The 1973–74 season was the 94th season of competitive football by Rangers.
Overview Rangers played a total of 51 competitive matches during the 1973–74 season. This was the club's centenary season, however, the start to the league championship was poor with no goals in the first four home games which left the side with just seven points from their first six league matches. This early blip meant they were always chasing the title and eventually finished third, five points behind champions Celtic.
The League Cup campaign saw an Old Firm semi-final. A 3–1 win for Celtic saw them through to the final. The Scottish Cup did not prove any better as the club exited the competition thanks to a 3–0 defeat to Dundee. The European Cup Winners' Cup run was ended in the second round at the hands of Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Results All results are written with Rangers' score first.
Scottish First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 1 September 1973 Ayr UnitedH0–030,000 8 September 1973 Partick ThistleA1–022,000Scott 15 September 1973 CelticH0–170,403 29 September 1973 Heart of MidlothianH0–335,000 6 October 1973 ArbroathA2–17,710O'Hara (2) 13 October 1973 East FifeH0–125,000 20 October 1973 Dundee UnitedA3–111,000Conn (2), O'Hara 27 October 1973 HibernianH4–035,000Jardine (2, 2 (pen.)), Conn, Greig 3 November 1973 Dunfermline AthleticA2–220,000Jackson, O'Hara 10 November 1973 MortonH1–020,000Greig 17 November 1973FalkirkH2–115,000Greig (2) 24 November 1973 ClydeA2–015,000Jackson, A.MacDonald 15 December 1973 St JohnstoneH5–18,200Conn, Young, A.McDonald, Parlane, D.Smith 22 December 1973 DumbartonA2–07,500Parlane, Young 29 December 1973 Ayr UnitedA1–017,000Parlane 1 January 1974 Partick ThistleH1–120,000Parlane (pen.) 5 January 1974 CelticA0–155,000 12 January 1974 AberdeenH1–116,000McLean 19 January 1974 Heart of MidlothianA4–225,000Parlane (4) 2 February 1974 ArbroathH2–322,000McLean, Parlane (pen) 9 February 1974 East FifeA3–08,499Hamilton, Scott, McLean 24 February 1974 Dundee UnitedH3–125,500Parlane (2, 1 (pen.)), Young 2 March 1974 HibernianA1–323,149McLean 16 March 1974 MortonA3–29,000Jackson (2), Parlane (pen.) 23 March 1974 FalkirkA0–010,000 30 March 1974 ClydeH4–021,000Johnstone, Greig, A.MacDonald, Scott 2 April 1974 Dunfermline AthleticH3–022,000Parlane (pen.), Scott, Fyfe 6 April 1974 MotherwellA4–113,346Young (2), Scott, Fyfe 13 April 1974 DundeeH1–225,000Jardine (pen.) 17 April 1974 AberdeenA1–118,000Greig 20 April 1974 St JohnstoneA3–17,500Fyfe (2), Young 24 April 1974 MotherwellH2–121,000Scott, Parlane 27 April 1974 DumbartonH3–120,000Scott (2), Fyfe 29 April 1974 DundeeA3–210,578Fyfe (2), Young
Cup Winners' Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 19 September 1973 R1AnkaragucuA2–045,000Conn, McLean 3 October 1973 R1AnkaragucuH4–030,000Greig (2), O'Hara, Johnstone 24 October 1973 R2Borussia MonchengladbachA0–335,000 7 November 1973 R2Borussia MonchengladbachH3–240,000Conn, Jackson, MacDonald
Scottish Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 26 January 1974 R3Queen's ParkH8–019,000Parlane (3), McLean (3), Scott, Morris 17 February 1974 R4DundeeH0–364,672
League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 11 August 1973SRFalkirkH3–135,000Scott (2), Conn 15 August 1973SRArbroathA2–16,677Conn, Parlane 18 August 1973SRCelticH1–263,173Scott 22 August 1973SRArbroathH3–014,000MacDonald, Conn, Smith 25 August 1973SRCelticA3–165,000MacDonald, Parlane, Conn 29 August 1973 SRFalkirkA5–112,000Conn (2), O'Hara, McLean, Forsyth 12 September 1973 R2DumbartonH6–025,000Parlane (3, 1 (pen.)), Young (2), Greig (pen.) 10 October 1973R2DumbartonA2–16,000Scott, Fyfe 31 October 1973 QFHibernianH2–035,000Greig, Schaedler (o.g.) 21 November 1973 QFHibernianA0–019,245 5 December 1973 SFCelticN1–354,864MacDonald
Appearances PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals Peter McCloyGK440 Sandy JardineDF513 Willie MathiesonDF430 John GreigDF4710 Derek JohnstoneDF442 Alex MacDonaldMF447 Tommy McLeanMF419 Tom ForsythMF331 Alex O'HaraMF266 Derek ParlaneFW4122 Dave SmithMF172 Alfie ConnMF2512 Jim DennyDF10 Ally ScottFW3413 Quinton YoungMF269 Doug HoustonMF170 Stewart KennedyGK30 Graham FyfeMF148 Colin JacksonDF245 Johnny HamiltonMF101 Eric MorrisFW81 Donald HunterGK40 Ian McDougallDF90 Joe MasonFW20 George DonaldsonMF10
See also 1973–74 in Scottish football 1973–74 Scottish Cup 1973–74 Scottish League Cup 1973–74 European Cup Winners' Cup
References