | Young (o.g.) |
| 25 November 1970 | Hibernian | A | 2–3 | 18,770 | Derek Johnstone, Colin Stein |
| 28 November 1970 | Morton | A | 2–1 | 15,000 | Alfie Conn, Graham Fyfe |
| 5 December 1970 | Dundee | H | 0–0 | 25,420 | |
| 12 December 1970 | St Johnstone | A | 1–2 | 10,500 | Graham Fyfe |
| 19 December 1970 | Kilmarnock | H | 4–2 | 19,450 | Derek Johnstone (2), Colin Jackson, Alex MacDonald |
| 26 December 1970 | St Mirren | H | 1–0 | 25,000 | John Greig |
| 1 January 1971 | Falkirk | A | 1–3 | 18,000 | Alfie Conn |
| 2 January 1971 | Celtic | H | 1–1 | 80,107 | Colin Stein |
| 16 January 1971 | Dundee United | H | 1–1 | 27,776 | John Greig |
| 30 January 1971 | Motherwell | A | 2–1 | 17,500 | Willie Mathieson, Colin Stein |
| 6 February 1971 | Hearts | H | 1–0 | 29,398 | Willie Henderson |
| 20 February 1971 | Aberdeen | A | 0–0 | 36,000 | |
| 27 February 1971 | Hibernian | H | 1–1 | 30,644 | John Greig |
| 10 March 1971 | Airdrieonians | A | 3–4 | 15,000 | Alex MacDonald (2), Colin Stein |
| 13 March 1971 | Dunfermline Athletic | H | 2–0 | 21,580 | Willie Henderson, John Greig |
| 20 March 1971 | Clyde | A | 2–2 | 10,500 | Willie Johnston, Colin Stein |
| 27 March 1971 | Ayr United | H | 2–0 | 22,000 | John Greig, Willie Johnston |
| 3 April 1971 | Morton | H | 0–0 | 13,986 | |
| 10 April 1971 | Dundee | A | 0–1 | 18,000 | |
| 14 April 1971 | Cowdenbeath | A | 3–1 | 3,396 | Sandy Jardine, John Greig, Colin Stein |
| 17 April 1971 | St Johnstone | H | 0–2 | 17,566 | |
| 24 April 1971 | Kilmarnock | A | 4–1 | 8,544 | Alex Miller, Willie Henderson, Alex MacDonald, Colin Stein |

### Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 16 September 1970 | R1 | Bayern Munich | A | 0–1 | 30,000 | |
| 30 September 1970 | R1 | Bayern Munich | H | 1–1 | 82,743 | Colin Stein |

### Scottish Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 23 January 1971 | R3 | Falkirk | H | 3–0 | 42,000 | Willie Johnston (2), Alfie Conn |
| 13 February 1971 | R4 | St Mirren | A | 3–1 | 32,373 | Colin Stein (2), Willie Johnston (pen.) |
| 6 March 1971 | QF | Aberdeen | H | 1–0 | 60,584 | Colin Jackson |
| 31 March 1971 | SF | Hibernian | N | 0–0 | 69,429 | |
| 5 April 1971 | SF R | Hibernian | N | 2–1 | 54,435 | Willie Henderson, Alfie Conn |
| 8 May 1971 | F | Celtic | N | 1–1 | 120,092 | Derek Johnstone |
| 12 May 1971 | F R | Celtic | N | 1–2 | 103,332 | Craig (o.g.) |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 8 August 1970 | SR | Dunfermline Athletic | H | 4–1 | 45,056 | Colin Stein (2), Sandy Jardine, Willie Johnston (pen.) |
| 12 August 1970 | SR | Motherwell | A | 2–0 | 25,000 | Graham Fyfe, Willie Henderson |
| 15 August 1970 | SR | Morton | H | 0–0 | 45,000 | |
| 19 August 1970 | SR | Motherwell | H | 2–0 | 35,000 | Andy Penman, Colin Stein |
| 22 August 1970 | SR | Dunfermline Athletic | A | 6–0 | 17,000 | Willie Johnston (3, 1 pen.), Colin Jackson, Graham Fyfe, Colin Stein |
| 26 August 1970 | SR | Morton | A | 2–0* | 18,000 | Willie Johnston, Alfie Conn |
| 9 September 1970 | QFL1 | Hibernian | A | 3–1 | 37,355 | Graham Fyfe (2), Alfie Conn |
| 23 September 1970 | QFL2 | Hibernian | H | 3–1 | 54,231 | Alex MacDonald, John Greig, Graham Fyfe |
| 14 October 1970 | SF | Cowdenbeath | N | 2–0 | 35,000 | Willie Johnston (pen.), Colin Stein |
| 24 October 1970 | F | Celtic | N | 1–0* | 106,263 | Derek Johnstone |

## Appearances

| Player | Position | Appearances | Goals |
| Peter McCloy | GK | 49 | 0 |
| Alex MacDonald | FW | 40+(8 sub) | 7 |
| Sandy Jardine | DF | 49 | 2 |
| Willie Mathieson | DF | 23 | 1 |
| Colin Stein | FW | 49 | 20 |
| John Greig | DF | 43 | 9 |
| Willie Johnston | FW | 44 | 18 (8 pen.) |
| Dave Smith | MF | 13+(2 sub) | 0 |
| Colin Jackson | DF | 51 | 4 |
| Billy Semple | FW | 3 | 0 |
| Derek Johnstone | FW | 14+(7 sub) | 8 |
| Alfie Conn | MF | 39+(3 sub) | 8 |
| Willie Henderson | MF | 42+(3 sub) | 5 |
| Ronnie McKinnon | DF | 52 | 0 |
| Graham Fyfe | MF | 19+(3 sub) | 8 |
| Andy Penman | MF | 6+(4 sub) | 1 |
| Jim Denny | DF | 1 | 0 |
| Iain McDonald | MF | 4 | 0 |
| Derek Parlane | FW | 2+(2 sub) | 0 |
| Alex Miller | DF | 32+(1 sub) | 1 |
| Gerry Neef | GK | 3 | 0 |