Season 1995–96 was the 112th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 90th time, the Scottish Cup for the 101st time, the Scottish League Cup for the 49th time and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the sixth time.
Overview
After the success of the previous season, no one could foresee the disaster that was to befall Dumbarton. The league season had begun brightly, with the club sitting atop Division 1 with 2 wins from 2. However manager Murdo MacLeod then departed for Premier Division Partick Thistle, and it all began to fall apart. A reluctant Jim Fallon stepped up from his assistant managerial post to take on the reins but it was clear from the start that he was ill-prepared for what was to be faced. Indeed, the only other win to be registered throughout the remainder of the league campaign was an impressive victory over champions elect Dundee United. From December, a string of 19 consecutive defeats in the league were suffered, Dumbarton's worst losing streak in their long history. Relegation back to Division 2 was a certainty long before the season had ended.
In the national cup competitions, it was now four seasons without a single win. In the Scottish Cup Airdrie defeated Dumbarton in the second round.
In the League Cup, Premier Division Kilmarnock were victors over Dumbarton, but only after extra time.
Finally, the long wait for a win in the Challenge Cup continued - a first round defeat to Brechin City was the sixth in a row.
Locally, there was something to cheer as the Stirlingshire Cup returned to Boghead, with a final win over East Stirlingshire.
Results & fixtures
[1] Win Draw Loss
Scottish First Division
| 12 August 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–0 | Hamilton | Boghead Park |
Burns  65' |
Attendance: 1,191 Referee: J Smith |
| 26 August 1995 First Division | Morton | 1–2 | Dumbarton | Cappielow Park |
| Lilley 56' |
Mooney 7' (pen.) Charnley 34' |
Attendance: 2,612 Referee: G Allison |
| 2 September 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–4 | Dunfermline Athletic | Boghead Park |
| McNamara 29' Shaw Gow 77' (OG)Petrie |
Attendance: 1,952 Referee: A Waddell |
| 9 September 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Airdrie | Boghead Park |
| Martin 70' |
Boyle McIntyre,T |
Attendance: 1,320 Referee: J McGillvray |
| 16 September 1995 First Division | St Johnstone | 4–1 | Dumbarton | McDiarmid Park |
| O'Boyle 7' Twaddle 20'Farquhar Martin 73' (OG) |
McKinnon 89' |
Attendance: 2,273 Referee: J Herald |
| 23 September 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–5 | Dundee | Boghead Park |
| McGarvey |
Shaw 1', 54' Martin (OG)Bain 51'Hamilton 86' |
Attendance: 1,207 Referee: R Tait |
| 30 September 1995 First Division | Clydebank | 2–1 | Dumbarton | Kilbowie Park |
| Grady 22' Sutherland 83' |
Gibson 56' |
Attendance: 913 |
| 7 October 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–0 | Dundee United | Boghead Park |
| Mooney 81' |
Attendance: 2,013 Referee: W Young |
| 14 October 1995 First Division | St Mirren | 3–2 | Dumbarton | Love Street (stadium) |
| Dick 14' Archdeacon 23'Yardley |
Mooney 12' (pen.) McGarvey |
Attendance: 2,377 Referee: T Brown |
| 21 October 1995 First Division | Dunfermline Athletic | 3–1 | Dumbarton | East End Park |
| Petrie 12' Shaw |
Gibson 13' |
Attendance: 3,842 Referee: S Dougal |
| 28 October 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–2 | Morton | Boghead Park |
| Hawke 6', 36' |
Attendance: 2,378 Referee: J Fleming |
| 4 November 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–3 | St Johnstone | Boghead Park |
| Mooney 26' |
Twaddle 47', 58' O'Boyle |
Attendance: 1,050 |
| 11 November 1995 First Division | Airdrie | 2–1 | Dumbarton | Broadwood Stadium |
| Davies 14' Black 81' |
Boyle 85' (OG) |
Attendance: 1,205 Referee: G Clyde |
| 18 November 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Clydebank | Boghead Park |
| Mooney 61' (pen.) |
Grady 7' Eadie 52' |
Attendance: 1,043 |
| 2 December 1995 First Division | Dundee United | 8–0 | Dumbarton | Tannadice Park |
| Brewster Johnston McSwegan Coyle (OG) |
Attendance: 5,285 |
| 5 December 1995 First Division | Dundee | 1–1 | Dumbarton | Dens Park |
| Tosh 65' |
Dallas |
Attendance: 2,804 |
| 9 December 1995 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–0 | St Mirren | Boghead Park |
| Attendance: 1,461 |
| 16 December 1995 First Division | Hamilton | 3–0 | Dumbarton | Douglas Park |
| Hartley Clark McStay |
Attendance: 762 Referee: M Pocock |
| 6 January 1996 First Division | St Johnstone | 3–0 | Dumbarton | McDiarmid Park |
| O'Boyle 64', 77' Burns 81' (OG) |
Attendance: 2,448 Referee: I Taylor |
| 13 January 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Airdrie | Boghead Park |
| Granger 89' |
Duffield 40' McIntyre,J 43' |
Attendance: 1,045 Referee: J McGillvray |
| 20 January 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–3 | Dundee United | Boghead Park |
| Ward 33' |
Brewster 12' Shannon 30'McSwegan 74' |
Attendance: 1,354 Referee: J Underhill |
| 23 January 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Dundee | Boghead Park |
| Ward 25' |
Hamilton 56', 73' |
Attendance: 761 Referee: L Thow |
| 5 February 1996 First Division | St Mirren | 5–0 | Dumbarton | Love Street (stadium) |
| Lavety 21', 57' Fenwick 60'Watson 69'Iwelumo 88' |
Attendance: 1,838 Referee: L Mottram |
| 13 February 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Hamilton | Boghead Park |
| Granger |
Hartley |
Attendance: 654 |
| 17 February 1996 First Division | Clydebank | 1–0 | Dumbarton | Kilbowie Park |
| Eadie 71' |
Attendance: 612 Referee: G Clyde |
| 24 February 1965 First Division | Morton | 2–0 | Dumbarton | Cappielow Park |
| Lilley Mahood |
Attendance: 2,833 Referee: R Tait |
| 6 March 1996 First Division | Dundee | 3–0 | Dumbarton | Dens Park |
| Hamilton 13', 51' Tosh 82' |
Attendance: 1,712 |
| 9 March 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–3 | Dunfermline Athletic | Boghead Park |
| Shaw Smith |
Attendance: 1,477 Referee: J Herald |
| 16 March 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–1 | Clydebank | Boghead Park |
| Flannigan 84' |
Attendance: 654 Referee: S Dougal |
| 23 March 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–3 | St Johnstone | Boghead Park |
| Jenkinson 8' O'Boyle 20'Grant 70' |
Attendance: 903 |
| 30 March 1996 First Division | Airdrie | 5–1 | Dumbarton | Broadwood Stadium |
| Smith McIntyre,T 49'Connolly 56', 66'Hetherston |
Foster 33' |
Attendance: 1,062 |
| 6 April 1996 First Division | Dundee United | 6–1 | Dumbarton | Tannadice Park |
| McSwegan 4', 8' (41), 42' Perry 59'Brewster 84' |
Sharp 2' |
Attendance: 7,142 Referee: W Crombie |
| 13 April 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–1 | St Mirren | Boghead Park |
| Archdeacon 43' (pen.) |
Attendance: 1,139 Referee: A Roy |
| 20 April 1996 First Division | Dunfermline Athletic | 4–1 | Dumbarton | East End Park |
| French 46' Moore Smith Shaw |
Dallas 21' |
Attendance: 5,971 |
| 27 April 1996 First Division | Dumbarton | 0–1 | Morton | Boghead Park |
| Anderson 41' |
Attendance: 2,733 Referee: L Thow |
| 4 May 1996 First Division | Hamilton | 2–1 | Dumbarton | Douglas Park |
| Hartley Geraghty |
Granger (pen.) |
Attendance: 657 |
Coca-Cola League Cup
| 19 August 1995 League Cup round 2 | Kilmarnock | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Dumbarton | Rugby Park |
| Roberts 118' |
Attendance: 5,011 Referee: W Crombie |
Scottish League Challenge Cup
| 22 August 1995 Challenge Cup round 1 | Dumbarton | 0–1 | Brechin City | Boghead Park |
| Mearns 17' |
Attendance: 524 |
Tennant's Scottish Cup
| 30 January 1996 Cup round 3 | Dumbarton | 1–3 | Airdrie | Boghead Park |
| Mooney |
Duffield Smith |
Attendance: 1,076 |
| 29 July 1995 First Round | Alloa Athletic | 0–2 | Dumbarton | Recreation Park, Alloa |
| Meechan 61' McGarvey 82' |
| 15 April 1996 Semi Final | Dumbarton | 3–3 (5-4 p) | Stirling Albion | Boghead Park |
|
|
| 6 May 1996 Final | Dumbarton | 2–1 | East Stirling | Boghead Park |
| Ward 21' Meechan 61' |
Neill 40' |
Pre-season/Other Matches
| 26 July 1995 Friendly | Rangers XI | 3–2 | Dumbarton | University Grounds, Anniesland |
|
|
| 2 August 1995 Friendly | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Bradford City | Boghead Park |
| Ward 2' |
Wright 41' (pen.) Tolson 89' |
| 5 August 1995 Friendly | Dumbarton | 1–2 | Wigan Athletic | Boghead Park |
| Gow |
|
| 6 August 1995 Friendly | Dumbarton | 4–2 | Vale of Leven | Boghead Park |
| Gow 15' Grainger 45', 70'McCuiag 89' |
McGinlay 21', 30' |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | St Mirren | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 46 | 51 | −5 | 47 | |
| 7 | Clydebank | 36 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 39 | 58 | −19 | 40 | |
| 8 | Airdrieonians | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 43 | 54 | −11 | 38 | |
| 9 | Hamilton Academical (R) | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 40 | 57 | −17 | 36 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 10 | Dumbarton (R) | 36 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 23 | 94 | −71 | 11 |
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated
Player statistics
Squad
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | First Division | League Cup | Challenge Cup | Scottish Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK |  SCO
|
Peter Dennison | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| GK | SCO
|
Ian MacFarlane | 25 | 0 | 22+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| GK | SCO
|
Kenny Meechan | 13 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO
|
Roland Fabiani | 23 | 0 | 19+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO
|
Alan Foster | 12 | 1 | 10+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO
|
Stevie Gow | 23 | 0 | 20+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO
|
Jim Hamilton | 3 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO
|
Martin Melvin | 34 | 0 | 32+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Hugh Burns | 14 | 1 | 10+1 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Chic Charnley | 20 | 1 | 16+2 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Joe Goldie | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Toby King | 31 | 0 | 27+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Jim Marsland | 20 | 0 | 18+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Paul Martin | 14 | 1 | 12+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Martin McGarvey | 27 | 2 | 14+10 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Sam McGivern | 13 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO
|
Jim Meechan | 34 | 0 | 31+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Stephen Dallas | 23 | 2 | 8+14 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Charlie Gibson | 32 | 2 | 23+6 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Martin Glancy | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Alan Granger | 34 | 3 | 20+11 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Colin McKinnon | 35 | 1 | 31+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Martin Mooney | 39 | 6 | 31+5 | 5 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 1 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Lee Sharp | 15 | 1 | 14+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| FW | SCO
|
Hugh Ward | 15 | 2 | 10+4 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
Transfers
Players in
|
Players out
|
Reserve Team
Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League (West), and with 4 wins and 3 draws from 22 games, finished 12th and last.
Trivia
- The League match against Clydebank on 30 September marked Martin Melvin's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 23rd Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
- The League match against Hamilton on 16 December marked Jim Meechan's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 24rd Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
- The League match against St Mirren on 9 December marked Martin McGarvey's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 109th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
- The season ended with a two unwanted records being broken. In addition to the longest losing streak in the league - which extended to a 20-game drought once the Scottish Cup defeat is taken into account - the number of games without a win was also broken. From 14 October, there were 28 consecutive winless games in the league - and 29 consecutive competitive games during the season.
- The two home wins recorded in the league during the season matched the record fewest league home wins last seen during the 1896-97 season. In addition, the 15 home defeats in the league was a new record, easily beating the previous worst of 11 during the 1920-21 season.
- The 10 goals scored at Boghead in league matches beat the previous fewest home league goals (16) set in the 1918-19 season.
See also
References
- ^ Scottish Football League Review 1996-97. The Scottish Football League. 1997.
- ^ Scottish Football League Review 1996-97. The Scottish Football League. 1997.
- ^ McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
- ^ Litster, John. Record of Post-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
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