Scotland had two big news in the 1979-80 season – one at the beginning and the other at the end of the season.
George Best signed with Hibernian. Exciting? Well, ten years ago this would have been the news of the world – not it was just a ‘big local news’. Best himself evaluated this contract just as one more club trying to cash on his name in his autobiography. Perhaps he was not far from the truth, considering the agreement: he was free to live in London, catch a plane to Edinburgh to train with the team on Friday, play the next day, and fly back to London right after the match finished. The result of such agreement was predictable… often Best did not show up at all. His total record with Hibernian is 17 matches and 3 goals. But this was not all – as many other British players at the time, he was really under double contract: with Hibernian and after April 1980 with San Jose Earthquakes of NASL. Schedules of two leagues overlapped, creating immediately a conflict: Best moved back to USA before the end of Scottish season, then he was late for the start of the next Scottish season. The second return of Best to British Isles was one more fiasco, but under the circumstances predictable one: Hibernian got full gates a match or two, but since Best was not really part of the team, the excitement dried up just as quickly. One more sad chapter in the life of self-destructive genius and no benefits for the game. The other news was much better – it was the actual beginning of a legend, but all in good time.
The Scottish Division Two – the third level – was won by same city rivals:
East Stirlingshire, fonded in 1881 and based in Falkirk, finished 2nd with 49 points. A point better than them was Falkirk FC.
Why the pots with some green stuff would be anybody’s guess, but Falkirk were champions of Division 2. Both clubs of the city were moving up to Division 1, replacing the losers of this season:
Clyde FC finished last, 14th, and
Arbroath FC – 13th. Both clubs were relegated, of course. Better things at the other side of the table, but for only two clubs – the second level championship was not competitive this year. Two clubs were way above the rest, assuring their promotion and concerned only with the first place as a matter of a pride.
Airdrieonians -commonly shortened to Airdrie – lost the race for the top place. They finished with 51 points, 7 more than 3rd-placed Ayr United. Airdrie lost their first division place when the top league was reformed and reduced to 10 teams in 1976 – this was the first time they were moving back to the top league since. Well done, even without finishing first.
Airdrie was bested by 2 points – Heart of Midlothian ended champions of Division 1. 20 wins, 13 ties, 6 losses, and 58-39 goal-difference.
A second division champions, but champions nevertheless – the trophy counts. Hearts were relegated the previous season, but were too strong for the lower level, and managed to go up right away. As for staying in the top league… it was a worrying question. Since the reduction of the top division, the club was relegated in 1976-77, promoted in 1977-78, relegated again in 1978-79, and now – promoted one more time, but those were bleak years for the club. And far from over yet.