1996–97 Scottish Premier Division

91st season of top-tier football league in Scotland March 2026 Scottish Premier Division 1996–97 10 August 1996 – 10 May 1997 Rangers 12th Premier Division title 47th Scottish title DunfermlineDundee United Raith Rovers Champions League Rangers UEFA Cup CelticDundee United Cup Winners' Cup Kilmarnock Jorge Cadete (25) 504 (12px27) 2.8 Celtic 6–0 Kilmarnock (08 Jan) Raith Rovers 0–6 Rangers (15 Apr) 50,210, Rangers 2–0 Celtic (28 Sep) 3,052, Raith Rovers 1–5 Motherwell (18 Feb) 17,194 (12px2,159) 1995–96 1997–98 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. 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.http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/tables/sdprem97.htm Scottish Premier Division 1996/97 Soccerbot 2008-06-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20080512101831/http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/tables/sdprem97.htm 12 May 2008 live 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 Dunfermline Athletic Dundee United (via play-off) Relegated from Premier Division to First Division Partick Thistle (via play-off) Falkirk Stadia and locations Scotland Central Belt 400 right Location of clubs in the 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division Scotland Central Belt 6 57.159387 -2.088979 Aberdeen left Scotland Central Belt 6 55.849705 -4.205414 Celtic right Scotland Central Belt 6 56.474765 -2.968894 Dundee Utd right Scotland Central Belt 6 56.075308 -3.441906 Dunfermline Athletic left Scotland Central Belt 6 55.939167 -3.232222 Hearts left Scotland Central Belt 6 55.961667 -3.165556 Hibernian right Scotland Central Belt 6 55.604321 -4.508300 Kilmarnock left Scotland Central Belt 6 55.780279 -3.980205 Motherwell right Scotland Central Belt 6 56.118300 -3.138820 Raith Rovers right Scotland Central Belt 6 55.853207 -4.309243 Rangers left Team Location StadiumAberdeen Aberdeen Pittodrie StadiumCeltic Parkhead, Glasgow Celtic ParkDundee UnitedDundeeTannadice ParkDunfermline AthleticDunfermlineEast End ParkHeart of MidlothianGorgie, EdinburghTynecastle ParkHibernianLeith, EdinburghEaster RoadKilmarnockKilmarnockRugby ParkMotherwellMotherwellFir ParkRaith RoversKirkcaldyStark's ParkRangersIbrox, GlasgowIbrox Park Managers Team ManagerAberdeenSCO Roy AitkenCelticSCO Billy Stark (caretaker)Dundee UnitedSCO Tommy McLeanDunfermline AthleticSCO Bert PatonHeart of MidlothianSCO Jim JefferiesHibernianSCO Jim DuffyKilmarnockSCO Bobby WilliamsonMotherwellSCO Alex McLeishRaith RoversSCO Steve KirkYUG Miodrag Krivokapić (joint caretakers)RangersSCO Walter Smith Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Manner of departure Incoming manager Date of appointmentRaith RoversSCO Jimmy Thomson24 August 1996ResignedSCO Tommy McLean2 September 1996HibernianSCO Alex Miller30 September 1996SackedSCO Jocky Scott (interim)SCO Jim Duffy (permanent)30 September 199630 December 1996Dundee UnitedSCO Billy Kirkwood10 September 1996http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12027650.McLean_quits_Raith_to_join_his_brother/ The Herald 10 September 1996 17 February 2018 McLean quits Raith to join his brotherSackedSCO Tommy McLean10 September 1996Raith RoversSCO Tommy McLean10 September 1996Signed by Dundee UnitedSCO Iain Munro20 September 1996KilmarnockSCO Alex Totten4 December 1996http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12029076.Youth_is_name_of_the_game_as_Totten_is_pushed_out_by_Kilmarnock_Nicholl_the_favourite_to_take_over_at_Rugby_Park/ The Herald 4 December 1996 17 February 2018 Youth is name of the game as Totten is pushed out by KilmarnockSackedSCO Bobby Williamson4 December 1996Raith RoversSCO Iain Munro14 April 1997http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12329774.display/ The Herald 16 April 1997 17 February 2018 Photographer claims club chairman kicked and punched him outside ground Raith chief 'went berserk'SackedSCO Steve KirkYUG Miodrag Krivokapić (joint caretakers)16 April 1997https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/nicholl-rejects-raiths-offer-1267350.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/nicholl-rejects-raiths-offer-1267350.html 2022-05-01 subscription live The Independent 14 April 1997 17 February 2018 Nicholl rejects Raith's offerCelticSCO Tommy Burns2 May 1997ResignedSCO Billy Stark (caretaker)2 May 1997 Events 17 August: Ally McCoist hits the first hat-trick of the season in a 5–2 win at Dunfermline. 7 May: Rangers win the title with a 1–0 win at Dundee United League table main WDL complete 5 Soccerbase RAN CEL DNU HOM DNF ABE KIL MOT HIB RAI CL UC UC CWC PO REL 10 14 12 45 54 23 6 7 78 32 17 9 10 46 33 12 9 15 52 65 14 10 12 46 43 9 11 16 38 55 11 6 19 41 61 9 11 16 44 55 6 7 23 29 73 25 5 6 85 33 Aberdeen Celtic Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Kilmarnock Motherwell Raith Rovers Rangers C O R 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored QR green1 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round blue1 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first qualifying round yellow1 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup qualifying round red2 Qualification for the Play-off red1 Relegation to the First Division 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. 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). main FBR grey 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 3-2 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 complete Soccerbot Matches 19–36 During matches 19–36 each team plays every other team a further two times (home and away). main FBR grey 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 complete Soccerbot 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.http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12324871.Airdrie_captain_sent_off_as_Hibs_secure_premier_division_status_Jackson_at_the_double_on_a_night_of_penalties/ The Herald 23 May 1997 17 February 2018 Airdrie captain sent off as Hibs secure premier division status Jackson at the double on a night of penalties Therefore, Hibernian maintained their Premier Division status for another season, 5–2 on aggregate. Top scorers Player Goals Team POR Jorge Cadete 25 Celtic DEN Brian Laudrup 16 RangersSCO Paul Wright 15 KilmarnockSCO Billy Dodds 14 AberdeenSCO John Robertson HeartsNED Pierre van Hooijdonk Celtic SCO Gerry Britton 13 Dunfermline Athletic ENG Paul Gascoigne RangersITA Paolo Di Canio 12 CelticSWE Kjell Olofsson Dundee United IRL Tommy Coyne 11 Motherwell SCO Darren Jackson Hibernian DEU Jörg Albertz 10 Rangers SCO Ally McCoist Rangers SCO Andy Smith Dunfermline Athletic ENG Dean Windass Aberdeen Source: Soccerbot https://web.archive.org/web/20130517145101/http://www.soccerbot.com/scot/results/sdprem97.htm 2013-05-17 Awards Player awards AwardWinnerClubPFA Players' Player of the YearITA Paolo Di CanioCelticPFA Young Player of the YearSCO Robbie WintersDundee UnitedSFWA Footballer of the YearDEN Brian LaudrupRangers Manager awards AwardWinnerClubSFWA Manager of the YearSCO Walter SmithRangers Attendances { class"wikitable sortable" !#!!Football club!!Home games!!Average attendancePremiership 1996/1997 - Attendance https://www.worldfootball.net/competition/co93/se17837/attendance/ - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Rangers FC 18 48,122 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Celtic FC 18 47,691 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Aberdeen FC 18 12,603 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Heart of Midlothian 18 12,349 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Hibernian FC 18 10,631 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Dundee United 18 9,320 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Kilmarnock FC 18 9,121 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Dunfermline Athletic 18 8,753 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Motherwell FC 18 7,256 - style"text-align:center;" _row_count Raith Rovers 18 5,907 - } References Category:Scottish Premier Division seasons Scot Category:1996–97 Scottish Football League