The 1964–65 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in Scotland and the 68th season of Scottish league football.
Scottish League Division One
In one of the closest finishes ever seen in a league competition in Britain, Hearts were home to Kilmarnock on the last day of the season with a two-point lead over the Ayrshire club and a slightly better goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). Kilmarnock had to beat Hearts by at least 2–0 to win the title. Any worse result for Kilmarnock, including any other two goal winning margin, e.g. 3–1 or 4–2, would have made Hearts champions. Kilmarnock won 2–0 and were champions.
The 1964–65 season is also notable for both Celtic and Rangers finishing in mid-table. It was, and remains as of 2025, only the fifth time that neither of them had finished in the top two, and the only time that both of the Old Firm clubs had failed to finish in the top three of the First Division in the same season.
This was the only season that East Stirling Clydebank (E.S. Clydebank) competed in the Scottish League, reverting to East Stirlingshire for season 1965–66 with Clydebank entering the league the following year.
Champions: Kilmarnock Relegated: Airdrieonians, Third Lanark
Scottish League Division Two
Promoted: Stirling Albion, Hamilton Academical
Cup honours
CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-upScottish Cup 1964–65Celtic3 – 2Dunfermline AthleticLeague Cup 1964–65Rangers2 – 1CelticJunior CupLinlithgow Rose4 – 1Baillieston Juniors
Other honours
National
CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-upScottish Qualifying Cup - NorthInverness Caledonian4 – 2 *Ross CountyScottish Qualifying Cup - SouthGala Fairydean9 – 5 *Glasgow University
County
CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-upAberdeenshire CupPeterheadAyrshire CupAyr United1 – 0KilmarnockEast of Scotland ShieldHearts3 – 1HibernianFife CupDunfermline Athletic9 – 4 * Raith RoversForfarshire CupDundee United1 – 0DundeeGlasgow CupCeltic5 – 0Queens ParkLanarkshire CupAirdrieRenfrewshire CupMorton7 – 4 * St MirrenStirlingshire CupDumbarton4 – 2 *Falkirk - aggregate over two legs
Highland League
Individual honours AwardWinnerClub Footballer of the Year Billy McNeill Celtic
Scotland national team
DateVenueOpponentsCompetitionScotland scorer(s)3 October 1964Ninian Park, Cardiff (A)2–3BHCStevie Chalmers, Dave Gibson21 October 1964Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)3–1WCQG8Denis Law, Dave Gibson, Stevie Chalmers25 November 1964Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)3–2BHCDavie Wilson (2), Alan Gilzean10 April 1965Wembley Stadium, London (A)2–2BHCDenis Law, Ian St. John8 May 1965Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)0–0Friendly23 May 1965Silesia Stadium, Chorzów / Katowice (A)1–1WCQG8Denis Law27 May 1965Olympiastadion, Helsinki (A)2–1WCQG8Davie Wilson, John Greig
Scotland came third in the 1965 British Home Championship
Key: (H) = Home match (A) = Away match WCQG8 = World Cup qualifying - Group 8 BHC = British Home Championship
Notes and references
External links Scottish Football Historical Archive