Premier League. One thing really: back in 1975 the league structure was reformed in hope if making professional football more equal and competitive. But the result was questionable – the new 10-team league still remained divided with 2-3 teams clearly above the others and, more alarmingly, there were always very weak outsiders. One team in the first years, but the pattern already settled for 2, the relegation number. That meant a huge gap between first and second level on one hand and also forming just a modified status quo: nobody doubted the supremacy of Celtic and Rangers, but practically all other bigger clubs eventually settled for secure and uneventful existence, knowing that relegation is no threat. The sifting was generally financial: bigger clubs had more, the smaller had less and less chances to generate sufficient income and, therefore, to build and keep strong enough squad. And that was that, considering the big handicap of having the English leagues next door – whoever was even a bit above average went to play there and Scottish leagues were left with leftovers. Even the leading clubs. So, the 1981-82 produced nothing new…
Airdrieonians was dead last with 18 points.
Partick Thistle ended 9th with 22 points. Those were the relegated teams.
Dundee was safely 8th with 26 points.
Hibernian was 6th with 36 points. Like Dundee, Hibernian suffered from the shock waves of the reformed league, but now, after coming back from second level, things seemed different: they and Dundee were big enough clubs to play top level football indifferently – too weak to claim a title, too strong to fear relegation.