Scottish Premier Division Results, 3rd and 4th October, 1989
Celtic 3-1 Hibernian
Dundee United 2-0 Aberdeen
Hearts 1-2 Dunfermline Athletic
St Mirren 3-2 Dundee
Motherwell 1-0 Rangers
Scottish Premier Division Table
1 Celtic 8 3 4 1 12 8 10
2 Motherwell 8 3 4 1 11 7 10
3 Aberdeen 8 4 2 2 7 5 10
4 Hibernian 8 3 2 3 10 8 8
5 Dundee United 8 2 4 2 11 11 8
5 Hearts 8 3 2 3 11 11 8
7 Dunfermline 8 2 3 3 10 11 7
8 Rangers 8 2 3 3 6 8 7
9 St Mirren 8 3 1 4 8 12 7
10 Dundee 8 1 3 4 11 16 5
Rangers would go on to win the league by seven points. It would be the second win in what would eventually become their record equaling nine-in-a-row run of league wins. They wouldn't have it all their own way however: Aberdeen, the team that finished second that season would beat them 2-1 in the League Cup, and the Dons, managed by Alex Smith and Jocky Scott, would complete a domestic Cup double when they beat Celtic 9-8 on penalties.
Hearts would go on to finish third, equal on points with Aberdeen but with an inferior goal difference, with Dundee United leading a group of six teams all within five points of each other; Dundee would be relegated. Somewhat surprisingly for younger readers is finding Celtic, managed by club legend Billy McNeill in lowly 5th place; it would be their lowest league finish since 1977, though they came close in seasons 1993/94 and 1994/95 when the Hoops finished fourth on both occasions.
In the days when there where only three divisions in Scotland, the Premier Division, Division One and Division Two and you only got two points for a win, St Johnstone lead the old Division One by 1 point from Partick Thistle. St Johnstone would eventually go on to win the division, ironically just ahead of the two teams that no longer exist, Airdrieonians and Clydebank; the old Airdrieonians team in 1989 are at this stage still several years away from going under, but when, in 2002, they eventually do, they would take over Clydebank and relocate them to Airdrie to form the Airdrie United that's currently bottom of the Scottish First Division.
Also in Division One where a few teams that would make an appearance in the Premier Division and it's successor the Premier League at some point in the future. Raith Rovers (1993), Hamilton Academical, relegated from the Scottish Premier League the season before would wait until 2008 for their return to the top flight. Falkirk would win the First division in season 1990/91 to start a two season long run in the Premier Division. Albion Rovers and Alloa Athletic would finish the season at the bottom of the table, and where relegated to Division Two.
And in Division Two Kilmarnock, managed by Jim Fleeting, led the competition on this day in 1989. They'd eventually be pipped to the title by Berwick on the final day, but a second placed finish assured them of First Division status. At the end of the 1992/93 season another second placed finish saw them reach the now Scottish Premier League, where they remain to this day.
One final thing to notice: there's no mention yet of Inverness Caley Thistle. We will have to wait until 1994 for Caley to make their appearance following the merger of Caledonian and Inverness Thistle.
Division One and Division Two Results, this week in 1989
Saturday 7th October 1989 Scottish Division 1
Arbroath 2-1 Dumbarton
Cowdenbeath 1-1 Brechin City
East Fife 2-2 Queen of the South
East Stirlingshire 3-1 Berwick Rangers
Montrose 0-1 Kilmarnock
Queen's Park 0-2 Stranraer
Stenhousemuir 2-1 Stirling Albion
Saturday 7th October 1989 Scottish Division 2
Arbroath 2-1 Dumbarton
Cowdenbeath 1-1 Brechin City
East Fife 2-2 Queen of the South
East Stirlingshire 3-1 Berwick Rangers
Montrose 0-1 Kilmarnock
Queen's Park 0-2 Stranraer
Stenhousemuir 2-1 Stirling Albion
International Fixtures
On 11th October, 20 years to the day that Scotland take on Japan, the national side, under management of Andy Roxburgh where still in the running for World Cup Qualification.
With two games to go before the end of the qualification rounds, Scotland travelled to Paris for the Group 5 game against France. The Scots lost 3-0, with goals from Didier Deschamps, Eric Cantona and a Stephen Nicol own goal, but results elsewhere went their way. A final game draw with Norway had the Scots finishing second in the group behind Yugoslavia and so assured qualification for World Cup 1990. France didn't qualify.
The Scotland lineup that night was: Jim Leighton, Stephen Nicol, Richard Gough, Alex McLeish, Maurice Malpas, Roy Aitken, Paul McStay, Murdo McLeod, Gordon Strachan, Aly McCoist and Mo Johnston.
Fast approaching 20 years since Brian Irvine side-footed that penalty past Pat Bonner. Jesus, East Germany was still about and Maggie was clinging onto power. When are the law of averages finally going to kick in and give AFC another trophy?
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