1976–77 in Scottish football

Season 1976–1977 was the 104th season of competitive football in Scotland and the 80th season of Scottish league football.[1]

1976–77 in Scottish football
Premier Division champions
Celtic
First Division champions
St Mirren
Second Division champions
Stirling Albion
Scottish Cup winners
Celtic
League Cup winners
Aberdeen
Junior Cup winners
Kilbirnie Ladeside
Teams in Europe
Celtic, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Rangers
Scotland national team
1977 BHC, 1978 World Cup qualification

After the failure of the Spring Cup and the 26-game season in the First and Second Divisions, a 39-game season was instituted in these divisions with a slight imbalance in the number of home and away games played by each team; however, this was seen as preferable to a lengthy 52-game season.

Scottish Premier Division

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Celtic (C)3623947939+4055Qualification for the European Cup first round
2Rangers36181086237+2546Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
3Aberdeen36161195642+1443Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4Dundee United36169115445+941
5Partick Thistle361113124044−435
6Hibernian36818103435−134
7Motherwell361012145760−332
8Ayr United36118174468−2430
9Heart of Midlothian (R)36713164966−1727Relegation to the 1977–78 Scottish First Division
10Kilmarnock (R)3649233271−3917
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Champions: Celtic
Relegated: Hearts, Kilmarnock

Scottish League First Division

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1St Mirren (C, P)39251229138+5362Promotion to the Premier Division
2Clydebank (P)39241058938+5158
3Dundee3921999055+3551
4Morton39201097752+2550
5Montrose39169146162−141
6Airdrieonians391312146358+538
7Dumbarton39149166368−537
8Arbroath39173194662−1637
9Queen of the South391113155865−735
10Hamilton Academical391110184459−1532
11St Johnstone39813184264−2229
12East Fife39813184071−3129
13Raith Rovers (R)39811204568−2327Relegation to the Second Division
14Falkirk (R)3968253685−4920
Source: RSSSF and statto[2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Promoted: St. Mirren, Clydebank
Relegated: Raith Rovers, Falkirk

Scottish League Second Division

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion
1Stirling Albion (C, P)39221165929+3055Promotion to the First Division
2Alloa Athletic (P)39191377345+2851
3Dunfermline Athletic39201095236+1650
4Stranraer39206137453+2146
5Queen's Park391711116551+1445
6Albion Rovers391512127461+1342
7Clyde391511136864+441
8Berwick Rangers391310163751−1436
9Stenhousemuir39155193849−1135
10East Stirlingshire39128194763−1632
11Meadowbank Thistle39816154157−1632
12Cowdenbeath39135214664−1831
13Brechin City39712205177−2626
14Forfar Athletic39710224368−2524
Source: "1976-1977 Second Division - SPFL Archive". SPFL. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Promoted: Stirling Albion, Alloa Athletic

Cup honours

CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-up
Scottish Cup 1976–77Celtic1 – 0Rangers
League Cup 1976–77Aberdeen2 – 1 (a.e.t.)Celtic
Junior CupKilbirnie Ladeside3 – 1Kirkintilloch Rob Roy

Other honours

National

CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-up
Scottish Qualifying Cup - NorthPeterhead2 – 1Inverness Caledonian
Scottish Qualifying Cup - SouthSelkirk2 – 1 * †Civil Service Strollers

County

CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-up
Aberdeenshire CupPeterhead
Ayrshire CupAyr United2 – 2 ‡Kilmarnock
East of Scotland ShieldHibernian1 – 0Hearts
Fife CupDunfermline Athletic5 – 2 *Cowdenbeath
Forfarshire CupDundee United3 – 0Arbroath
Lanarkshire CupMotherwellAirdrie
Renfrewshire CupSt Mirren5 – 2 *Morton
Stirlingshire CupStirling Albion0 – 0 ‡Clydebank

* - aggregate over two legs
† - play off
‡ - won on penalties

Top Three
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Inverness Caledonian3021458031+4946
2Peterhead3021457735+4246
3Nairn County3019386439+2541
Source: [citation needed]

Individual honours

AwardWinnerClub
Footballer of the Year Danny McGrainCeltic

Scotland national team

DateVenueOpponentsScore[3]CompetitionScotland scorer(s)
8 SeptemberHampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Finland6–0FriendlyAndy Gray (2), Eddie Gray, Kenny Dalglish, Bruce Rioch, Don Masson (pen.)
13 OctoberSparta Stadion, Prague (A)  Czechoslovakia0–2WCQG7
17 NovemberHampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Wales1–0WCQG7Own goal
27 AprilHampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Sweden3–1FriendlyAsa Hartford, Kenny Dalglish, Joe Craig
28 MayThe Racecourse, Wrexham (A)  Wales0–0BHC
1 JuneHampden Park, Glasgow (H)  Northern Ireland3–0BHCKenny Dalglish (2), Gordon McQueen
4 JuneWembley Stadium, London (A)  England2–1BHCGordon McQueen, Kenny Dalglish
15 JuneEstadio Nacional, Santiago (A)  Chile4–2FriendlyLou Macari (2), Kenny Dalglish, Asa Hartford
18 JuneBoca Junior Stadium, Buenos Aires (A)  Argentina1–1FriendlyDon Masson
23 JuneEstadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro (A)  Brazil0–2Friendly

1977 British Home Championship - Winners

Key:

  • (H) = Home match
  • (A) = Away match
  • WCQG7 = World Cup qualifying - Group 7
  • BHC = British Home Championship

Notes and references