Season 1976/77 by Alistair Aird In football, feast is often followed by famine, and that was most certainly the case for Rangers in season 1976/77. Having gorged themselves on a diet of success in season 1975/76, the following campaign saw them starved of silverware as Celtic claimed a League and Scottish Cup double, while Aberdeen won the League Cup. The initial signs were bright, though. Drawn in League Cup Section Four alongside St Johnstone, Hibernian and Montrose, Rangers won five and drew one of their six ties, scoring 17 goals and conceding only one. However, the brightness was soon dimmed when the Light Blues won only two of their opening eight league fixtures. The first three matches against Celtic, Kilmarnock and Hibernian were drawn, and although wins over Hearts and Aberdeen sandwiched another draw against Ayr United, Rangers lost twice in successive weeks at the end of October. The first defeat came at Fir Park against Motherwell. Rangers were without the injured Tom Forsyth, which meant John Greig joined Colin Jackson in central defence, while Kenny Watson was deployed at left back. With Alex Miller completing the back four, Sandy Jardine took up a role in midfield. Rangers started the game on the front foot and had the ball in the net after only four minutes, but the header from Derek Parlane was ruled out for offside. But Rangers were not to be deterred, for just three minutes later, they had the ball in the net again and this time, the goal stood. McLean crossed into the box, and when the Motherwell goalkeeper, Stuart Rennie, palmed the ball out, Johnny Hamilton rapped it into the net. Motherwell were only behind momentarily – Joe Wark restored parity – and they led at the interval thanks to a goal from Willie Pettigrew. And the same man sealed the two points with six minutes left to consign Rangers to their first domestic defeat of the season. The following weekend, Rangers faced a Partick Thistle team that listed the Hansen brothers, John and Alan, in their starting XI. A goal from Kenny Watson eight minutes into the second half gave Rangers the lead, but Doug Somner equalised with 15 minutes to go before Brian Whittaker stole the points for the Jags with a last-minute winner. The loss at Firhill left Rangers sixth in the table, four points behind leaders, Dundee United, and the alarm bells were tolling as this was actually Rangers’ third defeat inside a week. Having already been eliminated from the European Cup by FC Zurich in the opening round, the fans were already getting restless, but the two league defeats and the 5-1 thumping by Aberdeen at Hampden in the semi-finals of the League Cup three days before the Thistle reverse had the follow followers clamouring for action to be taken. Rangers had reached the semi-final after eventually seeing off a Davie Cooper-inspired Clydebank side in the quarter-finals. FOUR matches were required before Rangers edged through. The first of them was drawn 3-3 at Ibrox – the visitors led 1-0 and 2-1 but needed a classy goal from Copper 12 minutes from time to earn a draw - and when the sides drew 1-1 at Kilbowie, a replay was required. Ibrox was the venue, but still the sides couldn’t be separated. The match ended 0-0 after extra time, and Jim Gallacher, the Clydebank goalkeeper, saved an Alex Miller penalty kick. This necessitated a second replay 24 hours later at Firhill, and this time Rangers did manage to squeeze through. Cooper was again to the fore, equalising an early goal from Parlane, but ultimately, a strike from Bobby McKean after 61 minutes settled the outcome. In the semi-final against Aberdeen, Rangers were simply outclassed. The Dons had won at Parkhead in the league the previous weekend, and they were ahead at Hampden thanks to a Jocky Scott goal after only three minutes. Scott scored again before Alex MacDonald looked to have breathed life into Rangers when he halved the deficit with a diving header. But that new life was soon suffocated, as goals from Joe Harper and Drew Jarvie made it 4-1. Scott’s third goal of the evening proved to be the final act of the season for Rangers in the League Cup. The decline in the league was arrested slightly with wins over Dundee United and Kilmarnock, but although a draw against Hibernian and a 1-0 loss at home to Celtic were followed by four wins on the spin, another Old Firm defeat was the precursor for more dropped points in a 3-3 draw at Pittodrie. In the latter match, Rangers looked to be set for another defeat. They trailed 3-1 with 10 minutes remaining, but late goals from MacDonald and Johnstone rescued a point. League form after that was riddled with inconsistency. Rangers won four of the next six, but between 8 March and 26 March, Wallace’s side failed to register a league win, losing two and drawing two of the four matches they played. One of the drawn games was against Celtic at Ibrox. Writing in the Glasgow Herald, Jim Reynolds reckoned that ‘Rangers and Celtic showed on Saturday that Scottish Football at it’s best is still the best 70 pence worth in the sporting world.’ Roy Aitken opened the scoring after 12 minutes, and three minutes later, former Ranger and Barcelona Bear, Alfie Conn, now replete in green and white, almost made it 2-0 when he shot against the post. Rangers, who had lost 4-3 at Firhill four days earlier, were lolling on the ropes, but bounced back and equalised when Derek Parlane found the net with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. And when he scored again after 79 minutes, it looked like the Light Blues were set for an unlikely win, one that may well have reignited the title race. But Aitken scored his second to make it 2-2, and in a grandstand finish, Alex MacDonald had a goal ruled out before both goalkeepers, Stewart Kennedy and Peter Latchford, produced superlative saves to ensure that the spoils were shared. The draw meant that Celtic led third-placed Rangers by seven points. Wallace’s side had played 27 of their 36 games, Jock Stein’s side 26. Rangers had the proverbial mountain to climb, and although they won six games in a row after losing 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, they were unable to reach the summit. Celtic were champions, finishing nine points clear of their Old Firm rivals. There was still an opportunity to end the season with a silver lining, though. Wins over Falkirk, Elgin City, Motherwell, and Hearts took Rangers through to the Scottish Cup Final. Having surrendered two of the three major trophies won the previous season, this was their opportunity to keep hold of the other one. Standing in their way were Celtic. Jock Wallace named an unchanged XI from the one that had defeated Hearts 2-0 in the last four, but the match would be decided by a controversial penalty kick. A corner from Alfie Conn was headed towards goal by Roddy McDonald. When Stewart Kennedy couldn’t grasp the ball, it spun loose, and Johannes Edvaldsson tried to force it into the net. His attempt was blocked by Derek Johnstone, but the referee, Bob Valentine, adjudged that Johnstone had handled. Despite vehement protests from those in blue jerseys, the decision stood, and Andy Lynch stepped up to score what proved to be the only goal of the game. So, what were the root causes of the precipitous decline in Rangers’ fortunes? Away form in the league was poor – Rangers won six, drew six and lost six on their travels – and Wallace struggled to name a settled starting XI. Only Sandy Jardine and Tommy McLean played in all 36 league games. Parlane (16) and Johnstone (15) contributed goals, but next in line was Alex MacDonald with nine. An ultimately disappointing season - one that was marred by an abandoned friendly against Aston Villa in October – ended seven days after the Cup Final when Rangers claimed the Jet Cup. They had seven different scorers – Hamilton, McLean, Robertson, Parlane, MacDonald, Greig, and Morris – as they beat Trollhattans 7-2 in a match to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Volvo.
