Season 1965/66 by Alistair Aird As season 1965/66 dawned, Celtic hadn’t won the Scottish League title since 1954. But under the guidance of Jock Stein, they were looking to emerge from the shadows. Scot Symon now had competition on his doorstep, having warded off the likes of Kilmarnock and Dundee as his side secured honours in the early part of the 1960’s. The season opened with a 4-2 defeat at Tynecastle in the League Cup, and another defeat followed a week later at Pittodrie against Aberdeen. But home and away wins over Clyde and Ibrox victories over Hearts and Aberdeen saw Symon’s side pip both for top spot. A thumping 9-1 aggregate win over Airdrie followed in the quarter-final which took Rangers through to face Kilmarnock at Hampden in the last four. And it proved to be an epic contest! A hat-trick from George McLean and goals from Willoughby, Forrest and Henderson had Rangers in a commanding 6-1 lead with only 19 minutes remaining. But a late treble from future Ranger, Tommy McLean, had nerves jangling to say the least. But Rangers held out, although hopes of a third successive win in the competition were thwarted by Celtic, who won 2-1 in the Final. The league campaign started well, with Rangers not tasting defeat until Dunfermline Athletic came to Ibrox on Christmas Day and won 3-2. The defeat coupled with Celtic’s 8-1 mauling of Morton saw the teams head into the New Year on 27 points, with Rangers only in front on goal average. But a gap would soon develop. Rangers defeated Partick Thistle 4-0 on New Year's Day, but two days later, they succumbed by five goals to one at Parkhead. And although Symon’s side bounced back, losing just two of their last 16 league games, those defeats against Falkirk (2-3) and Dundee United (0-1) would prove crucial. Celtic had wobbled, losing three matches away from home, but in the month of March, Rangers secured only two points from the four matches they played. Celtic were champions, the gap at the top amounting to just two points. Solace would be found in the Scottish Cup. Airdrie were swept aside by five goals to one in the opening round before Rangers travelled to Dingwall on 28 February to face Ross County. Torrential rain ahead of kick off had turned the pitch into a quagmire prompting Rangers to protest. They wanted the tie postponed, but with the rain relenting it went ahead. Given the condition of the pitch, Willie Henderson, who had played only twice since the turn of the year, was left out the side. His place went to Davie Wilson who had had limited game time himself due to the emergence of Willie Johnston at outside left. And it would be Johnston who would open the scoring after 25 minutes, lashing a shot into the net after receiving a pass from Forrest. A minute later, safe passage to the quarter-finals was secured when George McLean netted their second goal. St Johnstone were beaten 1-0 in the last eight, which put Rangers in the hat for the semi-final draw alongside Aberdeen, Dunfermline and, eventually, Celtic. Jock Stein’s side had drawn 3-3 against Hearts at Tynecastle, but won 3-1 in the replay at Parkhead. A replay would required in the semi-finals too, but it would be for the blue half of Glasgow this time. Rangers were drawn to face Aberdeen at Hampden, while Celtic faced Dunfermline at Ibrox. Both ties were played on 26 March, with Celtic winning 2-0 and Rangers and Aberdeen playing out a goalless stalemate. Three days later, they replayed, and Rangers drew first blood when Jim Forrest found the net after eight minutes. But the teams were on level terms at the interval as Harry Melrose, a former Rangers player, had scored an equalising goal seven minutes shy of the break. Rangers held the territorial advantage for much of the second half, but as the game entered its closing stages with the teams deadlocked at 1-1, extra-time and a possible second replay beckoned. But with 10 minutes to go, Johnston dashed down the left wing and flashed in a cross that George ‘Dandy’ McLean nudged past Bobby Clark from close range. The Old Firm met in the Final on 23 April. Defensive discipline won the day, though, with both sides snuffing each other out, the 0-0 draw meaning the sides would reconvene at Hampden four days later. And Rangers would come out on top thanks to one of the most famous goals in their history. This is how Raymond Jacobs, writing in the Glasgow Herald, described it: It was a goal worthy of winning any trophy and its quality was matched only by its unexpectedness. Johnston wriggled his way to the byeline and when McLean missed the ball a few yards out it ran to Henderson. The winger’s shot was cleared off the line by Murdoch out to Johansen, who let fly from 25 yards and the ball flew low and hard into the net. Kai Johansen, a Danish right-back signed from Morton, had thus elevated himself to cult hero status. He had also made history as he was the first Scandinavian player to win a Scottish Cup winners medal and the first foreign player to find the net in the Scottish Cup Final. But after a feast of trophies – of the 18 major domestic trophies contested since season 1960/61, Rangers had won 11 of them – a famine would follow. Rangers would not lift any of the major honours again until 1970.
