1975–76 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1975–76 was the 92nd football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 70th time, the Scottish Cup for the 81st time and the Scottish League Cup for the 29th time.

Dumbarton
1975–1976 season
ManagerAlex Wright
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 14th
Scottish CupSemi Final
Scottish League CupPrelims
Top goalscorerLeague: John Bourke (18)
All: John Bourke (26)
Highest home attendance4000
Lowest home attendance1500
Average home league attendance2415

Overview

Following league reconstruction, Dumbarton started off in the new Division 1 (second tier) of Scottish league football with a real expectation that promotion to the Premier League could be achieved. However, the departure of Willie Wallace to Australia towards the end of the previous season, followed by the transfer of brothers Colin and Tom McAdam before the end of October left a hole in the squad that proved difficult to overcome.

A poor start in the league, which saw only one win taken from the first 6 fixtures (and included an astonishing 5-5 home draw with East Fife), was to handicap Dumbarton's ambitions, and eventually it required an unbeaten run of 6 games at the end of the league campaign to climb up to a respectable 4th place.

It was however in the Scottish Cup where Dumbarton were to shine and after a third round win over Highland League opposition, Dumbarton were on their way to their first national cup semi-final in almost 80 years having disposed of both the clubs who would finish above them in Division 1’s promotion places. Hearts provided the opposition at Hampden and, after a hard fought 0-0 draw in which Dumbarton had the better chances, they were unable to recover from the loss of an early deflected own goal and the Premier League side eventually headed into Europe as defeated Cup Finalists.

In the League Cup, Dumbarton was handed the toughest of qualifying groups, being up against 3 of the top Premier League sides, and it was no real surprise that there would be no further interest in this competition although a home win, over Hearts ironically, was well received.

Due to the reduction in the number of league games, a new competition was instituted for Division 1 and 2 clubs, named the Spring Cup. Dumbarton qualified from their group with 4 wins from 6 games, and saw off Raith Rovers and Falkirk on their way to another cup semi final. It was however to be their local rivals Clydebank who would go on to the final following a 3-1 defeat. Dumbarton had finished a long season by playing no fewer than 15 matches during a hectic 8 weeks across March and April; 1 league, 3 Scottish Cup, and 11 Spring Cup ties. In a strong second half to the season, and despite the fixture congestion, Dumbarton lost only two games in addition to those semi-final defeats in its closing 23 outings.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton beat Clydebank on penalties in the first round before surprisingly losing out to Stenhousemuir in the semi final.

Finally, Dumbarton undertook a mini-tour of England in the pre-season. Following a home game against Preston NE, the team travelled to play Chester and Tranmere Rovers.

Results & fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division
Main article: 1975–76 Scottish Football League
30 August 1975 Scottish Division 1Clyde1-2DumbartonShawfield Stadium
Harvey  30' McLean  65', 72' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: R Keggie
6 September 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-4FalkirkBoghead Park
Bourke  28' Lawson  16', 44'
McCaig  33'
Shirra  83'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: D Syme
13 September 1975 Scottish Division 1Montrose3-2DumbartonLinks Park
Johnston  70', 84'
Barr  74' (pen)		 McLean  7', 65' Attendance: 1,100
Referee: W Reid
20 September 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-3Partick ThistleBoghead Park
Bourke  47'
Wallace  62'		 Craig,J  33', 77'
Somner  37'		 Attendance: 4,000
Referee: J Gordon
27 September 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton5-5East FifeBoghead Park
Bourke  2'
McLean  28'
Wallace  40', 62'
Graham  76'		 Kinnear  18', 30'
Miller  34', 46'
Hegarty  86'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A Ferguson
4 October 1975 Scottish Division 1Airdrie3-0DumbartonBroomfield Park
Jonquin  2' (pen), 13' (pen)
Wilson  54' (pen)		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: A Hope
11 October 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton4-0MortonBoghead Park
Bourke  21'
Wallace  42'
McAdam  54', 62'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: A Paterson
18 October 1975 Scottish Division 1St Mirren3-2DumbartonLove Street (stadium)
McGillivray  43'
McDowall  72'
Reid,R  83'		 Bourke  54', 81' Attendance: 3,500
25 October 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-1Queen of the SouthBoghead Park
McAdam  5', 12' Dempster  57' (pen) Attendance: 1,500
Referee: T Kellock
1 November 1975 Scottish Division 1Arbroath1-5DumbartonGayfield Park
McKenzie  65' Wallace  31'
Bourke  40'
Cook  73'
McLean  82', 88'		 Attendance: 1,682
Referee: T Kyle
8 November 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-0Dunfermline AthleticBoghead Park
Bourke  34'
Wallace  81'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: R Keggie
15 November 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton5-1HamiltonBoghead Park
Bourke  2'
McLean  19'
Muir  21', 61'
Brown,A  80'		 Taylor  11' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: H Alexander
22 November 1975 Scottish Division 1Kilmarnock1-0DumbartonRugby Park
Fallis  14' Attendance: 5,000
Referee: W Mullan
29 November 1975 Scottish Division 1East Fife2-1DumbartonBayview Park, Methil
Rutherford  25'
Rankin  87' (pen)		 Brown,A  38' Attendance: 1,493
Referee: A McGunnigle
6 December 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-0AirdrieBoghead Park
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A McKenzie
13 December 1975 Scottish Division 1Morton1-1DumbartonCappielow Park
Reid  86' Cook  76' Attendance: 2,500
20 December 1975 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-0St MirrenBoghead Park
Wallace  44'
Bourke 89'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: A Paterson
27 December 1975 Scottish Division 1Queen of the South4-2DumbartonPalmerston Park
Reid  16', 21'
Dickson,P  46'
Muir 83' (OG)		 McLean  28'
Bourke  34'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: G Smith
1 January 1976 Scottish Division 1Falkirk3-2DumbartonBrockville Park
Mitchell
Lawson
Whiteford  (pen)		 Cook
Bourke 		Attendance: 3,000
3 January 1976 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-6MontroseBoghead Park
Miller  13', 32'
Barr  35'
Markland  53'
Stewart  67'
Livingstone  78'		 Attendance: 2,000
17 January 1976 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-0KilmarnockBoghead Park
Bourke  19', 63'
Muir  75'		 Attendance: 3,500
Referee: D Ramsay
31 January 1976 Scottish Division 1Partick Thistle0-0DumbartonFirhill Park
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: R Keggie
7 February 1976 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-0ClydeBoghead Park
Bourke  36' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: T Kellock
21 February 1976 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-2ArbroathBoghead Park
McLean  1'
Muir  22'
Wallace  52'		 Yule  77'
Fettes  79'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: T Kyle
28 February 1976 Scottish Division 1Dunfermline Athletic0-3DumbartonEast End Park
Bourke  3', 54'
Wallace  13'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: K Hope
15 March 1976 Scottish Division 1Hamilton2-3DumbartonDouglas Park
Thomas  25', 82' Wallace  35'
Cook 56'
Kane  78'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: W Mullen

Scottish Cup
Main article: 1975–76 Scottish Cup
24 January 1976 Scottish Cup Round 3Dumbarton2–0KeithBoghead Park
Wallace  21'
Muir  72'		 MacKintosh  68' Attendance: 2,500
Referee: D Downie
14 February 1976 Scottish Cup Round 4Partick Thistle0–0DumbartonFirhill Park
Attendance: 8,300
Referee: J Paterson
25 February 1976 Scottish Cup Round 4RDumbarton1–0Partick ThistleBoghead Park
Wallace  55' Attendance: 7,539
Referee: J Paterson
6 March 1976 Scottish Cup Round 5Dumbarton2–1KilmarnockBoghead Park
Clarke  53' (OG)
Muir  74'		 Fallis  64' Attendance: 7,796
Referee: I Foote
3 April 1976 Scottish Cup Semi FinalHearts0–0DumbartonHampden Park
Attendance: 16,087
Referee: I Foote
14 April 1976 Scottish Cup Semi Final ReplayHearts3–0DumbartonHampden Park
Smith  8' (OG)
Prentice  35'
Busby  47'		 Attendance: 11,273
Referee: I Foote

Scottish League Cup
Main article: 1975–76 Scottish League Cup
9 August 1975 Section 3Dumbarton2–1HeartsBoghead Park
McLean  23'
Bourke  89'		 Callachan 38' Attendance: 4,000
Referee: R Davidson
13 August 1975 Section 3Aberdeen2–0DumbartonPittodrie Park
Graham  7'
Jarvie  37'		 Attendance: 6,000
Referee: T Muirhead
16 August 1975 Section 3Celtic3–1DumbartonCeltic Park
Wilson  32'
Lennox  35'
Edvaldsson  84'		 McAdam  62' Attendance: 23,000
Referee: D Downie
20 August 1975 Section 3Dumbarton0–1AberdeenBoghead Park
Hair  72' Attendance: 3,000
Referee: T Kellock
23 August 1975 Section 3Dumbarton0–8CelticBoghead Park
Hood  4', 57'
McGrain  19'
Dalglish  49', 62'
Callaghan  70'
Wilson  87', 89'		 Attendance: 14,000
Referee: R Valentine
27 August 1975 Section 3Hearts6–2DumbartonTynecastle Stadium
Hancock  6'
Callachan  15'
Prentice  24'
Busby  29', 82'
Park  89'		 Cook 28'
Brown  69'		 Attendance: 6,000
Referee: A Ferguson

Spring Cup
10 March 1976 Section 4Dumbarton4–1Albion RoversBoghead Park
Cook  11'
Bourke  14', 88'
Muir  60' (pen)		 McLean  44' Referee: D Syme
13 March 1976 Section 4Arbroath0–1DumbartonGayfield Park
Wallace  64' Attendance: 1,187
Referee: F Pringle
20 March 1976 Section 4Stenhousemuir2–1DumbartonOchilview Park
Sinclair  11'
Wight  65'		 McKinlay  42' Attendance: 489
27 March 1976 Section 4Dumbarton1–2ArbroathBoghead Park
Wallace  68' Bone  61'
Fletcher  80'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: T Muirhead
7 April 1976 Section 4Albion Rovers1–2DumbartonCliftonhill Stadium
Sermanni  41' Wallace  20', 45' Referee: A McGunnigle
10 April 1976 Section 4Dumbarton3–1StenhousemuirBoghead Park
McLeod  43'
Bourke  79', 84'		 Simpson  57' Attendance: 1,500
17 April 1976 Round 2(1)Raith Rovers2–2DumbartonStarks Park
Graham  14'
Wallace  22'		 Brown,A  47'
Cooper  83' (OG)		 Attendance: 3,201
Referee: D Syme
19 April 1976 Round 2(2)Dumbarton4–0
(6–2 agg.)		Raith RoversBoghead Park
Wallace  3', 27'
Graham  20'
Bourke  23'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: D Syme
21 April 1976 Round 3(1)Dumbarton4–2FalkirkBoghead Park
Harvey  42', 64'
Graham  69'
Bourke  77'		 Whiteford  53' (pen)
Lawson  90'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: I Foote
24 April 1976 Round 3(2)Falkirk1–2
(3–6 agg.)		DumbartonBrockville Park
Fowler  67' Bourke  51'
Brown,A  61'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: I Foote
28 April 1976 Semi FinalClydebank3–1DumbartonKilbowie Park
McCallan  57', 80'
Hall  72'		 Wallace  60' Attendance: 3,000
Referee: E Thomson

Stirlingshire Cup
3 November 1975 1st RoundDumbarton1–1
(5 – 4 on penalties)		ClydebankBoghead Park
McAdam Cooper  89'
11 November 1975 Semi FinalStenhousemuir3–1DumbartonOchilview Park
McPaul  10', 52'
Halliday  79'		 McCormack  74'

Pre-season and other matches
16 July 1975 FriendlyDumbarton2–0Vale of LevenBoghead Park
Mathie
28 July 1975 FriendlyQueen's Park2–0DumbartonHampden Park
Brown  19' (OG)
McGill  71'
30 July 1975 FriendlyDumbarton2–2Preston NEBoghead Park
Wallace  19'
McAdam 30'		 Elwess  78', 87'
2 August 1975 FriendlyChester City1–1DumbartonSealand Road
Lennard 35' Bourke  89' Attendance: 1,885
4 August 1975 FriendlyTranmere Rovers2–3DumbartonPrenton Park
Moore  26'
Peplow		 Bourke  10'
Wallace
1 October 1975 FriendlyDumbarton5–3MortonBoghead Park
Rankin
OG
Mullen
McCormack
Harvey 		Evans
Nelson
Brown
16 March 1976 FriendlyDumbarton1–3RangersBoghead Park
Kane  2' Sinclair  25' (OG)
Fyfe  60'
Scott  85'		 Referee: B McGinlay

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
2 Kilmarnock (P) 26 16 3 7 44 29 +15 35 Promotion to Premier Division
3 Montrose 26 12 6 8 53 43 +10 30
4 Dumbarton 26 12 4 10 53 46 +7 28
5 Arbroath 26 11 4 11 41 39 +2 26
6 St Mirren 26 9 8 9 37 37 0 26
Source: RSSSF and statto[1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(P) Promoted.

Player statistics

Squad
No. Pos Nat Player TotalFirst DivisionScottish CupLeague CupSpring Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Ian McGregor 4000202000
GK Laurie Williams 4602605040110
DF Jim Brown 711+10300+2100
DF Terry Mullen 2409+204+101+105+10
DF Don Watt 4802506060110
MF Alan Bennett 601+20003000
MF Brian Brown 400+3000000+10
MF John Cushley 3020001000
MF Johnny Graham 48322+316060112
MF Columb McKinley 40119+106030111
MF Hugh McLean 421121+1104+10616+30
MF Donald McNeil 23011+300+10007+10
MF Jim Muir 336183624051
MF Denis Ruddy 802+10004+1000
MF Graeme Sinclair 4000000040
MF Walter Smith 360240600060
FW John Bourke 452625186041107
FW Ally Brown 38419250508+12
FW Peter Coleman 11050002+300+10
FW Jim Cook 48625+14505+119+21
FW Drew Harvey 320000002+12
FW George Kane 210+11000010
FW Ross Mathie 1010000000
FW Tom McAdam 12564005+1100
FW Murdo MacLeod 1311+6000005+11
FW Ian Wallace 452025+110625088

[2]

Transfers

[3]

Reserve team

Dumbarton competed in the Combined Reserve League and in the Combined Reserve League Cup. Reports of these games are sparse although it is known that Partick Thistle were league champions.

In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton lost to Partick Thistle in the third round.

In the Scottish Reserve League Cup, Dumbarton failed to qualifying from their section.

Trivia
  • The League Cup match against Celtic on 23 August marked Johnny Graham's 300th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 4th Dumbarton player to achieve this accolade.
  • The League match against Falkirk on 6 September marked Tom McAdam's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 71st Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Airdrie on 6 December marked Laurie Williams's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 13th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The Spring Cup match against Stenhousemuir on 20 March marked Don Watt's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 72nd Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The Spring Cup match against Raith Rovers on 17 April marked John Bourke's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 73rd Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The transfer fee of £40,000 for Tom McAdam's departure to Dundee United at the end of October matched the record set by Kenny Wilson three seasons earlier.
  • Dumbarton broke both the goals for and goals against 'centuries' during the season. By scoring 106 goals in all games, this was the 14th time that the 'century - for' had been broken, and by conceding 103, this was the 20th time that the 'century - against' had been broken.

See also

References
  1. "Scottish Division One 1975-1976 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  2. McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
  3. Litster, John. Record of Post-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
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