Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Euro heartbreak of
Walter Smith helped them reach the final by scoring an own goal.
Hearts lost 3-1 to Rangers in the Hampden showpiece but qualified for the European Cup Winners’ Cup as Rangers had already won the league.
Montrose legend Ian Stewart said the unforgettable season is tinged with sadness at what might have been had the cards fallen differently.
“Could we have made Europe? “The answer is that we all love to dream and, having beaten Dumbarton 6-0 at Boghead earlier in the season, we would have been firm favourites to make the final.”
The 1975-76 season was remarkable due to the fact that although there were only 26 league games, the Gable Endies actually played 22 cup games that season including the Spring
Cup which was introduced to make up more fixtures.
Montrose had already gone one better than a national cup quarter-final earlier in the season, having reached a Hampden semifinal against Rangers in the League Cup.
The Gable Endies led Rangers 1-0 well into the second-half and hit the post before Rangers broke away from the rebound to equalise and went on to win 5-1.
“The 1975-76 campaign was a golden era and it was so special for the team, the supporters and everyone associated with Montrose FC,” said Ian.
“My memory is one of great achievement but saddened by an opportunity missed and only fulltime training saw Hearts take the spoils in the third game.
“Graham Shaw and Jim
Jefferies both told me that they thought they were beaten in all three games against us.”
Ian left Links Park in 1978 but would return to manage Montrose from 1983-1990 where he guided the club to the Division Two title in 1984-85.
He even got his revenge on Hearts when his side bundled them out of the League Cup at Tynecastle in 1986.
It brought to an end Hearts’ unbeaten home run which had extended to 15 months following a season where they lost the title to Celtic on the final day.
Club historian Steve Doyle believes 1975-76 was the club’s best-ever season even though two championships have since been won.
“In 1973 Alex Stuart retired as a player with Montrose and became the manager,” he said.