The 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football by Rangers.

Overview Rangers played a total of 56 competitive matches during the 1971–72 season. They won their first and only European trophy this season. The side won the European Cup Winners' Cup in Barcelona, Spain. The match was effectively over by half time thanks to goals from Colin Stein and a double from Willie Johnston. The Soviet team Dynamo Moscow scored twice in the second half, but the Rangers held on for a famous victory.

Domestically, Waddell's side finished a disappointing third in the Scottish League Division One. The club ended the season without the Scottish Cup or League Cup after being knocked out of the former by Hibernian at the semi-final stage. They never progressed from the sectional rounds in the League Cup.

Results All results are written with Rangers' score first.

Scottish First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 4 September 1971 Partick ThistleA2–330,000MacDonald, Stein 11 September 1971 CelticH2–380,211Johnston (pen.), Stein 18 September 1971 FalkirkA3–024,000Greig (2), Stein 25 September 1971 AberdeenH0–241,236 2 October 1971 Heart of MidlothianA1–229,301Johnston 9 October 1971 East FifeH3–025,000Jardine (pen.), Fyfe, MacDonald 16 October 1971 Dundee UnitedA5–117,000MacDonald (2), Stein, Greig, Jardine 23 October 1971 MotherwellH5–125,000Fyfe (2), MacDonald, Jardine 30 October 1971 KilmarnockH3–125,442MacDonald (2), Stein 6 November 1971 St JohnstoneA4–127,000Johnston (3, 2 pens), MacDonald 13 November 1971DundeeH2–333,200Johnston (2) 20 November 1971Greenock MortonA2–112,500Johnston, Greig 27 November 1971Ayr UnitedA2–115,100Stein, Henderson 4 December 1971ClydeH1–025,000Stein 11 December 1971Dunfermline AthleticA2–013,500Greig, Johnston 18 December 1971AirdrieoniansH3–025,000Stein, Jardine (pen.), Fyfe 25 December 1971HibernianA1–030,000Stein 1 January 1972Partick ThistleH2–138,200Greig, Johnstone 3 January 1972CelticA1–277,811Stein 8 January 1972FalkirkH3–123,000Greig, Jackson, McDonald 15 January 1972AberdeenA0–033,608 22 January 1972Heart of MidlothianH6–029,776Johnstone (3), Johnston, Greig, Conn 29 January 1972East FifeA1–012,018Johnstone 12 February 1972Dundee UnitedH1–025,000Smith 19 February 1972MotherwellA0–216,192 4 March 1972KilmarnockA2–114,707Jardine, Conn 11 March 1972St JohnstoneH2–025,000Johnstone, McLean 25 March 1972Greenock MortonH1–220,000Jackson 8 April 1972ClydeA1–17,500Johnston 10 April 1972 DundeeA0–213,000 22 April 1972 AirdrieoniansA2–010,000Penman (2), Fyfe 27 April 1972 Dunfermline AthleticH3–45,000MacDonald (2), Stein 29 April 1972 HibernianH1–211,000Johnstone 1 May 1972 Ayr UnitedH4–24,000Conn, Penman, MacDonald, Fyfe

Cup Winners' Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 15 September 1971R1Stade RennaisA1–113,993Johnston 28 September 1971R1Stade RennaisH1–046,521MacDonald 20 October 1971R2Sporting LisbonH3–250,411Stein (2), Henderson 3 November 1971R2Sporting LisbonA3–460,233Stein (2), Henderson 8 March 1972QFTorinoA1–140,000Johnston 22 March 1972QFTorinoH1–075,303MacDonald 5 April 1972SFBayern MunichA1–144,000Zobel (o.g.) 19 April 1972SFBayern MunichH2–080,209Jardine, Parlane 24 May 1972 FDynamo MoscowN3–245,101Johnston (2), Stein

Scottish Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 5 February 1972R1FalkirkA2–220,000Johnstone, Greig 9 February 1972R1 RFalkirkH2–043,000Stein, McLean 26 February 1972R2St MirrenA4–129,376McLean (2, 1 pen.), MacDonald, Stein 18 March 1972QFMotherwellA2–228,557MacDonald, Stein 27 March 1972QF RMotherwellH4–244,800Stein (2), McLean, Fallon (o.g.) 15 April 1972SFHibernianN1–175,884MacDonald 24 April 1972SF RHibernianN0–267,547

League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 14 August 1971SRCelticA0–272,505 18 August 1971SRAyr UnitedH4–033,502Johnstone (2), Stein, McLean (pen.) 21 August 1971SRMortonH2–041,120Johnstone, MacDonald 25 August 1971SRAyr UnitedA4–020,000Stein (2), MacDonald, Johnstone 28 August 1971SRCelticH0–385,019 1 September 1971SRMortonA1–0*7,000Stein *Rangers failed to reach the Quarter-finals

Appearances PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals Peter McCloyGK560 Alex MacDonaldFW5418 Sandy JardineDF536 Willie MathiesonDF500 Colin SteinFW4925 John GreigDF489 Willie JohnstonFW4515 Dave SmithMF441 Colin JacksonDF432 Tommy McLeanMF426 Derek JohnstoneFW3512 Alfie ConnMF343 Willie HendersonMF183 Ronnie McKinnonDF170 Graham FyfeMF156 Andy PenmanMF143 Jim DennyDF120 Iain McDonaldMF71 Derek ParlaneFW41 Alex MillerDF20

See also 1971–72 in Scottish football 1971–72 Scottish Cup 1971–72 Scottish League Cup 1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup

References