1979/80: The season Aberdeen and Dundee United took centre stage
New Firm triumph and set up a good few years above the central belt
STV continues their look back at Scottish football with a look at 1980. Thirty years ago seems like a lifetime when you look at the finishing positions. Aberdeen were champions, sealing their title with an emphatic victory at Easter Road. Celtic were runners-up and then St Mirren were in third place.
Dundee United were fourth and Rangers were back in fifth place, eleven points behind the Dandy Dons. Don’t forget this was an era of two points for a win.
In the 36 games season, Aberdeen won 19 matches, drew 10 and lost 7. Celtic were behind due to “only” winning 18 matches, drawing 11 and losing the 7, although Aberdeen had a far superior goal difference as well.
Rangers were as close to the relegation zone as they were to the champions, finishing eleven points ahead of Dundee, who slipped down to Division One alongside bottom club Hibs. Rangers were four wins behind Aberdeens record, managing 15 victories but 7 draws and 14 defeats tells its own story.
The first trophy of the season went to Dundee United and it was the clubs first major trophy. It was a sweet victory for the Tannadice club, defeating Aberdeen 3-0 in the League Cup final replay at Dens Park, home of city rivals Dundee. United retained the League Cup in the following season, beating Dundee in the final but a higher level success was coming for the Tangerines a few years later, hopefully the story of a later Football Years programme.
The league title was decided on the final day and it is inevitable that this is where much of the focus will fall. Alex Ferguson is one of the most revered bosses in football but this success will surely be one of his sweetest. Ferguson never tired of telling his players that the Scottish football world was stacked against his side and sided with the Glasgow giants.
That day at Easter Road firmly put Aberdeen on the map and two more league triumphs were to follow under Ferguson. Aberdeen also won the Scottish Cup final three years in a row (and four out of five seasons) but their biggest triumph came in Gothenburg. This was when they defeated Real Madrid in the Cup Winners Cup final but without the first league triumph giving the team the confidence, who knows how the 80s would have panned out.
The 1980 Scottish Cup final also set the scene for much of what happened in the 1980s at football grounds but not in a positive manner. It was a Celtic v Rangers final with the hoops triumphing in extra time. A weak Danny McGrain shot was deflected in by George McCluskey to send the Jock Stein end of Hampden into rapture and to bring some joy to Glasgow fans of the East End.
What followed after probably still makes for shocking viewing and is the key reason why alcohol is not allowed in Scottish football stadiums today. If you haven’t seen the footage, it is worth seeing from a historical viewpoint but neither side came out of it with any glory.
The Scottish national team were also fairly rubbish this year so keeping the focus on Aberdeen and Dundee United will be for the best!
Aaah the 80s, bad hair, bad shorts and bad politics. Great days!
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