1979–80 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1979–80 was the 96th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 74th time, the Scottish Cup for the 85th time and the Scottish League Cup for the 33rd time.

Dumbarton
1979–1980 season
ManagerDavie Wilson
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 14th
Scottish CupThird Round
Scottish League CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Graeme Sharp (15)
All: Graeme Sharp (15)
Highest home attendance4,500
Lowest home attendance500
Average home league attendance1,560

Overview

For the fifth year running, Dumbarton played league football in Division 1, and after a promising start to the campaign, there was a real feeling that promotion could be achieved, particularly with the club topping the division at Christmas. However, a run of 7 games where only one win was registered, damped spirits, and following a 1-4 defeat to Arbroath, manager Davie Wilson was sacked. Nevertheless, with John Cushley as caretaker manager, 3 wins in the last 3 matches were sufficient to secure 4th place.

In the Scottish Cup, Dumbarton lost out to fellow Division 1 opponents Ayr United.

Similarly in the League Cup, Dumbarton were to fall at the first hurdle to St Johnstone.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton had to give second-best to local rivals Clydebank in the semi-final in a penalty shoot out after a drawn match.

Note that at the start of the season, Dumbarton embarked on a tour of Ireland which took in 3 matches, all of which were won.

Results & fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division
Main article: 1979–80 Scottish Football League
11 August 1979 Scottish Division 1Ayr United1-2DumbartonSomerset Park
McLaughlin Sharp  7', 23' Attendance: 2,647
Referee: K Stewart
18 August 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-2HamiltonBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  21'
Sharp  33'
Blair 		Deeney
Graham 		Attendance: 1,000
Referee: D Murdoch
25 August 1979 Scottish Division 1Clydebank2-1DumbartonKilbowie Park
Sweeney  36'
Miller 		Whiteford,D Attendance: 2,000
Referee: A McFaul
1 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton4-1Berwick RangersBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  5'
Blair  14'
Sharp  39'		 Tait Attendance: 1,000
Referee: L Thow
5 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Clyde0-2DumbartonShawfield Stadium
Brogan  15' (OG)
Gallacher,B  77'		 Attendance: 1,000
8 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-2Stirling AlbionBoghead Park
Gallacher,B Armstrong  (pen)
Kennedy,A 		Attendance: 1,200
Referee: F McKenzie
15 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Airdrie1-0DumbartonBroomfield Park
McClymont  18' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: E Pringle
19 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Dunfermline Athletic1-3DumbartonEast End Park
Leonard  23' Sharp  23', 85'
Whiteford,D  68'		 Attendance: 2,456
22 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-0ArbroathBoghead Park
Coyle,J  12' Attendance: 900
Referee: B McGinlay
29 September 1979 Scottish Division 1Motherwell3-0DumbartonFir Park
irvine  28'
Clinging  33'
McLaughlin  67'		 Attendance: 3,501
Referee: E Pringle
6 October 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-1HeartsBoghead Park
Sinclair  35' (OG) McCluskey Attendance: 3,500
Referee: F McKenzie
13 October 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton4-2Raith RoversBoghead Park
McCluskey  6'
Blair 		Wallace  52'
Ford		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: T Muirhead
20 October 1979 Scottish Division 1St Johnstone2-4DumbartonMuirton Park
Brannigan  39'
Lawson 		Gallacher,B  8'
Sharp  15'
Blair 35'
Coyle,J 		Attendance: 2,056
Referee: L Thow
27 October 1979 Scottish Division 1Hamilton1-0DumbartonDouglas Park
McCulloch Attendance: 3,000
Referee: R Cuthill
3 November 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-0ClydebankBoghead Park
Sharp Attendance: 1,200
Referee: J Timmons
10 November 1979 Scottish Division 1Stirling Albion2-3DumbartonAnnfield Stadium
Irvine  3'
Kennedy  34'		 McCluskey  36' (pen)
Sharp 		Attendance: 1,000
Referee: I Foote
17 November 1979 Scottish Division 1Airdrie0-0DumbartonBroomfield Park
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: A Harris
24 November 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-1Dunfermline AthleticBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  45'
Sharp  57'		 O'Brien  50' Attendance: 1,200
1 December 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-1MotherwellBoghead Park
Gallacher,B  43' (pen) McLaughlin  52' (pen) Attendance: 2,000
Referee: H Alexander
8 December 1979 Scottish Division 1Hearts1-0DumbartonTynecastle Stadium
O'Sullivan Attendance: 5,600
Referee: A Ferguson
15 December 1979 Scottish Division 1Raith Rovers0-1DumbartonStarks Park
Sharp  45' Attendance: 1,100
Referee: G Smith
29 December 1979 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton4-0HamiltonBoghead Park
McNeil  7'
Blair  57'
Sharp
Coyle,J 		Attendance: 2,500
Referee: T Muirhead
5 January 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-1Stirling AlbionBoghead Park
Beaton Attendance: 2,500
Referee: A Ferguson
12 January 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-0Stirling AlbionBoghead Park
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: K Stewart
2 February 1980 Scottish Division 1Berwick Rangers0-2DumbartonShielfield Park
Sharp  15' Attendance: 962
Referee: W McLeish
9 February 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-1HeartsBoghead Park
McGrain Robinson  48' Attendance: 4,500
Referee: J Renton
16 February 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-1St JohnstoneBoghead Park
Brogan Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A Waddell
23 February 1980 Scottish Division 1Raith Rovers4-0DumbartonStarks Park
Ballantyne  10' (pen)
Harrow  33'
Carroll  41'		 Attendance: 1,899
Referee: A Waddell
1 March 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton0-3Ayr UnitedBoghead Park
Morris
McSherry 		Attendance: 2,000
Referee: R Cuthill
8 March 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton3-1ClydeBoghead Park
McNeil  3'
Coyle,J 		McCabe  pen' Attendance: 1,000
Referee: D Syme
12 March 1980 Scottish Division 1Dunfermline Athletic0-2DumbartonEast End Park
Gallacher,B  52', 57' Attendance: 2,319
15 March 1980 Scottish Division 1Berwick Rangers3-0DumbartonShielfield Park
Smith  18' (pen)
McDowell  29'
Cross 		Attendance: 922
Referee: M Delaney
25 March 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton2-3ArbroathBoghead Park
McCluskey  (pen)
Sharp 		Wells
Harley
Yule 		Attendance: 500
29 March 1980 Scottish Division 1Ayr United1-0DumbartonSomerset Park
Connor  (pen) Attendance: 1,912
Referee: T Kellock
2 April 1980 Scottish Division 1Clydebank2-2DumbartonKilbowie Park
Fallon
Sweening 		McNeil
Blair 		Attendance: 1,170
5 April 1980 Scottish Division 1Arnroath4-1DumbartonGayfield Park
Harley  2'
Wilson  41'
Durno 		Gallacher,B Attendance: 750
Referee: A McGunnigle
12 April 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton1-0MotherwellBoghead Park
Rankin  20' Attendance: 800
Referee: T Muirhead
19 April 1980 Scottish Division 1Dumbarton5-2St JohnstoneBoghead Park
McCluskey  (pen)
McGrain
Martin
Brown
Gallacher,B 		Brannigan
Muir 		Attendance: 500
Referee: P Robertson
26 April 1980 Scottish Division 1Clyde1-2DumbartonShawfield Stadium
Kean  23' Blair Attendance: 1,500
Referee: C White

Scottish Cup
Main article: 1979–80 Scottish Cup
26 January 1980 Scottish Cup Round 3Dumbarton1–2Ayr UnitedBoghead Park
Gallacher,B Connor  (pen)
Armour 		Attendance: 2,480

Scottish League Cup
Main article: 1979–80 Scottish League Cup
15 August 1979 Scottish League Cup Round 1(1)Dumbarton1–1JohnstoneBoghead Park
Goldthorp Brown  67' Attendance: 1,200
22 August 1979 Scottish League Cup Round 1(2)St Johnstone3–2
(4–3 agg.)		DumbartonMuirton Park
Brogan
Lawson
Goldthorp 		Whitreford,D
Blair 		Attendance: 2,634

Stirlingshire Cup
30 October 1979 First RoundDumbarton2–0Alloa AthleticBoghead Park
Gallacher,J
 (OG)
26 November 1979 Semi FinalDumbarton0–0
(Clydebank on penalties)		ClydebankBoghead Park
Attendance: 400

Pre-season and other matches
31 July 1979 FriendlyColeraine2-3DumbartonThe Showgrounds (Coleraine)
Gallacher,B
Blair
Sinclair
2 August 1979 FriendlyFinn Harps0-1DumbartonFinn Park
Sharp
5 August 1979 FriendlySligo Rovers0-5DumbartonThe Showgrounds, Sligo Town
Gallacher,B
Blair
Sharp

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
2 Airdrieonians (P) 39 21 9 9 78 47 +31 51 Promotion to Premier Division
3 Ayr United 39 16 12 11 64 51 +13 44
4 Dumbarton 39 19 6 14 59 51 +8 44
5 Raith Rovers 39 14 15 10 54 46 +8 43
6 Motherwell 39 16 11 12 59 48 +11 43
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 Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Tom Carson 30300000
GK Donald Hunter 60600000
GK Laurie Williams 3303001020
DF Rob Campbell 908+100000
DF Joe O'Donnell 200+200000
MF Tommy Coyle 2207+1301+1000
MF John Gallacher 4103801020
MF Jim Martin 511+410000
MF Pat McCluskey 3883680020
MF Ally MacLeod 36032+101020
MF Donald McNeil 25424+140000
MF Joe Rowan 100+100000
MF Graeme Sinclair 4203901020
MF Derek Whiteford 1331120021
FW Raymond Blair 36930+381021
FW Ally Brown 38232+311021
FW Joe Coyle 41437+141020
FW Gerry Findlay 1101+1000000
FW Brian Gallacher 421339121120
FW Joe Kennedy 100+100000
FW Tommy McGrain 24220+420000
FW Mike Rankin 21210000
FW Graeme Sharp 361533151020

[2]

International Cap

Graeme Sinclair was selected to play for the Scottish League team in a friendly match against the League of Ireland on 17 March 1980 played in Dublin (won by the Irish 2-1).

Transfers

[3]

Reserve team

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

In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton lost to Dundee United in the third round, and in the Reserve League Cup, Dumbarton lost to Ayr United, on aggregate, in the first round.

Trivia
  • The League match against Motherwell on 29 September marked Ally Brown's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 14th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The League match against Hearts on 6 October marked Pat McCluskey's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 79th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Hamilton on 27 October marked Raymond Blair's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 80th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Motherwell on 1 December marked Brian Gallacher's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 81st Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The fee received of £125,000 for Graeme Sharp's transfer to Everton at the end of the season broke the record set by Murdo MacLeod's departure the previous season.
  • Manager Davie Wilson resigned on 4 April and Sean Fallon took over as caretaker until the end of the season - at which time he was confirmed as the manager for the next season.
gollark: Not currently.
gollark: However, ☭ you utterly.
gollark: Getting more than one that way would be *far* too easy.
gollark: Do not* worry, it is back on.
gollark: I could technically run it on my phone, that's very reliable.

See also

References
  1. "Scottish Division One 1979-1980 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 10 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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