Dumbarton F.C.

Dumbarton
Full name Dumbarton Football Club
Nickname(s) The Sons
Founded 1872 (1872)
Ground Dumbarton Football Stadium, Dumbarton
Capacity 2,020[1]
Chairman John Steele[2]
Manager Vacant
League Scottish League One
2017–18 Scottish Championship, 9th of 10 (relegated via play-offs)
Website Club website

Dumbarton Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Dumbarton, Scotland.[3] Founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park (1867), Kilmarnock (1869) and Stranraer (1870), they play home games at the Dumbarton Football Stadium next to Dumbarton Castle.

The club were one of the most successful of the nineteenth century, winning the Scottish Football League in the first two seasons of the competition (the first jointly with Rangers). Since then, the club have spent the majority of their history outside the top flight, and last played at the top level in 1984–85. The club were the first team (and one of only two) to win at least one league title in each of the top four tiers in the Scottish football league system.

The club is currently without a manager following the departure of Stephen Aitken.[4]

Colours and Badge

For the 2018–19 season, the team will wear strips from the Joma brand. The home strip is a modern take on the popular strips from the 1970s and early-1980s, an all white base with a black and gold band across the front, with further gold stripes above and below the main band[5]. The away kit meanwhile is red with white trim.

The clubs' badge features an elephant with a castle on its back, this represents Dumbarton Rock with Dumbarton Castle upon it, based on the historic town crest. Dumbarton Rock, a volcanic plug, is said to resemble an elephant. The teams nickname 'The Sons' is derived from the phrase 'Sons of The Rock', a term used for those born in the town of Dumbarton.

Stadium

View of the stand at the Dumbarton Football Stadium
View from the stand at the Dumbarton Football Stadium

Dumbarton play their home games at Dumbarton Football Stadium, known as the C&G Systems Stadium for sponsorship reasons (commonly referred to as "The Rock" by Supporters). The 2,020[1] all seated stadium has been used since 2 December 2000. The main (and currently only) stand is overshadowed by Dumbarton Rock & sits aside the banks of the River Leven. The stadium has been named for sponsorship purposes for most of its existence:

  • Strathclyde Homes Stadium (Dec 2000 – Sep 2011) until the receivership of Strathclyde Homes [6]
  • Dumbarton Football Stadium (Sep 2011 – Feb 2012)
  • Dumbarton Football Stadium Sponsored by DL Cameron (Feb 2012 – Jul 2012)
  • The BetButler Stadium (Jul 2012 – Sep 2014) until the liquidation of BetButler [7]
  • Dumbarton Football Stadium (Sep 2014 – Jun 2015)
  • The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium (Jul 2015 – May 2017)
  • Dumbarton Football Stadium (Jun 2017 – July 2017)
  • The YOUR Radio 103FM Stadium (July 2017 – May 2018[8])
  • C&G Systems Stadium (May 2018 – )[9]


Prior to December 2000 the team played at Boghead Park from 1879 until the end of the 1999–00 season, 121 years is currently the longest a senior Scottish club has stayed at the same ground. Between May and November 2000, Dumbarton shared Cliftonhill in Coatbridge with Albion Rovers.

In November 2014 the club's owners, Brabco, formally announced its intention to move to a new ground,[10] after only 15 years at their current home, to be situated in what is now Young's Farm to the North of Dumbarton between Dalreoch and Renton just off the A82 by-pass. The proposed new development, which had long been rumoured, would double the existing capacity to 4,000 in a mix of seating and terracing, add additional hospitality and non-footballing facilities, allow for training and community artificial pitches and increase access and parking facilities from the current site. The existing site would be used by Denny Homes to build 180 houses and a walkway along the River Clyde connecting the town centre with Dumbarton Rock. The plans were rejected by West Dunbartonshire Council in March 2018.[11]

Attendances

Season League Average Highest
2017–18 Championship 838 1,652
2016–17 Championship 1,130 1,660
2015–16 Championship 1,033 1,978
2014–15 Championship 1,074 1,850
2013–14 Championship 938 1,469
2012–13 First Division 927 1,530
2011–12 Second Division 660 1,088
2010–11 Second Division 640 853
2009–10 Second Division 695 1,227
2008–09 Third Division 722 1,396
2007–08 Third Division 560 907
2006–07 Third Division 709 1,089
2005–06 Second Division 946 1,594
2004–05 Second Division 900 1,446
2003–04 Second Division 1,039 1,861
2002–03 Second Division 950 1,501

Supporters

Dumbarton were the first league club in Scotland to have a supporters' trust, which works to strengthen the links between the club and the fans. The trust own a significant number of shares in the club and are currently the fourth largest shareholder. Following a £25,000 direct investment, the trust also has a representative on the club board of directors. The supporters' trust works with the club to produce the match programme & run the club website. As well as those important functions, the trust's main role at the club is that of overseeing commercial activity.

Players

Current squad

As of 9 October 2018[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Scotland GK Grant Adam
2 Scotland DF Cammy Ballantyne
3 Scotland DF Willie Dyer
4 Scotland DF Andy Dowie (captain)
5 Scotland DF Ross Perry
6 Scotland MF Stuart Carswell
7 Northern Ireland FW Andy Little
8 Scotland MF Kyle Hutton
9 Scotland FW Calum Gallagher
10 Scotland MF Ross Forbes
11 Scotland MF Bobby Barr
No. Position Player
12 Scotland MF Brad Spencer
14 Scotland FW Iain Russell
15 Scotland FW Michael Paton
17 Scotland GK Jamie McGowan
18 Scotland MF Scott Allardice (on loan from Dundee United)
20 Scotland MF Dom Thomas (on loan from Kilmarnock)
21 Scotland GK Robbie Mutch (on loan from Falkirk)
23 Scotland MF Ryan Thomson
33 Scotland FW Rory Loy
55 Scotland DF Craig Barr (vice-captain)

Hall of Fame

Recently, the club and its fans named their "best player of all time" and a "Hall of Fame" including:

Coaching staff

Position[13]Name
ManagerVacant
Assistant ManagerIan Durrant[14]
First Team CoachVacant
Goalkeeping CoachJamie Ewings[15]
Club DoctorDr Neil MacKay
PhysiotherapistKirsten Murray
Kit ManColm McKinley

Recent league history

Season P W D L GF GA GD Pts Pos League
2017–183679202763−36 309(R)Championship
2016–1736912154656−10 398Championship
2015–1636107193566−31 378Championship
2014–153697203679−43 347Championship
2013–14361561564640 515Championship
2012–1336134195883−25 437First Division

Managerial history

Manager records for all league, league play-offs, League Cup, Scottish Cup & Challenge Cup games (i.e. not including friendlies & Stirlingshire Cup games)[16]

  • Permanent managers only. Stats include permanent managers who had initial caretaker spells.

As of match played 6 October 2018.

Name Nat. From To Record
Pld W D L %won
Stephen Aitken Scotland May 2015 October 2018 15442387427.27
Ian Murray Scotland November 2012 May 2015 10841155237.96
Alan Adamson Scotland October 2010 October 2012 8332163538.55
Jim Chapman Scotland December 2007 October 2010 11340274635.39
Gerry McCabe Scotland June 2006 November 2007 5725112143.86
Paul Martin Scotland December 2004 June 2006 6712153517.91
Brian Fairley Scotland March 2003 December 2004 6630102645.45
David Winnie Scotland June 2002 March 2003 341161732.35
Tom Carson Scotland October 2000 June 2002 6732132247.76
Jimmy Brown Scotland March 1999 October 2000 6626103039.39
Ian Wallace Scotland November 1996 March 1999 9526244527.37
Jim Fallon Scotland September 1995 November 1996 5026424.00
Murdo MacLeod Scotland June 1993 August 1995 8828243531.81
Billy Lamont Scotland April 1990 June 1993 13854305439.13
Jim George Scotland October 1988 April 1990 7729202837.66
Bertie Auld Scotland January 1988 September 1988 24481216.66
Mark Clougherty Scotland July 1987 January 1988 30971430.00
Alex Totten Scotland July 1986 April 1987 462381550.00
Derek Whiteford Scotland May 1986 May 1986
Alex Wright (caretaker) Scotland February 1986 May 1986 1765635.30
Davie Wilson Scotland March 1984 February 1986 9732224333.00
Billy Lamont Scotland July 1981 February 1984 12444262635.48
Sean Fallon Republic of Ireland July 1980 May 1981 4314121732.56
Davie Wilson Scotland July 1977 April 1980 12751383840.16
Alex Wright Scotland March 1973 May 1977 19266428434.37
Jackie Stewart Scotland November 1968 January 1973 19089346746.84
Ian Spence Scotland September 1967 October 1968 4613112228.26
Willie Toner Scotland October 1964 September 1967 13147275735.88
Jackie Fearn Scotland May 1962 September 1964 10041174241.00
Bobby Campbell Scotland July 1961 May 1962 4310102323.26
Bobby Combe Scotland May 1959 November 1960 6328142144.44
Peter McGown Scotland May 1954 April 1959 216108337550.00
William Irvine Scotland June 1950 May 1954 15551327232.90
William Guthrie Scotland August 1946 June 1950 15342278427.45
Jackie Milne Scotland June 1945 August 1946 381461836.84
William Guthrie (secretary) Scotland August 1944 June 1945 30 9 3 18 30.00
Fred Donovan (secretary) Scotland June 1940 June 1944 120 45 20 55 37.50
Jimmy Smith Scotland January 1939 June 1940 45 9 8 28 20.00
Fred Donovan (secretary) Scotland June 1931 January 1939 274 98 48 128 35.77
Donald Colman Scotland June 1922 May 1931 359 139 65 155 38.72
Paddy Travers Scotland April 1920 May 1922 95 24 17 54 25.27
George Livingstone Scotland March 1919 April 1920 47 14 12 21 29.79
James Collins Scotland May 1914 March 1919 174 55 46 73 31.61

Honours

League

Cup

National

Other

Reserves

  • Scottish Second XI Cup
    • Winners (1): 1881–82
    • Runners-up (3): 1883–84, 1886–87, 1889–90
  • Glasgow & District Reserve League
    • Runners-up (2): 1942–43 (First Series), 1943–44 (First Series)
  • Scottish Alliance Reserve League
    • Winners (1): 1956–57 (First Series)
    • Runners-up (1): 1956–57 (Second Series)
  • Combined Reserve League
    • Winners (1): 1958–59 (Second Series)
    • Runners-up (1): 1958–59 (First Series)
  • Scottish Reserve League (West)
    • Runners-up (1): 1985–86
  • Glasgow & District Reserve League Cup
    • Runners-up (1): 1942–43
  • Dumbartonshire Second XI Cup
    • Winners (5): 1888–89, 1889–90, 1890–91, 1891–92, 1892–93

Youths

  • Scottish Under 19s League
    • Runners-up (1): 2010–11

Club records

Biggest win:
(Scottish Cup): 13–2 v Kirkintilloch Central (1 September 1888)

Biggest loss:
Scottish Football League: 1–11 v Albion Rovers (30 January 1926)
Scottish League Cup: 1–11 v Ayr United (13 August 1952)

Biggest home attendance:
Boghead Park: 18,001 v Raith Rovers, (2 March 1957)
Dumbarton Football Stadium: 1,978 v Rangers, (19 September 2015)[19]

Most goals in a season: Kenny Wilson (38), 1971–72

References

  1. 1 2 "Dumbarton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. Findlay, Alan. "BOARDROOM UPDATE". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  3. "About Us". Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. "CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT". Dumbarton Football Club. 8 October 2018.
  5. Findlay, Alan. "THE 'BIG REVEAL' - NEW HOME KIT 2017/2018". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  6. "Strathclyde is latest Scots victim of building slump". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  7. "BetButler update". Gambling Commission. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. "CLUB STATEMENT - YOUR RADIO". Dumbarton Football Club. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  9. Barrow, Simon (5 May 2018). "C&G SYSTEMS ARE NEW STADIUM SPONSORS". Dumbarton Football Club.
  10. "Dumbarton Relocation Planning update". Dumbarton FC. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  11. "CLUB STATEMENT". Dumbarton Football Club. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  12. "2017–18 Dumbarton squad". Dumbarton FC. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  13. "Dumbarton Football Club – Management". dumbartonfootballclub.com. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  14. Findlay, Alan (27 January 2017). "New assistant manager". Dumbarton FC. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  15. Findlay, Alan. "FRIENDLIES ARRANGED". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  16. Kemp, David. "Club Managers Past & Present". Sons Archive. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  17. Shared with Rangers after both clubs ended the season on 29 points. A play-off game at Cathkin Park on 21 May 1891 finished 2–2, so the clubs were declared joint champions
  18. Known as second division prior to 1975
  19. "Dumbarton 1–2 Rangers". Retrieved 4 June 2016.
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