Dumbarton FC

In this, the latest instalment of our regular series profiling the lesser-known clubs around the country, we look at the team currently the subject of Inside Left's latest attempt at football management by way of Football Manager 2008. Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you: Dumbarton FC.

Who Are Ya?
We're Dumbarton FC, also known as the "Sons of the Rock" on account of the Rock of Dumbarton, a 250ft high volcanic plug that dominates the town. We were founded in 1872 by a group of enthusiastic followers of the round-ball game who had just returned from Glasgow where they had seen Vale of Leven getting beat 3-0 by Queens Park. Our stadium, the romantically named Strathclyde Homes Stadium, lies under the shadow of the rock, nestled between the rivers Leven on one side, and the Clyde on the other. The town of Dumbarton itself lies 13 miles up-river from Glasgow and has a population of about 21,000.

Past Glories
You have to go back a long way for this, the late 1800's to be exact. Shortly after we were founded, we were something of a powerhouse in the league. We had already won the Scottish Cup in 1883 (and where runners up in the two finals before that, losing both to Queens Park) by the time we helped found the Scottish Football League along with Celtic (themselves founded only two years previously), Hearts, St Mirren, Rangers, St Mirren, and some teams you may not have heard of - think of Abercorn, Renton, Third Lanark and Vale of Leven. In that first inaugural season, we finished equal on points with Rangers, but because goal difference hadn't been invented yet (and wouldn't be for another thirty-one years) we had to play a decider game. So, on the 21st May 1890 at Cathkin Park, home of Third Lanark we played our bigger neighbours from up the river Clyde, Rangers. Unfortunately, that game also proved inconclusive and ended in a 2-2 draw. Unable to decide a winner, the league declared both ourselves and Rangers winners of the first league competition.

                  P  W  D  L   F  A  W  D  L  F  A Pts
 1. Dumbarton     18  7  2  0 35  8  6  1  2 26 13  29
    Rangers       18  7  1  1 31 11  6  2  1 27 14  29
 3. Celtic        18  7  2  0 26  8  4  1  4 22 13  21
 4. Cambuslang    18  5  2  2 30 20  3  2  4 17 22  20
 5. Third Lanark  18  6  0  3 20 15  2  3  4 18 24  15
 6. Hearts        18  4  2  3 20 15  2  0  7 11 22  14
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 7. Abercorn      18  4  1  4 20 18  1  1  7 16 29  12
 8. St.Mirren     18  5  1  3 24 23  0  0  9 15 39  11
    Vale Of Leven 18  5  0  4 19 20  0  1  8  8 45  11
10. Cowlairs      18  3  2  4 19 27  0  2  7  5 23   6

The next season though, we did a little better and won the league outright, pipping Celtic to the title.

Low Point
Since that second league title back in 1891, we've not had much success. Towards the end of the century we'd gone from finishing first to finishing last. While most of Scotland where turning professional, we preferred to remain an amateur side, a throwback to the Corinthian spirit embraced by that giant of Scottish Football, Queens Park. Our best players left, drawn to the professional (i.e. paid) terms that most other teams in the league where offering.  In 1896 we were relegated from the First Division and started a roller-coaster ride up and down the leagues that culminated in 1984 with promotion to the Scottish Premier League. We lasted only one season, finishing ninth. We finished 8th in the Third Division last season.

Have you heard of ..
Murdo McLeod? The Celtic midfielder and Scotland international made over a 153 appearances in two spells for Dumbarton, first in the late 70's (before moving up the river to Celtic) and then in the early 90's. Rangers and former Scotland manager Walter Smith played in defence between 1975–1977, in between spells at Dundee United.  Irish international and current Burnley manager Owen Coyle started his career at Dumbarton, scoring 36 goals in 103 appearances. Defender Neill Collins, who currently plays for Wolves in the English Championships played for Dumbarton between 2002 and 2004, scoring 4 times.

Stand up if you hate ...
Historically it'd be Clydebank but since they went bust and where replaced with Airdrie United, it would be the likes of Morton and Queens Park.

This Season
Losing manager Gery McCabe halfway through the season certainly didn't help. McCabe replaced Paul Martin after he was sacked following our relegation in 2006. After a fifth placed finish last season, expectations where high. The results however refused to come. David McFarlane, brought in from Albion Rovers but failed to find the kind of form he had at Hamilton and Stenhousemuir, and Brian McPhee, signed from Airdrie scored only eight goals between them. By the middle of November we found ourselves with 3 wins in 11 games and following a 2-0 defeat to Albion Rovers, McCabe was sacked. After John Brown declined to take up his new post for personal reasons, former Son Jim Chapman was appointed as manager. Three more defeats followed before we won our first game since September when we beat East Stirling 3-1. It was good to get the three points, but for the 303 people who turned up to see that victory, there would only be five more wins before the end of the season. We finished the 2007/08 campaign in 8th place, fifteen points of the play-off placed and fifty-one points behind champions East Fife.

Next Season
Jim Chapman has gone through a massive clear out in the off-season. Out went strikers Brian McPhee and David McFarlane, replaced by 21 year-old Derek Carcary and veteran striker Paul Keegan. Carcary, capped at U-21 level has previously played for Queens Park and Raith Rovers. Irish international Keegan has played mainly in the Irish Eircom league, but has had short spells at Motherwell and Partick Thistle. In these two signings, Chapman has brought in experience as well as youth to hopefully stop the goal drought and get Dumbarton scoring again. In goal, David McEwan was signed from Derry as cover for the experienced Mark McGeown - the 38 year-old has signed a deal following his release from Ayr United at the end of the season, to keep him at the Sons until his 40th birthday. In defense, Michael Dunlop (ex Kilmarnock and Ayr) signed up, as well as the re-signing of defender Andy Geggan, twice winner of the Sontrust Player of the Year award. In midfield, Iain Chisholm and Scotland U-19 cap David Gray complete the rebuilding work at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium.

Extra Time
Did you know that from 1879 Dumbarton went on a run of victories that saw the team not losing a home game for five years?

Or that there is a tenuous link with Inside Left favourite, Aberdeen? Pat Travers managed both clubs during his career: Dumbarton from 1920 to 1921, and Aberdeen from 1924 to 1937. Donald Colman managed the Sons for a short period in the 1930's as well as being the Aberdeen trainer during Pat Travers' time at the club. David Winnie, a former Aberdeen player, was manager of Dumbarton from 2002 to 2003.

And before we played at out current stadium, we played our home games at Boghead Park for 131 years, the longest time a senior club has spent in one ground.

Information

Ground Info:  Strathclyde Homes Stadium (capacity 2,025)
Contact address: Dumbarton FC, Miller Street, Dumbarton, G82 2JA
Web Site: Official | Fan Site