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1971–72 Rangers F.C. season

{{more citations needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Rangers

| logo =

| season = 1971–72

| manager = William Waddell

| chairman = John Lawrence

| stdtitle = Ground

| stadium = Ibrox Park

| league = Scottish League Division One

| league result = 3rd
P34 W21 D2 L11 F71 A38 Pts44

| cup1 = Scottish Cup| cup1 result = Semi-finals

| cup2 = League Cup | cup2 result = Sectional Round

| cup3 = Cup Winners' Cup | cup3 result = Winners

| season topscorer =
Colin Stein (25)

| league topscorer =
Colin Stein,
Alex MacDonald,
Willie Johnston (11)

| prevseason = 1970–71

| nextseason = 1972–73

}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/160105238/|title=Rangers triumph & 20,000 fans celebrate|first=Robert|last=Oxby|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=25 May 1972|access-date=1 December 2024|page=34|via=Newspapers.com}} 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=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}4 September 1971

{{Left}}Partick ThistleA2–330,000{{Left}}MacDonald, Stein
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}11 September 1971

{{Left}}CelticH2–380,211{{Left}}Johnston (pen.), Stein
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}18 September 1971

{{Left}}FalkirkA3–024,000{{Left}}Greig (2), Stein
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}25 September 1971

{{Left}}AberdeenH0–241,236
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}2 October 1971

{{Left}}Heart of MidlothianA1–229,301{{Left}}Johnston
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}9 October 1971

{{Left}}East FifeH3–025,000{{Left}}Jardine (pen.), Fyfe, MacDonald
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}16 October 1971

{{Left}}Dundee UnitedA5–117,000{{Left}}MacDonald (2), Stein, Greig, Jardine
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}23 October 1971

{{Left}}MotherwellH5–125,000{{Left}}Fyfe (2), MacDonald, Jardine
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}30 October 1971

{{Left}}KilmarnockH3–125,442{{Left}}MacDonald (2), Stein
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}6 November 1971

{{Left}}St JohnstoneA4–127,000{{Left}}Johnston (3, 2 pens), MacDonald
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}13 November 1971

{{Left}}DundeeH2–333,200{{Left}}Johnston (2)
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}20 November 1971

{{Left}}Greenock MortonA2–112,500{{Left}}Johnston, Greig
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}27 November 1971

{{Left}}Ayr UnitedA2–115,100{{Left}}Stein, Henderson
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}4 December 1971

{{Left}}ClydeH1–025,000{{Left}}Stein
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}11 December 1971

{{Left}}Dunfermline AthleticA2–013,500{{Left}}Greig, Johnston
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}18 December 1971

{{Left}}AirdrieoniansH3–025,000{{Left}}Stein, Jardine (pen.), Fyfe
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}25 December 1971

{{Left}}HibernianA1–030,000{{Left}}Stein
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}1 January 1972

{{Left}}Partick ThistleH2–138,200{{Left}}Greig, Johnstone
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}3 January 1972

{{Left}}CelticA1–277,811{{Left}}Stein
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}8 January 1972

{{Left}}FalkirkH3–123,000{{Left}}Greig, Jackson, McDonald
bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}15 January 1972

{{Left}}AberdeenA0–033,608
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}22 January 1972

{{Left}}Heart of MidlothianH6–029,776{{Left}}Johnstone (3), Johnston, Greig, Conn
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}29 January 1972

{{Left}}East FifeA1–012,018{{Left}}Johnstone
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}12 February 1972

{{Left}}Dundee UnitedH1–025,000{{Left}}Smith
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}19 February 1972

{{Left}}MotherwellA0–216,192
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}4 March 1972

{{Left}}KilmarnockA2–114,707{{Left}}Jardine, Conn
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}11 March 1972

{{Left}}St JohnstoneH2–025,000{{Left}}Johnstone, McLean
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}25 March 1972

{{Left}}Greenock MortonH1–220,000{{Left}}Jackson
bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}8 April 1972

{{Left}}ClydeA1–17,500{{Left}}Johnston
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}10 April 1972

{{Left}}DundeeA0–213,000
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}22 April 1972

{{Left}}AirdrieoniansA2–010,000{{Left}}Penman (2), Fyfe
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}27 April 1972

{{Left}}Dunfermline AthleticH3–45,000{{Left}}MacDonald (2), Stein
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}29 April 1972

{{Left}}HibernianH1–211,000{{Left}}Johnstone
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}1 May 1972

{{Left}}Ayr UnitedH4–24,000{{Left}}Conn, Penman, MacDonald, Fyfe

=Cup Winners' Cup=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Round!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}15 September 1971

R1{{Left}}Stade RennaisA1–113,993{{Left}}Johnston
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}28 September 1971

R1{{Left}}Stade RennaisH1–046,521{{Left}}MacDonald
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}20 October 1971

R2{{Left}}Sporting LisbonH3–250,411{{Left}}Stein (2), Henderson
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}3 November 1971

R2{{Left}}Sporting LisbonA3–460,233{{Left}}Stein (2), Henderson
bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}8 March 1972

QF{{Left}}TorinoA1–140,000{{Left}}Johnston
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}22 March 1972

QF{{Left}}TorinoH1–075,303{{Left}}MacDonald
bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}5 April 1972

SF{{Left}}Bayern MunichA1–144,000{{Left}}Zobel (o.g.)
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}19 April 1972

SF{{Left}}Bayern MunichH2–080,102{{Left}}Jardine, Parlane
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}24 May 1972

F{{Left}}Dynamo MoscowN3–245,000{{Left}}Johnston (2), Stein

=Scottish Cup=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Round!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}5 February 1972

R1{{Left}}FalkirkA2–220,000{{Left}}Johnstone, Greig
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}9 February 1972

R1 R{{Left}}FalkirkH2–043,000{{Left}}Stein, McLean
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}26 February 1972

R2{{Left}}St MirrenA4–129,376{{Left}}McLean (2, 1 pen.), MacDonald, Stein
bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}18 March 1972

QF{{Left}}MotherwellA2–228,557{{Left}}MacDonald, Stein
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}27 March 1972

QF R{{Left}}MotherwellH4–244,800{{Left}}Stein (2), McLean, Fallon (o.g.)
bgcolor = "#FFFFEE"

| {{Left}}15 April 1972

SF{{Left}}HibernianN1–175,884{{Left}}MacDonald
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}24 April 1972

SF R{{Left}}HibernianN0–267,547

=League Cup=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Round!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}14 August 1971

SR{{Left}}CelticA0–272,505
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}18 August 1971

SR{{Left}}Ayr UnitedH4–033,502{{Left}}Johnstone (2), Stein, McLean (pen.)
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}21 August 1971

SR{{Left}}MortonH2–041,120{{Left}}Johnstone, MacDonald
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}25 August 1971

SR{{Left}}Ayr UnitedA4–020,000{{Left}}Stein (2), MacDonald, Johnstone
bgcolor = "#FFEEEE"

| {{Left}}28 August 1971

SR{{Left}}CelticH0–385,019
bgcolor = "#EEFFEE"

| {{Left}}1 September 1971

SR{{Left}}MortonA1–0*7,000{{Left}}Stein

*Rangers failed to reach the Quarter-finals

Appearances

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
Player

!Position

!Appearances

!Goals

align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Peter McCloy

|GK

|56

0
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Alex MacDonald

|FW

|54

18
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Sandy Jardine

|DF

|53

6
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Willie Mathieson

|DF

|50

0
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Colin Stein

|FW

|49

25
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} John Greig

|DF

|48

9
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Willie Johnston

|FW

|45

15
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Dave Smith

|MF

|44

1
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Colin Jackson

|DF

|43

2
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Tommy McLean

|MF

|42

6
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Derek Johnstone

|FW

|35

12
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Alfie Conn

|MF

|34

3
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Willie Henderson

|MF

|18

3
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Ronnie McKinnon

|DF

|17

0
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Graham Fyfe

|MF

|15

6
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Andy Penman

|MF

|14

3
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Jim Denny

|DF

|12

0
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Iain McDonald

|MF

|7

1
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Derek Parlane

|FW

|4

1
align="left" |{{Flagicon|SCO}} Alex Miller

|DF

|2

0

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{Rangers F.C. seasons}}

{{1971–72 in Scottish football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1971-72 Rangers F.C. season}}

Category:Rangers F.C. seasons

Rangers

Category:UEFA Cup Winners' Cup–winning seasons