1978–79 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1978–79 was the 95th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 73rd time, the Scottish Cup for the 84th time and the Scottish League Cup for the 32nd time.

Dumbarton
1978–1979 season
ManagerDavie Wilson
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 17th
Scottish CupFifth Round
Scottish League CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Raymond Blair (9)
All: Raymond Blair (10)
Highest home attendance3,000
Lowest home attendance300
Average home league attendance1,405

Overview

For the fourth year in a row, Dumbarton played league football in Division 1, and after the previous season's performances, confidence was high. However, as it took 7 games to register the first league win early hopes were dashed and a disappointing 7th-place finish was achieved.

In the Scottish Cup, for a second year running it was Partick Thistle that were the fifth round opponents and as in the previous year Dumbarton were to lose out.

In the League Cup, in the straight knock-out format, Dumbarton were to draw Premier Division St Mirren in the first round, and were to fall to a two-goal defeat at Love Street after a home no-scoring draw.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton were once again defeated by local rivals Clydebank, this time in the final.

Finally, Laurie Williams was given a testimonial for his 10 years of service to the club, and he captained Dumbarton against a Scottish League Select - the result being a 1-1 draw with Williams himself scoring the equalising penalty for Dumbarton.

Results & fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division
Main article: 1978–79 Scottish Football League
12 August 1978 Scottish Division 1Arbroath1-1DumbartonGayfield Park
Mylles  46' Blair  23' Attendance: 1,156
Referee: A Waddell
19 August 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-1Stirling AlbionBoghead Park
Armstrong  89' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A Ferguson
26 August 1978 Scottish Division 1Clydebank1-1DumbartonKilbowie Park
Miller  50' Brown  14' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: P Robinson
6 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Kilmarnock0-0DumbartonRugby Park
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: D Syme
9 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-1AirdrieBoghead Park
McNeil  48' McCann  68' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: K Stewart
13 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Clyde1-0DumbartonShawfield Stadium
Ahern  32' (pen) Attendance: 1,200
Referee: D Ramsay
16 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Ayr United2-5DumbartonSomerset Park
McLelland  44'
Phillips  48'		 MacLeod,M  50'
Whiteford,D  51', 65', 76'
Muir  71'		 Attendance: 2,146
Referee: J Walsh
23 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-0HamiltonBoghead Park
Whiteford,D  43'
Fyfe  75'		 Attendance: 1,000
Referee: J Renton
27 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-0DundeeBoghead Park
Attendance: 1,700
30 September 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton4-1MontroseBoghead Park
Fyfe  3'
McCluskey  7' (pen)
Gallacher  11'
McNeil  24'		 Georgeson  35' Attendance: 2,000
7 October 1978 Scottish Division 1Raith Rovers0-0DumbartonStarks Park
Attendance: 2,720
Referee: E Pringle
14 October 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-0St JohnstoneBoghead Park
Whiteford,D  61'
McLean  69'		 Attendance: 1,500
21 October 1978 Scottish Division 1St Johnstone0-2DumbartonPalmerston Park
McCluskey  (pen)
Blair 		Attendance: 1,000
Referee: K Hope
28 October 1978 Scottish Division 1Stirling Albion1-1DumbartonAnnfield Stadium
Browning  79' (pen) Fyfe  9' Attendance: 1,400
Referee: T Kellock
4 November 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-2ClydebankBoghead Park
McLean  78' Given  15'
Miller  28'		 Attendance: 5,000
Referee: D Murdoch
11 November 1978 Scottish Division 1Airdrie3-6DumbartonBroomfield Park
Goldthorp  44'
Clark  64' (pen), 72'		 Muir  4'
McCluskey  12' (pen)
Coyle,J  39'
Blair  65', 71', 85'		 Attendance: 1,500
18 November 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-0Ayr UnitedBoghead Park
Fyfe  67'
B;air  79'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: C White
25 November 1978 Scottish Division 1Hamilton5-0DumbartonDouglas Park
Graham  27'
Clark  29', 49'
Wright  57'
Glavin  73'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A Harris
9 December 1978 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-3Raith RoversBoghead Park
Houston  71' (OG) Harrow  19'
Pettie  33'
McDonagh  58'		 Attendance: 800
Referee: T Muirhead
16 December 1978 Scottish Division 1St Johnstone2-2DumbartonMuirton Park
Brannagan  51'
Thomas  69'		 Sharp  10'
Blair  50'		 Attendance: 1,537
Referee: M Delaney
3 March 1979 Scottish Division 1Arbroath1-1DumbartonGayfield Park
Yule  64' Blair  74' Attendance: 663
Referee: W Knowles
13 March 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-3KilmarnockBoghead Park
Cairney  23'
Bourke  29'
Maxwell  49' (pen)		 Attendance: 2,000
17 March 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-0ClydeBoghead Park
McNeil  21'
MacLeod,A  34'
Blair  83'		 Attendance: 1,000
20 March 1979 Scottish Division 1St Johnstone2-2DumbartonMuirton Park
Ward
Lawson 		Whiteford,J  (pen)
Sinclair 		Attendance: 1,360
24 March 1979 Scottish Division 1Dundee2-0DumbartonDens Park
Shirra  37'
Pirie  82' (pen)		 Attendance: 5,547
Referee: R Cuthill
28 March 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-0Raith RoversBoghead Park
Whiteford,J  2', 56', 81' Attendance: 500
Referee: E Pringle
31 March 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-1ArbroathBoghead Park
Mylles  27' Attendance: 450
Referee: D Syme
4 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-0ClydeBoghead Park
Attendance: 700
7 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-2DundeeBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  6', 61'
Brown  44'		 Pirie  1'
Redford  77'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: D Downie
4 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Montrose2-1DumbartonLinks Park
Robb  55', 72' Gallacher,B  2' Attendance: 800
Referee: A Waddell
16 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-0HamiltonBoghead Park
Fyfe  15', 88'
Brown  15'		 Attendance: 1,700
18 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Ayr United1-0DumbartonSomerset Park
McLaughlin  9' (pen) Attendance: 2,000
Referee: D Syme
21 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Queen of the South1-3DumbartonPalmerston Park
Coughlin  65' Whiteford,D  26'
Fyfe  27'
Gallacher,B  48'		 Attendance: 400
Referee: M Delaney
25 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Clydebank3-1DumbartonKilbowie Park
McDougall  9'
McCormick  26' (pen), 36'		 Sinclair  5' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: I Foote
28 April 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-3KilmarnockBoghead Park
Findlay  80' Cairney  14'
Gibson  51'
Bourke  78'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: A Ferguson
2 May 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-1AirdrieBoghead Park
McKeown  70' Attendance: 500
5 May 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton4-1Queen of the SouthBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  21', 83'
Brown  26'
Coyle,J  70'		 Coughlin  49' Attendance: 300
7 May 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-2Stirling AlbionBoghead Park
McPhie
Armstrong 		Attendance: 400
9 May 1979 Scottish Division 1Montrose0-2DumbartonLinks Park
Gallacher,B  19'
Whiteford,D  83'		 Attendance: 400
Referee: E Pringle

Scottish Cup
Main article: 1978–79 Scottish Cup
19 February 1979 Scottish Cup Round 3Dumbarton1–0Alloa AthleticBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  89' Attendance: 1,000
Referee: D Murdoch
24 February 1979 Scottish Cup Round 3Dumbarton3–1ClydebankBoghead Park
Sharp  2', 78'
Blair  81'		 McDougall  32' Attendance: 3,000
Referee: J Renton
10 March 1979 Scottish Cup Round 3Dumbarton0–1Partick ThistleBoghead Park
Anderson  83' Attendance: 6,300
Referee: G Smith

Scottish League Cup
Main article: 1978–79 Scottish League Cup
16 August 1978 Scottish League Cup Round 1(1)Dumbarton0–0St MirrenBoghead Park
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: K Hope
16 August 1978 Scottish League Cup Round 1(2)St Mirren2–0
(2–0 agg.)		DumbartonLove Street (stadium)
Bone  8', 43' Attendance: 5,000
Referee: K Hope

Stirlingshire Cup
11 February 1979 Semi FinalFalkirk0–1DumbartonBrockville Park
Coyle,T  25'
11 May 1979 FinalClydebank1–0DumbartonKilbowie Park

Pre-season/Other Matches
29 July 1978 FriendlyClachnacuddin0-3DumbartonGrant Street Park
Gallacher,B  48'
Fyfe  64'
Govan  84'		 Attendance: 500
31 July 1978 FriendlyNairn County1-3DumbartonNairn
McIntosh  86' Blair  22', 40'
Gallacher,B  27'
1 August 1978 FriendlyRoss County2-7DumbartonVictoria Park, Dingwall
Creaney
Macdonald 		Whiteford,D
Brown
MacLeod,M
Fyfe
Gallacher,B
23 October 1978 TestimonialDumbarton1-1[1]
(3–5 p)		Scottish League XIBoghead Park
Williams  (pen) Glavin  (pen) Attendance: 4,000
19 January 1979 FriendlyAirdrie2-2DumbartonInverclyde
Fyfe
Gallacher,B 		Attendance: CD
23 January 1979 FriendlyDumbarton1-0ClydeBoghead Park
Sharp

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
5 Hamilton Academical 39 17 9 13 63 61 +2 43
6 Airdrieonians 39 16 8 15 72 61 +11 40
7 Dumbarton 39 14 11 14 58 50 +8 39
8 Stirling Albion 39 13 9 17 43 55 −12 35
9 Clyde 39 13 8 18 54 65 −11 34
Source: RSSSF and statto[2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Player statistics

Squad
No. Pos Nat Player TotalFirst DivisionScottish CupLeague Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Donald Hunter 1801503000
GK Laurie Williams 2602400020
DF Rob Campbell 12011+100000
DF Willie Russell 100+100000
MF Iain Anderson 10100000
MF Tommy Coyle 1307+600000
MF Pat McCluskey 4333833020
MF John Gallacher 4403903020
MF Hugh McLean 18215+22000+10
MF Ally MacLeod 33128+410010
MF Donald McNeil 2732233020
MF Jim Muir 1129+220000
MF Joe Rowan 300+300000
MF Graeme Sinclair 32227+123010
MF Derek Whiteford 32721+773010
FW Raymond Blair 31102693120
FW Ally Brown 35425+543020
FW Joe Coyle 33225+422+1010
FW Gerry Findlay 1118+310000
FW Graham Fyfe 36726+771020
FW Brian Gallacher 3793283120
FW Dave Govan 200+200000
FW Murdo MacLeod 1711411020
FW Graeme Sharp 834+212200
FW Jocky Whiteford 16413+340000

[3]

International Caps

Murdo MacLeod was selected to play for the Scottish Under 21 team in a friendly match against USA on 17 September 1978 played at Pittodrie Park (won by Scotland 3-1 and in which he scored one of the goals) and in a qualifying match for the European Under 21 Championships against Norway on 24 October 1978 played at Easter Road Stadium (won by Scotland 5-1).

Transfers

[4]

Reserve team

Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League First Division (West).

In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton lost to Morton in the first round, and in the Reserve League Cup, Dumbarton lost to Partick Thistle, on aggregate, in the first round.

Trivia
  • The League match against Clyde on 13 September marked Murdo MacLeod's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 76th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Montrose on 30 September marked Donald McNeil's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 77th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Raith Rovers on 9 December marked Graeme Sinclair's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 78th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The fee of £100,000 received for Murdo MacLeod's transfer to Celtic at the end of October broke the record set by Ian Wallace's departure two seasons earlier.
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See also

References
  1. Testimonal for Laurie Williams.
  2. "Scottish Division One 1978-1979 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
  4. Litster, John. Record of Post-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
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