The Spring Cup was a Scottish football tournament played in 1976. It was introduced for members of Division One and Two of the Scottish Football League in the wake of league reconstruction in 1975, to be played after the conclusion of all the league fixtures at the end of the 1975–76 season. It derived its title from the season (spring) it was played in.
When Scottish Football League member clubs voted in favour reconstruction in the summer of 1974, the format they approved was a three division structure of 10, 14 and 14 teams respectively, to be introduced at the beginning of the 1975–76 season. The new Divisions One and Two would now contain 14 teams, previously considered a difficult number for creating a balanced schedule. A 26-game programme (with every team playing each other home and away) was considered too short, a 52-game programme (with each team playing each other home and away twice) too congested. A 39-game schedule would leave an imbalance with sides having two fixtures at home against some teams, and one against others. The solution the Scottish Football League opted for was a 26-game calendar augmented by a supplementary cup competition, the "Spring Cup". The tournament, to be played at the season's end, was open only to teams from Divisions One and Two.
FormatEdit
The 28 Division One and Two clubs were divided into seven groups of 4 teams. These sides would play each other home and away, with two points awarded for a win and one for a draw, the top two sides in the group qualifying for the second round. In addition, the two third-placed sides with the best record would also qualify. The second round and quarter-finals were played on a two-leg, home and away basis, while the semi-finals and final were to be played at neutral venues.
It quickly became apparent that the competition was not proving popular with spectators, and club directors began to talk of further change. The Scottish Football League itself seemed to have an ambiguous attitude to the competition, failing to have the trophy engraved before the first final. In May 1976, a motion forwarded by Albion Rovers to have a 39-game Division One and Two calendar, effectively ending the Spring Cup, was overwhelmingly backed, coming into force for the start of the 1976–77 season.
Crampsey, Bob (1990). Scottish Football League: The First 100 Years (Paperback). Scottish Football League. ISBN0-9516433-0-4.
External linksEdit
Competition details at scottishleague.net
"Can We Have Our Cup Back? at derek-drennan.co.uk
at statto.com
August 25, 2023
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This article is about the football tournament For other uses see Spring Cup disambiguation The Spring Cup was a Scottish football tournament played in 1976 It was introduced for members of Division One and Two of the Scottish Football League in the wake of league reconstruction in 1975 to be played after the conclusion of all the league fixtures at the end of the 1975 76 season It derived its title from the season spring it was played in Spring CupSportFootballFounded1976No of teams28CountryScotlandMost recentchampion s Airdrieonians Contents 1 League reconstruction and foundation 2 Format 3 1975 76 Spring Cup 3 1 First round 3 1 1 Group 1 3 1 2 Group 2 3 1 3 Group 3 3 1 4 Group 4 3 1 5 Group 5 3 1 6 Group 6 3 1 7 Group 7 3 2 Second Rounds 3 2 1 First leg 3 2 2 Second leg 3 3 Quarter finals 3 3 1 First leg 3 3 2 Second leg 3 4 Semi finals 3 5 Final 4 Demise 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLeague reconstruction and foundation EditWhen Scottish Football League member clubs voted in favour reconstruction in the summer of 1974 the format they approved was a three division structure of 10 14 and 14 teams respectively to be introduced at the beginning of the 1975 76 season The new Divisions One and Two would now contain 14 teams previously considered a difficult number for creating a balanced schedule A 26 game programme with every team playing each other home and away was considered too short a 52 game programme with each team playing each other home and away twice too congested A 39 game schedule would leave an imbalance with sides having two fixtures at home against some teams and one against others The solution the Scottish Football League opted for was a 26 game calendar augmented by a supplementary cup competition the Spring Cup The tournament to be played at the season s end was open only to teams from Divisions One and Two Format EditThe 28 Division One and Two clubs were divided into seven groups of 4 teams These sides would play each other home and away with two points awarded for a win and one for a draw the top two sides in the group qualifying for the second round In addition the two third placed sides with the best record would also qualify The second round and quarter finals were played on a two leg home and away basis while the semi finals and final were to be played at neutral venues 1975 76 Spring Cup EditDivision One Airdrieonians won the competition defeating Division Two Clydebank in the final They had qualified from a group containing Brechin City East Fife and Stranraer In the second round they eliminated Dunfermline Athletic 5 4 on aggregate while in the quarter finals they beat Hamilton Academical In the semi final a strike from Cairney and two own goals helped them defeat Morton 3 1 at Love Street First round Edit Group 1 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsAirdrieonians 6 4 1 1 11 7 3 9East Fife 6 3 1 2 10 5 5 7Brechin City 6 1 3 2 9 8 1 5Stranraer 6 1 1 4 7 17 10 3Home Team Score Away Team DateAirdrieonians 2 1 Brechin City 6 March 1976Stranraer 1 0 East Fife 6 March 1976Brechin City 4 0 Stranraer 13 March 1976East Fife 3 0 Airdrieonians 13 March 1976East Fife 2 0 Brechin City 20 March 1976Stranraer 0 1 Airdrieonians 20 March 1976Airdrieonians 1 0 East Fife 27 March 1976Stranraer 2 2 Brechin City 27 March 1976Brechin City 1 1 Airdrieonians 3 April 1976East Fife 4 2 Stranraer 3 April 1976Airdrieonians 6 2 Stranraer 10 April 1976Brechin City 1 1 East Fife 10 April 1976Group 2 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsFalkirk 6 4 1 1 10 5 5 9Alloa Athletic 6 2 3 1 10 8 2 7Kilmarnock 6 1 3 2 5 6 1 5Berwick Rangers 6 0 3 3 4 10 6 3Home Team Score Away Team DateAirdrieonians 2 1 Brechin City 6 March 1976Stranraer 1 0 East Fife 6 March 1976Brechin City 4 0 Stranraer 13 March 1976East Fife 3 0 Airdrieonians 13 March 1976East Fife 2 0 Brechin City 20 March 1976Stranraer 0 1 Airdrieonians 20 March 1976Airdrieonians 1 0 East Fife 27 March 1976Stranraer 2 2 Brechin City 27 March 1976Falkirk 3 1 Alloa Athletic 3 April 1976Kilmarnock 3 1 Berwick Rangers 3 April 1976Alloa Athletic 2 0 Berwick Rangers 10 April 1976Falkirk 2 0 Kilmarnock 10 April 1976Group 3 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsSt Mirren 6 5 0 1 18 2 16 10Partick Thistle 6 4 0 2 14 5 9 8Meadowbank Thistle 6 2 1 3 6 17 11 5Forfar Athletic 6 0 1 5 5 15 10 1Home Team Score Away Team DateForfar Athletic 0 1 Partick Thistle 6 March 1976Meadowbank Thistle 0 4 St Mirren 6 March 1976Partick Thistle 5 0 Meadowbank Thistle 13 March 1976St Mirren 5 0 Forfar Athletic 13 March 1976Forfar Athletic 3 3 Meadowbank Thistle 20 March 1976St Mirren 1 2 Partick Thistle 20 March 1976Forfar Athletic 0 1 St Mirren 27 March 1976Meadowbank Thistle 2 1 Partick Thistle 27 March 1976Partick Thistle 4 2 Forfar Athletic 3 April 1976St Mirren 4 0 Meadowbank Thistle 3 April 1976Meadowbank Thistle 1 0 Forfar Athletic 10 April 1976Partick Thistle 1 3 St Mirren 10 April 1976Group 4 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsDumbarton 6 4 0 2 12 7 5 8Arbroath 6 3 0 3 8 6 2 6Albion Rovers 6 3 0 3 9 10 1 6Stenhousemuir 6 2 0 4 6 10 4 4Home Team Score Away Team DateStenhousemuir 0 2 Arbroath 6 March 1976Dumbarton 4 1 Albion Rovers 10 March 1976Albion Rovers 1 0 Stenhousemuir 13 March 1976Arbroath 0 1 Dumbarton 13 March 1976Albion Rovers 1 0 Arbroath 20 March 1976Stenhousemuir 2 1 Dumbarton 20 March 1976Dumbarton 1 2 Arbroath 27 March 1976Stenhousemuir 2 3 Albion Rovers 27 March 1976Arbroath 0 1 Stenhousemuir 3 April 1976Albion Rovers 1 2 Dumbarton 7 April 1976Arbroath 3 2 Albion Rovers 10 April 1976Dumbarton 3 1 Stenhousemuir 10 April 1976Group 5 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsQueen s Park 6 2 3 1 9 6 3 7Dunfermline Athletic 6 3 1 2 7 8 1 7Hamilton Academical 6 2 2 2 5 8 3 6Cowdenbeath 6 2 0 4 8 7 1 4Home Team Score Away Team DateCowdenbeath 3 0 Hamilton Academical 6 March 1976Queen s Park 1 1 Dunfermline Athletic 6 March 1976Dunfermline Athletic 1 0 Cowdenbeath 13 March 1976Hamilton Academical 1 1 Queen s Park 13 March 1976Dunfermline Athletic 1 2 Hamilton Academical 20 March 1976Queen s Park 2 0 Cowdenbeath 20 March 1976Cowdenbeath 4 0 Dunfermline Athletic 27 March 1976Queen s Park 1 1 Hamilton Academical 27 March 1976Dunfermline Athletic 2 1 Queen s Park 3 April 1976Hamilton Academical 1 0 Cowdenbeath 6 April 1976Cowdenbeath 1 3 Queen s Park 10 April 1976Hamilton Academical 0 2 Dunfermline Athletic 10 April 1976Group 6 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsRaith Rovers 6 4 1 1 12 9 3 9Clydebank 6 4 0 1 15 6 9 8Clyde 6 2 1 3 7 11 4 5Queen of the South 6 1 0 5 6 14 8 2Home Team Score Away Team DateClyde 1 3 Clydebank 6 March 1976Raith Rovers 4 2 Queen of the South 10 March 1976Clydebank 1 2 Raith Rovers 13 March 1976Queen of the South 1 2 Clyde 13 March 1976Clyde 2 2 Raith Rovers 20 March 1976Clydebank 4 0 Queen of the South 20 March 1976Queen of the South 1 3 Clydebank 27 March 1976Raith Rovers 2 1 Clyde 27 March 1976Clydebank 3 0 Clyde 3 April 1976Queen of the South 2 0 Raith Rovers 3 April 1976Clyde 1 0 Queen of the South 10 April 1976Raith Rovers 2 1 Clydebank 10 April 1976Group 7 Edit Team Pld W D L GF GA GD PtsMontrose 6 4 1 1 15 11 4 9Morton 6 4 1 1 11 7 4 9East Stirlingshire 6 1 2 4 4 8 4 4Stirling Albion 6 0 2 4 6 10 4 2Home Team Score Away Team DateEast Stirlingshire 1 2 Morton 6 March 1976Morton 2 4 Montrose 13 March 1976Stirling Albion 0 0 East Stirlingshire 13 March 1976Montrose 3 0 East Stirlingshire 20 March 1976Stirling Albion 0 1 Morton 20 March 1976East Stirlingshire 2 1 Stirling Albion 27 March 1976Montrose 1 4 Morton 27 March 1976Montrose 3 2 Stirling Albion 31 March 1976Stirling Albion 2 3 Montrose 3 April 1976Morton 1 0 East Stirlingshire 7 April 1976East Stirlingshire 1 1 Montrose 10 April 1976Morton 1 1 Stirling Albion 10 April 1976Second Rounds Edit First leg Edit Home Team Score Away Team DateArbroath 2 1 Falkirk 14 April 1976Clydebank 4 1 Albion Rovers 14 April 1976Dunfermline Athletic 4 2 Airdrieonians 14 April 1976Montrose 3 1 Hamilton Academical 14 April 1976Morton 1 1 Queen s Park 14 April 1976Partick Thistle 1 0 East Fife 14 April 1976St Mirren 3 0 Alloa Athletic 14 April 1976Raith Rovers 2 2 Dumbarton 17 April 1976Second leg Edit Home Team Score Away Team Date AggAirdrieonians 3 0 Dunfermline Athletic 17 April 1976 5 4Albion Rovers 2 0 Clydebank 17 April 1976 3 4Alloa Athletic 1 4 St Mirren 17 April 1976 1 7East Fife 2 0 Partick Thistle 17 April 1976 2 1Falkirk 2 0 Arbroath 17 April 1976 3 2Hamilton Academical 6 3 Montrose 17 April 1976 7 6Queen s Park 2 3 Morton 17 April 1976 3 4Dumbarton 4 0 Raith Rovers 19 April 1976 6 2Quarter finals Edit First leg Edit Home Team Score Away Team DateClydebank 1 0 East Fife 21 April 1976Dumbarton 4 2 Falkirk 21 April 1976Hamilton Academical 0 4 Airdrieonians 21 April 1976Morton 1 0 St Mirren 21 April 1976Second leg Edit Home Team Score Away Team Date AggAirdrieonians 5 0 Hamilton Academical 24 April 1976 9 0East Fife 1 0 Clydebank 24 April 1976 1 1 1 Falkirk 1 2 Dumbarton 24 April 1976 3 6St Mirren 0 1 Morton 24 April 1976 0 2Semi finals Edit Home Team Score Away Team DateAirdrieonians 3 1 Morton 28 April 1976Clydebank 3 1 Dumbarton 28 April 1976Final Edit 3 May 1976Airdrieonians4 2 a e t ClydebankMcCulloch 74 106 McVeigh 105 Walker 115 Larnach 2 100 Firhill StadiumAttendance 5 000Referee W Mullan Dalkeith Demise EditIt quickly became apparent that the competition was not proving popular with spectators and club directors began to talk of further change The Scottish Football League itself seemed to have an ambiguous attitude to the competition failing to have the trophy engraved before the first final In May 1976 a motion forwarded by Albion Rovers to have a 39 game Division One and Two calendar effectively ending the Spring Cup was overwhelmingly backed coming into force for the start of the 1976 77 season See also EditScottish C Division League Cup Scottish B Division Supplementary Cup Scottish Challenge CupReferences Edit After Extra Time Clydebank won on penalties Crampsey Bob 1990 Scottish Football League The First 100 Years Paperback Scottish Football League ISBN 0 9516433 0 4 External links EditCompetition details at scottishleague net Can We Have Our Cup Back at derek drennan co uk Spring Cup results at statto com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Spring Cup amp oldid 1156050035, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
