By the standards Rangers had set themselves since the end of the Second World War, this was a highly disappointing season.
Hibs, the team the Light Blues had consistently fought close battles with at the top of the league table since the resumption of normal football, ran away with the championship this time around.
The Easter Road side romped to the title, finishing a full ten points clear of Rangers, who had an uncharac- teristically erratic season.
Hibs were also to provide agony in the Scottish Cup for the Light Blues, who were looking for a fourth consecutive triumph. It wasn't to be as a crowd of 105,000 at Ibrox watched the Edinburgh men win a second round tie 3-2.
The frustration felt by the fans at that game was repeated several times in the league race as Rangers threw away points needlessly, including defeats at Ibrox against Aberdeen and Partick Thistle.
There were some high spots, including a 4-2 win at Pittodrie and a single goal defeat of Celtic at Ibrox. However, a 3-2 defeat at Parkhead and a crushing 4-1 loss to eventual champs Hibs at Easter Road were the final killer blows to Rangers' hopes of mounting a challenge at the top of the table
In the League Cup, Rangers missed out too. They failed to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since the tournament was started.
They defeated Clyde and Morton both home and away in their qualifying section but lost to Aberdeen both home and away and it was the Dons who progressed, although Motherwell eventually lifted the trophy.
There was small consolation for the Rangers fans in the Charity Cup. Celtic, Third Lanark and finally Partick Thistle were all defeated at Hampden as the Light Blues lifted the trophy for the 28th time.
There was an early exit in the Glasgow Cup, though, with Partick Thistle going through on the toss of a coin after two drawn first round matches.
It was once more an excellent season for Rangers players on the international front with George Young, Sammy Cox, Willie Woodburn, Willie Waddell and lan McColl playing for Scotland and Bobby Brown and Eddie Rutherford winning recognition from the Scot- tish League.
George Young enjoyed the distinction of playing in every Scottish and Scottish League match as captain.
