1995–96 Scottish Premier Division#Play-off

The 1995–96 Scottish Premier Division season ended in success for Rangers who won the title by four points from nearest rivals Celtic to clinch eight titles in a row, despite Celtic losing only one league match in the entire season. Falkirk were relegated to the First Division after finishing bottom with Partick Thistle also being relegated after losing the relegation playoff to Dundee United. As champions, Rangers qualified for the Champions League while Celtic were joined by third-placed Aberdeen in qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Fourth-placed Hearts qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as Scottish Cup runners-up.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/tables/sdprem96.htm|title=Scottish Premier Division 1995/96|publisher=Soccerbot|access-date=4 June 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080514141514/http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/tables/sdprem96.htm| archive-date= 14 May 2008 | url-status= live}}

The season began on 26 August with the first goal of the season scored by Aberdeen's John Inglis as they won 3–2 away to Falkirk. The regular league season ended on 4 May with Hibernian's Darren Jackson netting a late winner in a 1–0 win at home to Partick Thistle to claim the final goal of the season.

Promoted from First Division to Premier League

• Raith Rovers

Relegated from Premier Division to First Division

• Dundee United

{{Location map+ |Scotland Central Belt|width=400 |float=right|caption= Location of clubs in the 1995–96 Scottish Premier Division|places=

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=57.159387 |long=-2.088979 |label=Aberdeen |position=left}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=55.849705 |long=-4.205414 |label=Celtic |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=56.003442 |long=-3.789306 |label=Falkirk |position=left}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=55.939167 |long=-3.232222 |label=Hearts |position=left}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt|marksize=6 |lat=55.961667 |long=-3.165556 |label=Hibernian |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=55.604321 |long=-4.508300 |label=Kilmarnock |position=left}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=55.780279 |long=-3.980205 |label=Motherwell |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=55.881584 |long=-4.269841 |label=Partick Thistle|position=top}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=56.118300 |long=-3.138820 |label=Raith Rovers |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Scotland Central Belt |marksize=6 |lat=55.853207 |long=-4.309243 |label=Rangers |position=left}}

}}

• 14 October: Gordon Durie hits the first hat-trick of the season in a 4–0 win at Partick Thistle.
• 28 April: Rangers win the title at Ibrox as a Paul Gascoigne hat-trick helps them to a 3–1 win over Aberdeen.

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL

|update=complete

|source=[http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=884 Soccerbase]

|team1=RAN |team2=CEL |team3=ABE |team4=HOM |team5=HIB |team6=RAI |team7=KIL |team8=MOT |team9=PAR |team10=FAL

|result1=CL |result2=UC |result3=UC |result4=CWC | result9=PO |result10=REL

|win_ABE=16 |draw_ABE=7 |loss_ABE=13 |gf_ABE=52 |ga_ABE=45

|win_CEL=24 |draw_CEL=11 |loss_CEL=1 |gf_CEL=74 |ga_CEL=25

|win_FAL=6 |draw_FAL=6 |loss_FAL=24 |gf_FAL=31 |ga_FAL=60

|win_HOM=16 |draw_HOM=7 |loss_HOM=13 |gf_HOM=55 |ga_HOM=53

|win_HIB=11 |draw_HIB=10 |loss_HIB=15 |gf_HIB=43 |ga_HIB=57

|win_KIL=11 |draw_KIL=8 |loss_KIL=17 |gf_KIL=39 |ga_KIL=54

|win_MOT=9 |draw_MOT=12 |loss_MOT=15 |gf_MOT=28 |ga_MOT=39

|win_PAR=8 |draw_PAR=6 |loss_PAR=22 |gf_PAR=29 |ga_PAR=62

|win_RAI=12 |draw_RAI=7 |loss_RAI=17 |gf_RAI=41 |ga_RAI=57

|win_RAN=27 |draw_RAN=6 |loss_RAN=3 |gf_RAN=85 |ga_RAN=25

|name_ABE = Aberdeen

|name_CEL = Celtic

|name_FAL = Falkirk

|name_HOM = Heart of Midlothian

|name_HIB = Hibernian

|name_KIL = Kilmarnock

|name_MOT = Motherwell

|name_PAR = Partick Thistle

|name_RAI = Raith Rovers

|name_RAN = Rangers

|status_RAN=C

|status_PAR=R

|status_FAL=R

|show_limit=5

|class_rules=1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored

|res_col_header=QR

|col_CL=green1 |text_CL=Qualification for the Champions League qualifying round

|col_UC=blue1 |text_UC=Qualification for the UEFA Cup qualifying round

|col_CWC=yellow1 |text_CWC=Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup qualifying round

|col_PO=red2 | text_PO=Qualification for the Play-off

|col_REL=red1 |text_REL=Relegation to the First Division

|note_res_UC=Aberdeen qualified for the UEFA Cup by winning the League Cup.

|note_res_CWC=As Rangers, the winners of the Scottish Cup, qualified for the Champions League via their league position, the place in the Cup Winners' Cup was passed to the cup runner-up, Heart of Midlothian.

}}

During matches 1–18 each team plays every other team twice (home and away).

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=ABE|team2=CEL|team3=FAL|team4=HOM|team5=HIB

|team6=KIL|team7=MOT|team8=PAR|team9=RAI|team10=RAN

|name_ABE=Aberdeen

|match_ABE_CEL=2–3

|match_ABE_FAL=3–1

|match_ABE_HOM=1–2

|match_ABE_HIB=1–2

|match_ABE_KIL=4–1

|match_ABE_MOT=1–0

|match_ABE_PAR=3–0

|match_ABE_RAI=3–0

|match_ABE_RAN=0–1

|name_CEL=Celtic

|match_CEL_ABE=2–0

|match_CEL_FAL=1–0

|match_CEL_HOM=3–1

|match_CEL_HIB=2–2

|match_CEL_KIL=4–2

|match_CEL_MOT=1–1

|match_CEL_PAR=2–1

|match_CEL_RAI=0–0

|match_CEL_RAN=0–2

|name_FAL=Falkirk

|match_FAL_ABE=2–3

|match_FAL_CEL=0–1

|match_FAL_HOM=2–0

|match_FAL_HIB=2–0

|match_FAL_KIL=0–2

|match_FAL_MOT=0–0

|match_FAL_PAR=0–1

|match_FAL_RAI=2–1

|match_FAL_RAN=0–2

|name_HOM=Heart of Midlothian

|match_HOM_ABE=1–2

|match_HOM_CEL=0–4

|match_HOM_FAL=4–1

|match_HOM_HIB=2–1

|match_HOM_KIL=2–1

|match_HOM_MOT=1–1

|match_HOM_PAR=3–0

|match_HOM_RAI=4–2

|match_HOM_RAN=0–2

|name_HIB=Hibernian

|match_HIB_ABE=1–1

|match_HIB_CEL=0–4

|match_HIB_FAL=2–1

|match_HIB_HOM=2–2

|match_HIB_KIL=2–0

|match_HIB_MOT=4–2

|match_HIB_PAR=3–0

|match_HIB_RAI=1–2

|match_HIB_RAN=1–4

|name_KIL=Kilmarnock

|match_KIL_ABE=1–2

|match_KIL_CEL=0–0

|match_KIL_FAL=4–0

|match_KIL_HOM=3–1

|match_KIL_HIB=0–3

|match_KIL_MOT=1–1

|match_KIL_PAR=2–1

|match_KIL_RAI=5–1

|match_KIL_RAN=0–2

|name_MOT=Motherwell

|match_MOT_ABE=2–1

|match_MOT_CEL=0–2

|match_MOT_FAL=1–1

|match_MOT_HOM=0–0

|match_MOT_HIB=0–2

|match_MOT_KIL=3–0

|match_MOT_PAR=1–1

|match_MOT_RAI=0–2

|match_MOT_RAN=0–0

|name_PAR=Partick Thistle

|match_PAR_ABE=1–0

|match_PAR_CEL=1–2

|match_PAR_FAL=1–1

|match_PAR_HOM=2–0

|match_PAR_HIB=1–1

|match_PAR_KIL=1–1

|match_PAR_MOT=1–0

|match_PAR_RAI=0–2

|match_PAR_RAN=0–4

|name_RAI=Raith Rovers

|match_RAI_ABE=1–0

|match_RAI_CEL=0–1

|match_RAI_FAL=0–1

|match_RAI_HOM=1–1

|match_RAI_HIB=3–0

|match_RAI_KIL=2–0

|match_RAI_MOT=0–0

|match_RAI_PAR=3–1

|match_RAI_RAN=2–2

|name_RAN=Rangers

|match_RAN_ABE=1–1

|match_RAN_CEL=3–3

|match_RAN_FAL=2–0

|match_RAN_HOM=4–1

|match_RAN_HIB=0–1

|match_RAN_KIL=1–0

|match_RAN_MOT=2–1

|match_RAN_PAR=1–0

|match_RAN_RAI=4–0

|update=complete

|source=[http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/results/sdprem96.htm Soccerbot]

}}

During matches 19–36 each team plays every other team a further two times (home and away).

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=ABE|team2=CEL|team3=FAL|team4=HOM|team5=HIB

|team6=KIL|team7=MOT|team8=PAR|team9=RAI|team10=RAN

|name_ABE=Aberdeen

|match_ABE_CEL=1–2

|match_ABE_FAL=2–1

|match_ABE_HOM=1–1

|match_ABE_HIB=2–1

|match_ABE_KIL=3–0

|match_ABE_MOT=2–1

|match_ABE_PAR=1–0

|match_ABE_RAI=1–0

|match_ABE_RAN=0–1

|name_CEL=Celtic

|match_CEL_ABE=5–0

|match_CEL_FAL=4–0

|match_CEL_HOM=4–0

|match_CEL_HIB=2–1

|match_CEL_KIL=1–1

|match_CEL_MOT=1–0

|match_CEL_PAR=4–0

|match_CEL_RAI=4–1

|match_CEL_RAN=0–0

|name_FAL=Falkirk

|match_FAL_ABE=1–1

|match_FAL_CEL=0–0

|match_FAL_HOM=0–2

|match_FAL_HIB=1–1

|match_FAL_KIL=4–2

|match_FAL_MOT=0–1

|match_FAL_PAR=1–2

|match_FAL_RAI=2–3

|match_FAL_RAN=0–4

|name_HOM=Heart of Midlothian

|match_HOM_ABE=1–3

|match_HOM_CEL=1–2

|match_HOM_FAL=2–1

|match_HOM_HIB=1–1

|match_HOM_KIL=1–0

|match_HOM_MOT=4–0

|match_HOM_PAR=2–5

|match_HOM_RAI=2–0

|match_HOM_RAN=2–0

|name_HIB=Hibernian

|match_HIB_ABE=1–2

|match_HIB_CEL=1–2

|match_HIB_FAL=2–1

|match_HIB_HOM=2–1

|match_HIB_KIL=1–1

|match_HIB_MOT=0–0

|match_HIB_PAR=1–0

|match_HIB_RAI=1–1

|match_HIB_RAN=0–2

|name_KIL=Kilmarnock

|match_KIL_ABE=1–1

|match_KIL_CEL=0–0

|match_KIL_FAL=1–0

|match_KIL_HOM=0–2

|match_KIL_HIB=3–2

|match_KIL_MOT=0–1

|match_KIL_PAR=2–1

|match_KIL_RAI=2–0

|match_KIL_RAN=0–3

|name_MOT=Motherwell

|match_MOT_ABE=1–0

|match_MOT_CEL=0–0

|match_MOT_FAL=1–0

|match_MOT_HOM=1–1

|match_MOT_HIB=3–0

|match_MOT_KIL=0–1

|match_MOT_PAR=0–2

|match_MOT_RAI=1–0

|match_MOT_RAN=1–3

|name_PAR=Partick Thistle

|match_PAR_ABE=1–1

|match_PAR_CEL=2–4

|match_PAR_FAL=0–3

|match_PAR_HOM=0–1

|match_PAR_HIB=0–0

|match_PAR_KIL=0–1

|match_PAR_MOT=0–2

|match_PAR_RAI=0–3

|match_PAR_RAN=1–2

|name_RAI=Raith Rovers

|match_RAI_ABE=2–2

|match_RAI_CEL=1–3

|match_RAI_FAL=1–0

|match_RAI_HOM=1–3

|match_RAI_HIB=1–0

|match_RAI_KIL=1–1

|match_RAI_MOT=2–0

|match_RAI_PAR=0–2

|match_RAI_RAN=2–4

|name_RAN=Rangers

|match_RAN_ABE=3–1

|match_RAN_CEL=1–1

|match_RAN_FAL=3–2

|match_RAN_HOM=0–3

|match_RAN_HIB=7–0

|match_RAN_KIL=3–0

|match_RAN_MOT=3–2

|match_RAN_PAR=5–0

|match_RAN_RAI=4–0

|update=complete

|source=[http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/results/sdprem96.htm Soccerbot]

}}

A two leg play-off took place between the 9th placed team in the Premier Division (Partick Thistle) and the runner-up of the First Division (Dundee United) for a place in the 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division.

The first leg at Firhill Stadium finished 1–1 and the second leg at Tannadice Park four days later also finished 1–1 after 90 minutes, meaning extra time was required to separate the teams. Owen Coyle scored for Dundee United during extra time, meaning Dundee United won 3–2 on aggregate, and returned to the Premier Division and Partick Thistle were relegated to the First Division.

Source: [http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/results/sdprem96.htm Soccerbot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006184600/http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/results/sdprem96.htm |date=6 October 2008 }}

{{row counter|

• Nine in a row

{{Reflist}}

{{Scottish top division football seasons}}

{{1995–96 in Scottish football}}

{{1995–96 in European football (UEFA)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1995-96 Scottish Premier Division}}

Category:Scottish Premier Division seasons

Scot

Category:1995–96 Scottish Football League