The 1987–88 season was the 91st season of competitive football in Scotland.
Notable events Billy McNeill's second spell back in charge of Celtic began in style as they finished the season by winning the double of the league title and Scottish Cup. The cup triumph was sealed with two late goals from Frank McAvennie, signed in early October from West Ham United, as they had trailed 1–0 to Dundee United.
Rangers, further strengthened with the signing of Englishmen Ray Wilkins and Mark Walters in midfield, had consolation for their failure to repeat title glory in the shape of a League Cup win. They could only finish third in the league, with Hearts finishing second – 10 points adrift of champions Celtic.
The Old Firm league fixture at Ibrox in October 1987, which ended in a 2–2 draw, saw three players red carded. Charges were later brought against four of the players (three from Rangers, one from Celtic) by the Procurator Fiscal. The resulting Court case ended up with Terry Butcher and Chris Woods being convicted of a breach of the peace. Graham Roberts was found Not proven, whilst Frank McAvennie was acquitted.
Rangers enjoyed the longest run in Europe out of all the Scottish clubs, reaching the European Cup quarter finals where they were edged out by Steaua Bucharest.
A reduction of the Premier Division from 12 clubs to 10 saw three clubs (Falkirk, Dunfirmline Athletic and Morton) relegated. The only promotion place went to Division One champions Hamilton Academical.
Scottish Premier Division
Champions: Celtic Relegated: Falkirk, Dunfermline Athletic, Morton
Scottish League Division One
Promoted: Hamilton Academical Relegated: East Fife, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division Two
Promoted: Ayr United, St Johnstone
Other honours
Cup honours CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-upScottish Cup 1987–88Celtic2–1Dundee UnitedLeague Cup 1987–88Rangers3 – 3 (5 – 3 pen.)AberdeenYouth CupDunfermline Athletic2–1DundeeJunior CupAuchinleck Talbot1–0Petershill
Non-league honours
Senior CompetitionWinnerHighland League 1987–88Inverness CaledonianEast of Scotland LeagueWhitehill WelfareSouth of Scotland LeagueNewton Stewart
Individual honours AwardWinnerClub Footballer of the Year Paul McStay CelticPlayers' Player of the Year Paul McStay CelticYoung Player of the Year John Collins Hibernian
Scottish clubs in Europe Results for Scotland's participants in European competition for the 1987–88 season
Rangers DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionRangers scorer(s)European Cup16 September 1987Olympic Stadium, Kyiv (A)Dynamo Kyiv0–1EC130 September 1987Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (H)Dynamo Kyiv2–0EC1Mark Falco, Ally McCoist21 October 1987Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (H)Górnik Zabrze3–1EC2Ally McCoist, Ian Durrant, Mark Falco4 November 1987Ernest Pohl Stadium, Zabrze (A)Górnik Zabrze1–1EC2Ally McCoist (pen.)2 March 1988Steaua Stadium, Bucharest (A)Steaua Bucharest0–2ECQF16 March 1988Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (H)Steaua Bucharest2–1ECQFRichard Gough, Ally McCoist (pen.)
St Mirren DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionSt Mirren scorer(s)UEFA Cup Winners' Cup16 September 1987Love Street, Paisley (H)Tromsø IL1–0CWC1Kenny McDowall29 September 1987Alfheim Stadium, Tromsø (A)Tromsø IL0–0CWC121 October 1987Achter de Kazerne, Mechelen (A)KV Mechelen0–0CWC24 November 1987Love Street, Paisley (H)KV Mechelen0–2CWC2
Aberdeen DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionAberdeen Scorer(s)UEFA Cup15 September 1987Dalymount Park, Dublin (A)Bohemians0–0UC130 September 1987Pittodrie, Aberdeen (H)Bohemians1–0UC1Jim Bett (pen.)21 October 1987Pittodrie, Aberdeen (H)Feyenoord Rotterdam2–1UC2Willie Falconer, Willie Miller4 November 1987Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam (A)Feyenoord Rotterdam0–1UC2
Celtic DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionCeltic scorer(s)UEFA Cup15 September 1987Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)Borussia Dortmund2–1UC1Andy Walker, Derek Whyte30 September 1987Westfalenstadion, Dortmund (A)Borussia Dortmund0–2UC1
Dundee United DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionDundee United scorer(s)UEFA Cup16 September 1987The Showgrounds Coleraine (A)Coleraine1–0UC1Paul Sturrock30 September 1987Tannadice, Dundee (H)Coleraine3–1UC1Kevin Gallacher, Paul Sturrock, John Clark21 October 1987Tannadice, Dundee (H)FC Vítkovice1–2UC2Iain Ferguson4 November 1987Bazaly, Ostrava (A)FC Vítkovice1–1UC2 own goal
Scotland national team
DateVenueOpponentsCompetitionScotland scorer(s)9 September 1987Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)2–0FriendlyAlly McCoist (2)14 October 1987Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)2–0ECQG7Ally McCoist, Paul McStay11 November 1987Vasil Levski, Sofia (A)1–0ECQG7Gary Mackay2 December 1987Stade de la Frontière, Esch (A)0–0ECQG717 February 1988Malaz Stadium, Riyadh (A)2–2FriendlyMaurice Johnston, John Collins22 March 1988Ta'Qali Stadium, Valletta (A)1–1FriendlyGraeme Sharp27 April 1988Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid (A)0–0Friendly17 May 1988Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)0–0Rous Cup21 May 1988Wembley Stadium, London (A)0–1Rous Cup
Key: (H) = Home match (A) = Away match ECQG7 = European Championship qualifying – Group 7
See also 1987–88 Aberdeen F.C. season 1987–88 Dundee United F.C. season 1987–88 Rangers F.C. season Dubai Champions Cup
Notes and references