Partick Thistle. Rangers beat Celtic 3–2 in the first Old Firm match of the season, having been 2–0 down at half-time. In March 1978, second-placed Aberdeen won 3–0 at Ibrox to set up a tense title run-in. Rangers dropped seven points from twenty-one but held on by winning the final four fixtures to clinch the title. The League Cup was won by defeating Celtic 2–1 after extra time. Goals from season new signings Cooper and Smith completed the first leg of the treble. The 2–1 1978 Scottish Cup Final win over Aberdeen made Wallace the only Rangers manager to win two domestic trebles. Despite this unprecedented success, Wallace resigned from his position on 23 May 1978. The reason for his departure was never stated, but it is believed that a breakdown in the working relationship between Wallace and general manager William Waddell was the cause. At a time when Ibrox Stadium was undergoing extensive redevelopment, the transfer budget was to suffer. Waddell was suspected of vetoing many signings, including Alan Hansen from Partick Thistle and David Narey from Dundee United, in favour of investing in the rebuilding project. The burst of success under Wallace in the mid-1970s saw Rangers once again established as Scotland's most successful club. When Wallace, suddenly and unexpectedly, announced his resignation, Rangers turned to another former player, John Greig. John Greig, from captain to manager (1978–1983) After the departure of Wallace, the board acted quickly to replace the void with captain Greig being promoted to first-team manager. Greig took a phone call on the day of Wallace's resignation from general manager Waddell. Greig was playing golf with teammate Sandy Jardine when Waddell called him to offer him the job. On 24 May 1978, Greig was confirmed as the seventh manager of Rangers. In the 1978–79 season, despite a fixture pile-up which resulted from the club playing three league games in nearly three months, Rangers came close to winning a quadruple of trophies. The season ended with a domestic cup double. Wallace's treble-winning team of the previous season carried the team in the 1978–79 European Cup. Rangers eliminated Juventus after defeating the Italians 2–1 on aggregate – the first time Rangers had ever recovered from a first-leg defeat to win a two-legged European tie. Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, the then UEFA Cup holders, were overcome in the next round (the club's first home defeat in European competition),