1996–97 Scottish Premier Division

The 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division season was the penultimate season of Scottish Premier Division football before the change to the Scottish Premier League. It began on 10 August 1996.

Scottish Premier Division
Season1996–97
Dates10 August 1996 – 10 May 1997
ChampionsRangers
12th Premier Division title
47th Scottish title
PromotedDunfermline
Dundee United
RelegatedRaith Rovers
Champions LeagueRangers
UEFA CupCeltic
Dundee United
Cup Winners' CupKilmarnock
Goals scored504 (27)
Average goals/game2.8
Top goalscorerJorge Cadete (25)
Biggest home winCeltic 6–0 Kilmarnock (08 Jan)
Biggest away winRaith Rovers 0–6 Rangers (15 Apr)
Highest attendance50,210, Rangers 2–0 Celtic (28 Sep)
Lowest attendance3,052, Raith Rovers 1–5 Motherwell (18 Feb)
Average attendance17,194 (2,159)

Overview

The 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division season ended in success for Rangers who won the title by five points from nearest rivals Celtic to clinch nine titles in a row, equalling Celtic's record from the 1973–74 season. Raith Rovers were relegated to the First Division after finishing bottom. As champions, Rangers qualified for the Champions League while Celtic were joined by third-placed Dundee United in qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Seventh-placed Kilmarnock qualified for the penultimate Cup Winners' Cup as Scottish Cup winners.[1]

The season began on 10 August with the first goal of the season scored by Dundee United's Gary McSwegan as they drew 1–1 at home to Motherwell. The season ended on 10 May with Celtic's Tommy Johnson netting a late goal to cap a 3–0 win at home to Dundee United to claim the final goal of the season.

Clubs

Promotion and relegation from 1995–96

Promoted from First Division to Premier League

Relegated from Premier Division to First Division

Stadia and locations
Location of clubs in the 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division
Team Location Stadium
AberdeenAberdeenPittodrie Stadium
CelticParkhead, GlasgowCeltic Park
Dundee UnitedDundeeTannadice Park
Dunfermline AthleticDunfermlineEast End Park
Heart of MidlothianGorgie, EdinburghTynecastle Park
HibernianLeith, EdinburghEaster Road
KilmarnockKilmarnockRugby Park
MotherwellMotherwellFir Park
Raith RoversKirkcaldyStark's Park
RangersIbrox, GlasgowIbrox Park

Managers
Team Manager
Aberdeen Scotland Roy Aitken
Celtic Scotland Billy Stark (caretaker)
Dundee United Scotland Tommy McLean
Dunfermline Athletic Scotland Bert Paton
Heart of Midlothian Scotland Jim Jefferies
Hibernian Scotland Jim Duffy
Kilmarnock Scotland Bobby Williamson
Motherwell Scotland Alex McLeish
Raith Rovers Scotland Steve Kirk
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Miodrag Krivokapić (joint caretakers)
Rangers Scotland Walter Smith

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Manner of departure Incoming manager Date of appointment
Raith Rovers Scotland Jimmy Thomson 24 August 1996 Resigned Scotland Tommy McLean 2 September 1996
Hibernian Scotland Alex Miller 30 September 1996 Sacked Scotland Jocky Scott (interim)
Scotland Jim Duffy (permanent)		 30 September 1996
30 December 1996
Dundee United Scotland Billy Kirkwood 10 September 1996[2] Sacked Scotland Tommy McLean 10 September 1996[2]
Raith Rovers Scotland Tommy McLean 10 September 1996[2] Signed by Dundee United Scotland Iain Munro 20 September 1996
Kilmarnock Scotland Alex Totten 4 December 1996[3] Sacked Scotland Bobby Williamson 4 December 1996[3]
Raith Rovers Scotland Iain Munro 14 April 1997[4] Sacked Scotland Steve Kirk
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Miodrag Krivokapić (joint caretakers)		 16 April 1997[5]
Celtic Scotland Tommy Burns 2 May 1997 Resigned Scotland Billy Stark (caretaker) 2 May 1997

Events

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Rangers (C) 36 25 5 6 85 33 +52 80 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 Celtic 36 23 6 7 78 32 +46 75 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Dundee United 36 17 9 10 46 33 +13 60
4 Heart of Midlothian 36 14 10 12 46 43 +3 52
5 Dunfermline Athletic 36 12 9 15 52 65 −13 45
6 Aberdeen 36 10 14 12 45 54 −9 44
7 Kilmarnock 36 11 6 19 41 61 −20 39 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup qualifying round[lower-alpha 2]
8 Motherwell 36 9 11 16 44 55 −11 38
9 Hibernian (O) 36 9 11 16 38 55 −17 38 Qualification for the Play-off
10 Raith Rovers (R) 36 6 7 23 29 73 −44 25 Relegation to the First Division
Source: Soccerbase
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. As the League Cup winners Rangers had qualified for European competition via their league position, the place in the UEFA Cup was passed to the next highest placed team in the league, Dundee United.
  2. Kilmarnock qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as the winners of the Scottish Cup.

Results

Matches 1–18

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

Home \ Away ABE CEL DUN DNF HOM HIB KIL MOT RAI RAN
Aberdeen 2–2 3–3 3–0 4–0 0–2 3–0 0–0 1–0 0–3
Celtic 1–0 1–0 5–1 2–2 5–0 6–0 1–0 4–1 0–1
Dundee United 1–0 1–2 1–1 1–0 0–1 0–0 1–1 1–2 1–0
Dunfermline Athletic 2–3 0–2 1–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 3–1 2–5
Heart of Midlothian 1–2 2–2 1–0 2–0 0–0 3–2 1–1 0–0 1–4
Hibernian 0–1 0–4 1–1 0–0 1–3 1–2 2–0 1–0 2–1
Kilmarnock 3–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 2–0 4–2 2–4 2–1 1–4
Motherwell 2–2 2–1 1–3 2–3 0–2 1–1 1–0 0–1 0–1
Raith Rovers 1–4 1–2 2–3 1–2 1–1 0–3 1–0 0–3 2–2
Rangers 2–2 2–0 1–0 3–1 3–0 4–3 4–2 5–0 1–0
Source: Soccerbot
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 19–36

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

Home \ Away ABE CEL DUN DNF HOM HIB KIL MOT RAI RAN
Aberdeen 1–2 1–1 0–2 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 2–0 2–2
Celtic 3–0 3–0 4–2 2–0 4–1 0–0 5–0 2–0 0–1
Dundee United 4–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 0–0 2–0 2–2 2–1 0–1
Dunfermline Athletic 3–0 1–1 2–3 2–3 1–1 3–1 3–1 2–0 0–3
Heart of Midlothian 0–0 1–2 1–2 1–1 1–0 2–0 4–1 3–2 3–1
Hibernian 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–0 0–4 0–1 1–1 1–1 1–2
Kilmarnock 1–1 2–0 2–3 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 0–1 1–1
Motherwell 2–2 0–1 1–1 2–2 0–1 2–1 2–0 5–0 1–3
Raith Rovers 2–2 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–5 0–6
Rangers 4–0 3–1 0–2 4–0 0–0 3–1 1–2 0–2 4–0
Source: Soccerbot
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-off

A two leg play-off took place between the 9th placed team in the Premier Division (Hibernian) and the runner-up of the First Division (Airdrieonians) for a place in the 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division.

Hibernian won the first leg 1–0 at Easter Road, and went on to win the second leg by 4 goals to 2 at Broadwood Stadium.[6] Therefore, Hibernian maintained their Premier Division status for another season, 5–2 on aggregate.

Top scorers
PlayerGoalsTeam
Portugal Jorge Cadete25Celtic
Denmark Brian Laudrup16Rangers
Scotland Paul Wright15Kilmarnock
Scotland Billy Dodds14Aberdeen
Scotland John RobertsonHearts
Netherlands Pierre van HooijdonkCeltic
Scotland Gerry Britton13Dunfermline Athletic
England Paul GascoigneRangers
Italy Paolo Di Canio12Celtic
Sweden Kjell OlofssonDundee United
Republic of Ireland Tommy Coyne11Motherwell
Scotland Darren JacksonHibernian
Germany Jörg Albertz10Rangers
Scotland Ally McCoistRangers
Scotland Andy SmithDunfermline Athletic
England Dean WindassAberdeen

Source: Soccerbot Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine

References
  1. "Scottish Premier Division 1996/97". Soccerbot. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  2. "McLean quits Raith to join his brother". The Herald. 10 September 1996. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  3. "Youth is name of the game as Totten is pushed out by Kilmarnock". The Herald. 4 December 1996. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  4. "Photographer claims club chairman kicked and punched him outside ground Raith chief 'went berserk'". The Herald. 16 April 1997. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  5. "Nicholl rejects Raith's offer". The Independent. 14 April 1997. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  6. "Airdrie captain sent off as Hibs secure premier division status Jackson at the double on a night of penalties". The Herald. 23 May 1997. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
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