MEMORABLE season for Rangers on all fronts as they reached the semi-finals of the European Cup and lifted the Scottish Cup for the 15th time. The only disappointment for Ibrox boss Scot Symon and the supporters was the inconsistency of the side and it was that which cost them any chance of retaining the League Championship. That was won in brilliant style by Hearts who went to the top of the table early on, gradually stretched their lead and stayed in pole position until the last day of the season.
Rangers dropped silly points at Ibrox and in the end had to be satisfied with third place behind the Tynecastle side and Kilmarnock
When the Light Blues did produce top form, though, it was a delight for their fans with lan McMillan having a brilliant season in midfield as did Jimmy Millar up front.
Millar was the hero of both League clashes with Celtic, netting the third goal in a 3-1 win at Ibrox and then the only strike of the New Year's Day meeting at Parkhead.
The Parkhead men must have been sick of the sight of Millar as in the Glasgow Cup he scored the winning goal as Rangers won 2-1 in the first round against Celtic before going on to lift the trophy for a record 35th occasion with a 2-1 Hampden win over Partick Thistle.
And Celtic were also one of Rangers victims in the Scottish Cup. After disposing of Berwick, Arbroath, Stenhousemuir and Hibs, the Light Blues were drawn against their 'Old Firm' rivals in the semi-finals.
After a 1-1 draw, Rangers won the Hampden replay 4-1 in superb style with Davie Wilson, and yes, that man Jimmy Millar each netting twice. Millar was the star yet again in the final when he scored both goals in Rangers' 2-0 win over Kilmarnock.
The Charity Cup found its way to the Ibrox trophy room for the 32nd time and the only domestic cup failure for Rangers was in the League Cup where they failed to progress from their qualifying section.
Hibs and Dundee were defeated at home and away but the Light Blues lost to bogey team Motherwell at Ibrox and Fir Park. 'Well also defeated Rangers twice in the League that season. Hearts won the League Cup with a 2-1 win over Third Lanark in the Final.
But the real highlight of the season for the fans were the European Cup games. In the first round, Rangers were drawn against Anderlecht and produced a brilliant display to beat the Belgian side 5-2 in the first leg at İbrox before winning 2-0 in the away match.
Red Star Bratislava were edged out 4-3 at Ibrox in the first leg of the next round but Rangers survived the sending off of Jimmy Millar in the second leg in Czechoslovakia and drew 1-1 to go through on a 5-4 aggregate.
Sparta Rotterdam were dramatically beaten in the quarter-finals. Rangers won 3-2 in Holland but inexplicably lost their home game 1-0, taking the tie to a Highbury play-off which they won 3-2.
In the semi-final, Rangers faced Eintracht Frankfurt and the West Germans proved just too powerful, winning 6-1 at home then 6-3 at Ibrox before going on to the famous Hampden final which they lost 7-3 to Real Madrid.
