finishing 3rd the following season?

[chrisski33]

Was wondering when the last time we finished 3rd two seasons in a row or more? Has it happened before?

[Eyrie]

Our most recent run was 72/73 third, 73/74 second, 74/75 second and 75/76 third.

Before that - 46/47 second, 47/48 champions, 48/49 third, 49/50 second, 50/51 - champions, 51/52 champions and 52/53 second.

[Eyrie]

And further back

1895/96 third, 96/97 second and 97/98 third.

1899/1900 third and 00/01 third.

Link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_football_champions#Scottish_Footb all_League_Premier_Division_(1975%E2%80%931998)).

[hibeg]

Our most recent run was 72/73 third, 73/74 second, 74/75 second and 75/76 third.

Before that - 46/47 second, 47/48 champions, 48/49 third, 49/50 second, 50/51 - champions, 51/52 champions and 52/53 second.

In the early 70s seasons I thought it would be like that every year, took a few years for realism to kick in 😂
We really could have won the league with a bit more strength in depth even though we were up against a very good Celtic side.
Suspensions ( Edwards) and injury’s (Brownlie) cost us big time !!

[Pagan Hibernia]

In the early 70s seasons I thought it would be like that every year, took a few years for realism to kick in 😂
We really could have won the league with a bit more strength in depth even though we were up against a very good Celtic side.
Suspensions ( Edwards) and injury’s (Brownlie) cost us big time !!

72/73… 100 goals before Christmas, league cup winners, 0-7… the league title that got away…. And Hajduk Split :boo hoo::boo hoo:

[He's here!]

In the early 70s seasons I thought it would be like that every year, took a few years for realism to kick in ��
We really could have won the league with a bit more strength in depth even though we were up against a very good Celtic side.
Suspensions ( Edwards) and injury’s (Brownlie) cost us big time !!

Older fans also reckon we were on track for a league and Scottish Cup double under Jock Stein in 1964/65 before he abruptly left for Celtic. We were in the cup semi-finals, having knocked Rangers out (in fact I think we also did the double over them in the league that season), and going great guns in the league but fell away badly after that. I remember hearing Pat Stanton talking about how Stein's departure knocked the stuffing out of the team.

[A Hi-Bee]

Older fans also reckon we were on track for a league and Scottish Cup double under Jock Stein in 1964/65 before he abruptly left for Celtic. We were in the cup semi-finals, having knocked Rangers out (in fact I think we also did the double over them in the league that season), and going great guns in the league but fell away badly after that. I remember hearing Pat Stanton talking about how Stein's departure knocked the stuffing out of the team.

Correct, we have had a few chances to prize the uglies apart but it all comes down to finance or lack of along with some bad luck in the shape of ref's from the west certainly not bringing any gifts.
Good days all the same and a few very good sides along the way.
:flag::flag::flag:

[ancient hibee]

Older fans also reckon we were on track for a league and Scottish Cup double under Jock Stein in 1964/65 before he abruptly left for Celtic. We were in the cup semi-finals, having knocked Rangers out (in fact I think we also did the double over them in the league that season), and going great guns in the league but fell away badly after that. I remember hearing Pat Stanton talking about how Stein's departure knocked the stuffing out of the team.

At least the team enjoyed going to Parkhead and stuffing them 4-2 not long after he left. Neil Martin scored three and enjoyed celebrating near the Celtic bench.

[Keith_M]

Was wondering when the last time we finished 3rd two seasons in a row or more? Has it happened before?



Top three in quite a number of seasons early to mid 70's.


Never managed to repeat the feat since then.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Top three in quite a number of seasons early to mid 70's.


Never managed to repeat the feat since then.

How did the wheels come off the cart so badly?
I picked up going to be games in the Miller era, must have seemed half a world away and beyond to folks fortunate enough to witness the Tornadoes. For all of his few redeeming features (Miller - remaining calm whilst all the madness that surrounded the takeover he remained focused and professionals d won us a cup and brought in some magnificent players) I could never fathom just how bad we were against the Hearts during that awful spell - at least we paid our Polis bills!

[Mick O'Rourke]

Our most recent run was 72/73 third, 73/74 second, 74/75 second and 75/76 third.

Before that - 46/47 second, 47/48 champions, 48/49 third, 49/50 second, 50/51 - champions, 51/52 champions and 52/53 second.

If the Tornadoes had not been dismantled those seasons positions, ones in bold at least, may well have been better.

Added to what Pagan Hibernia wrote...
The second half of 72/73 season was also hampered with injuries,some lengthy, and some very very strange excessive suspensions.

We did need a larger 1st team squad,though.
Not so much quantity,but quality.
,The Tornadoes had that in abundance.

[eastterrace]

If the Tornadoes had not been dismantled those seasons positions, ones in bold at least, may well have been better.

Added to what Pagan Hibernia wrote...
The second half of 72/73 season was also hampered with injuries,some lengthy, and some very very strange excessive suspensions.

We did need a larger 1st team squad,though.
Not so much quantity,but quality.
,The Tornadoes had that in abundance.
If we had a better goalkeeper and a better centre half we would have won the league on at least one occasion in my opinion.

[A Hi-Bee]

If we had a better goalkeeper and a better centre half we would have won the league on at least one occasion in my opinion.

Nothing wrong wi Jim Herriot or Jim (Cilla) Black, both very good players in an exceptional team, we lacked real finance to take the next step, and when we did try and compete with buying Joe Harper it was the wrong player at the wrong time, wee Joe scored a lot of goals as well for Hibs, some tend to forget, we had a strong team, it needed perhaps 2 or 3 more really good players. Celtic also had a very good team at the time backed with big money.

[Mick O'Rourke]

If we had a better goalkeeper and a better centre half we would have won the league on at least one occasion in my opinion.
I have never like over the years fans scapegoating Cilla and Jim for failings.

The Split game.... Jimmy told me the pitch there made that squint hilly pitch at Inverlieth look like Wembley.
Herriot's fault that was ? ! Capped for Scotland ,too.
Not to many,if any better goalies around then that we could afford.
Jim Black too ,gets it .Back to my earlier thoughts .....Slim squad.

Joe Baker and Eric Stevenson.. Let go at least a season too early.
George Stewart and Roy Barry? .....Brought in far too late.

Oh... might mention John Blackley ..Class Act.of course.
..but Sloop could make the same basic errors spoken about here recently, Doyle Hayes,Porto,etc.

As Al Capone would say before wielding the baseball bat ...

TEAMWORK!!

[superfurryhibby]

Nothing wrong wi Jim Herriot or Jim (Cilla) Black, both very good players in an exceptional team, we lacked real finance to take the next step, and when we did try and compete with buying Joe Harper it was the wrong player at the wrong time, wee Joe scored a lot of goals as well for Hibs, some tend to forget, we had a strong team, it needed perhaps 2 or 3 more really good players. Celtic also had a very good team at the time backed with big money.

Maybe, but if those good players had been a goalie (to replace Jim McArthur) and a centre half, we might have got the league over the line. Harper's signing was bizarre, then and now.

[Alfred E Newman]

If we had a better goalkeeper and a better centre half we would have won the league on at least one occasion in my opinion.

I think I’m right in saying, if the Premier league ( 10 team league) had started earlier we would have won the league in the early 70s. As usual it was out results against teams at the lower end of the table that beat us. Dumbarton and Clyde come to mind.

[Mick O'Rourke]

Maybe, but if those good players had been a goalie (to replace Jim McArthur) and a centre half, we might have got the league over the line. Harper's signing was bizarre, then and now.

Yes, but we were short in a number of positions. Not like today.
What was in the reserves?, nowhere the quality of THE 11.

Replacing an international goalkeeper,who had spells with a top Dunfermline side and vast experience in England,with a 20 yr old just arrived from the dizzy heights of Cowdenbeath FC ?

The injuries to key players,post East Fife cup game,soon afer the Tynecastle Massacre,long suspensions (unjustly in Edwards case) was bad enough.....

Then came Hadjuk Split..
Had Turnbull not panicked/lost the plot,panic signing Harper, selling players,and blaming everyone bar himself for falling further behind Celtic.
He could have strengthened areas that needed done.
Not spending the whole pot on one player to replace guys that were scoring for fun.

Who knows ?
He should have had more faith in the team that had excited football fans throughout this Country and afar, only second to Steins 9 in a row Celtic.
Remember,we were top of the league in January,before the dominoes began to fall.


In the past few days, talk has been about sevco beating Dortmund and Celtic's opponents thrashing Roma..
The Tornadoes team had the same effect in Europe,when we demolished Sporting of Lisbon.
That season,3 members of our forward line had scored just over 100 goals between them .

Younger hibby's reading this?
This is not just romantic reminisces.
The Tornadoes were that good .
Trust us auld yins !!!


Keep singing that song!

:singing:United we stand here:singing: !



Link below is article on the Hadjuk Split games.


https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibee-history-split-decision-clash-hadjuk-647491

[ancient hibee]

I think it’s often forgotten that the second time we finished runners up that it was to Rangers. Celtic were slipping and we had a lot of team changes.Rangers stepped in and we missed a big opportunity.

[Mick O'Rourke]

I think it’s often forgotten that the second time we finished runners up that it was to Rangers. Celtic were slipping and we had a lot of team changes.Rangers stepped in and we missed a big opportunity.

:agree:

Makes it all the more frustrating looking back,AH
:grr:

[hibeg]

If we had a better goalkeeper and a better centre half we would have won the league on at least one occasion in my opinion.

Disagree as nothing wrong with either.
As I said earlier it really was lack of squad depth. Des Bremner came in for Brownlie, but nobody could replace Edwards.
We imploded at the end of 73, losing to Arbroath amongst others