23 August 1980
Celtic Park,
Glasgow
Attendance 58000
The 1980-81 Premier League campaign started brightly, with Celtic being defeated home and away, as Rangers remained unbeaten in their first fifteen matches with new striker McAdam grabbing ten goals during that run. Greig's men were rather unlucky to lose 3-2 on aggregate to Aberdeen in the second round of a controversial League Cup tie in which the Dons were awarded two penalty-kicks. The elimination from the Anglo-Scottish Cup - a poor substitute for European football - was downright embarrassing as English Third Division side Chesterfield chalked up a 4-1 aggregate win. It signalled a dramatic slump for Rangers and the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Morton at Ibrox was the beginning of the end of their championship hopes. Again the Scottish Cup provided the only escape route from disaster and this time Rangers made it through the tunnel. With new goalkeeper Jim Stewart in the ranks, a £115,000 signing from Middlesbrough, Rangers survived a fourth-round hiccup against St Johnstone to reach the Scottish Cup final. After a goalless draw in which Ian Redford had a last-minute penalty-kick saved by Hamish McAlpine, Rangers turned on one of their greatest displays under John Greig's management to defeat Dundee United 4-1 in the replay. Davie Cooper and John MacDonald responded to their recall in brilliant style. Cooper opened the scoring, Bobby Russell added a second and MacDonald netted twice to put the game beyond a shattered United side. It was a morale-boosting end to the season for Greig and his side, and the Rangers manager strengthened his squad for an intended push on the title by signing Northern Ireland international defender John McClelland from Mansfield Town for £90,000. Greig also tried to buy Scotland's most talked-about young player, St Johnstone's Ally McCoist, but the striker headed south to Sunderland for £100,000 more than Rangers had offered.