1996–97 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1996–97 was the 113th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 91st time, the Scottish Cup for the 102nd time, the Scottish League Cup for the 50th time and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the seventh time.

Dumbarton
1996–1997 season
ManagerJim Fallon/Ian Wallace
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 29th
Scottish CupSecond Round
Scottish League CupSecond Round
Scottish Challenge CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Hugh Ward (7)
All: Hugh Ward (7)
Highest home attendance762
Lowest home attendance411
Average home league attendance627

Overview

Despite the failures of the previous season, manager Jim Fallon retained his position and unfortunately that decision was to prove disastrous as the league campaign started off in the same poor manner as the previous one. By the end of October, Dumbarton had one win to show for 13 league matches, and had sunk to second bottom place, resulting in Fallon's resignation. Within a week Ian Wallace, one of the club's brightest stars of the 1970s, had been installed and things began to take a turn for the better. Three wins on the trot in November saw Wallace named as Second Division manager of the month, but it wasn't to last. Results began again to go downhill, but even with three games left it was within Dumbarton's own hands whether a second successive relegation would occur. A last minute defeat to Stranraer and an uninspiring loss to Queen of the South meant that they had to better any result that Stranraer could achieve on the last day. As it was, a win over Brechin City was not enough, and it would be Third Division football next season and the fourth tier of Scottish football for the first time in the club's history.

In the national cup competitions, the drought on wins extended for a fifth season. In the Scottish Cup Cowdenbeath defeated Dumbarton in the second round.

In the League Cup, Premier Division Dundee beat Dumbarton, also in the second round.

Finally, in the Challenge Cup, it was a seventh first round defeat in seven attempts – this time to Montrose.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup the misery was compounded with a defeat to Falkirk.

Results & fixtures

[1]  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish Second Division
Main article: 1996–97 Scottish Second Division
17 August 1996 Scottish Second DivisionDumbarton1–1StranraerBoghead Park
Dallas  43' McIntyre  50' Attendance: 560
24 August 1996 Second DivisionQueen of the South2–1DumbartonPalmerston Park
Mallan  60'
Flannigan  83'		 Meechan  66' Attendance: 1,127
31 August 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton1–1Brechin CityBoghead Park
McGivern  57' Kerrigan  13' Attendance: 560
7 September 1996 Second DivisionClyde0–1DumbartonBroadwood Stadium
Ward  87' Attendance: 721
14 September 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton2–4LivingstonBoghead Park
McKinnon  41'
Ward  65'		 Harvie  9' (pen), 44'
Young  30'
McLeod  70'		 Attendance: 762
21 September 1996 Second DivisionBerwick Rangers3–1DumbartonShielfield Park
Grant  33'
Craig  56'
Robinson  81'		 Ward  76' Attendance: 326
28 September 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton1–1StenhousemuirBoghead Park
Meechan  67' Henderson  85' Attendance: 524
5 October 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton1–3Ayr UnitedBoghead Park
Dallas  13' Kinnaird  28'
Henderson  37'
English  55'		 Attendance: 939
12 October 1996 Second DivisionHamilton2–0DumbartonCliftonhill Stadium
Thomson  65'
Ritchie  75'		 Attendance: 533
19 October 1996 Second DivisionStranraer2–0DumbartonStair Park
Docherty  5'
Young  76'		 Attendance: 460
26 October 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton1–2Queen of the SouthBoghead Park
Rowe  31' (OG) McFarlane  68'
Mallan  77'		 Attendance: 562
2 November 1996 Second DivisionLivingston5–0DumbartonAlmondvale Stadium
Young  16'
Harvey  20', 34'
Duthie  53'
Alleyne  80'		 Attendance: 1,941
9 November 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton2–2ClydeBoghead Park
Wilson  5'
McKinnon  90'		 Mathieson  24'
Brownlie  68'		 Attendance: 724
16 November 1996 Second DivisionStenhousemuir0–1DumbartonOchilview
Meechan  23' Attendance: 564
23 November 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton1–0Berwick RangersBoghead Park
Ward  51' Attendance: 601
30 November 1996 Second DivisionAyr United1–4DumbartonSomerset Park
English  24' McKinnon  49'
Glancy  56', 65'
Ward  63'		 Attendance: 1,773
14 December 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton1–3HamiltonBoghead Park
Wilson  55' Fotheringham  40'
Ritchie  55', 65'		 Attendance: 733
26 December 1996 Second DivisionDumbarton2–2StranraerBoghead Park
Sharp  63'
Meechan  90'		 Young  15'
McIntyre  86'		 Attendance: 686
28 December 1996 Second DivisionBrechin City2–1DumbartonGlebe Park, Brechin
Conway  50'
Brand  54'		 Granger  89' (pen) Attendance: 356
11 January 1997 Second DivisionBerwick Rangers0–3DumbartonShielfield Park
Glancy  33'
King  54'
Ward  82'		 Attendance: 346
18 January 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton1–1Ayr UnitedBoghead Park
Sharp  80' Sharp  39' (OG) Attendance: 801
21 January 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton0–2StenhousemuirBoghead Park
Little  20'
Fisher  70'		 Attendance: 470
1 February 1997 Second DivisionHamilton4–0DumbartonCliftonhill Stadium
Ritchie  4', 33', 43', 53' Attendance: 505
8 February 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton2–3LivingstonBoghead Park
Mooney  35'
McKinnon  62'		 Duthie  15'
Harvey  74'
McLeod  77'		 Attendance: 503
22 February 1997 Second DivisionQueen of the South4–0DumbartonPalmerston Park
Bryce  54', 74', 76', 77' Attendance: 908
1 March 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton1–2Brechin CityBoghead Park
Hringsson  16' McKellar  11'
Sorbie  65'		 Attendance: 411
4 March 1997 Second DivisionClyde2–1DumbartonBroadwood Stadium
Mathieson  33'
Annand  68'		 Hringsson  51' Attendance: 480
8 March 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton2–2Berwick RangersBoghead Park
Hringsson  18'
Sharp  21'		 Manson  24'
Reid  81'		 Attendance: 446
15 March 1997 Second DivisionStenhousemuir1–4DumbartonOchilview
Harrow  70' Wilson  21'
King  48'
Glancy  60'
Sharp  80'		 Attendance: 376
22 March 1997 Second DivisionAyr United1–1DumbartonSomerset Park
Horace  44' Meechan  27' Attendance: 1,575
5 April 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton0–3HamiltonBoghead Park
McCormick  30', 51'
Ritchie  90'		 Attendance: 718
12 April 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton2–0ClydeBoghead Park
Wilson  54'
Ward  61'		 Attendance: 554
19 April 1997 Second DivisionLivingston1–2DumbartonAlmondvale Stadium
McLeod  18' Meechan  81'
Sharp  83'		 Attendance: 1,579
26 April 1997 Second DivisionStranraer1–0DumbartonStair Park
Higgins  86' Attendance: 739
3 May 1997 Second DivisionDumbarton0–3Queen of the SouthBoghead Park
Mallan  23', 73', 90' Attendance: 643
10 May 1997 Second DivisionBrechin City0–3DumbartonGlebe Park, Brechin
Glancy  11', 73'
Reilly  39'		 Attendance: 620

Scottish League Challenge Cup
Main article: 1996–97 Scottish Challenge Cup
10 August 1996 Challenge Cup R1Montrose2–0DumbartonLinks Park
Smith  17'
Glass  48'		 Attendance: 309

Coca-Cola League Cup
Main article: 1996–97 Scottish League Cup
13 August 1996 League Cup R2Dundee2–1DumbartonDens Park
Reaeside  75'
Hamilton  85'		 Dallas  28' Attendance: 1,872

Tennant's Scottish Cup
Main article: 1996–97 Scottish Cup
13 January 1997 Cup R2Cowdenbeath1–0DumbartonCentral Park, Cowdenbeath
Scott  49' Attendance: 294

Stirlingshire Cup
28 July 1996 First RoundFalkirk2–1DumbartonBrockville Park

Pre-season/Other Matches
29 July 1996 FriendlyVale of Leven4-1DumbartonMillburn Park
Mellis
Grace 		Grainger

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
6 Stenhousemuir 36 11 11 14 49 43 +6 44
7 Brechin City 36 10 11 15 36 49 −13 41
8 Stranraer 36 9 9 18 29 51 −22 36
9 Dumbarton 36 9 8 19 44 66 −22 35 Relegation to the 1997–98 Third Division
10 Berwick Rangers 36 4 11 21 32 75 −43 23
Source:

Player statistics

Squad
No. Pos Nat Player TotalSecond DivisionLeague CupChallenge CupScottish Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Derek Barnes 12011+000+000+001+00
GK Peter Dennison 202+000+000+000+00
GK Ian MacFarlane 1109+001+001+000+00
GK Kenny Meechan 14014+000+000+000+00
DF Jamie Bruce 909+000+000+000+00
DF Billy Davidson 17012+400+000+001+00
DF Stevie Gow 26021+301+001+000+00
DF Graeme McKenzie 504+100+000+000+00
DF Martin Melvin 25023+001+000+100+00
DF David Reid 100+100+000+000+00
MF Joe Goldie 401+300+000+000+00
MF Toby King 30227+021+001+001+00
MF Jim Marsland 34030+101+001+001+00
MF Gerry McCabe 404+000+000+000+00
MF Martin McGarvey 1507+501+001+001+00
MF Sam McGivern 211+110+000+000+00
MF Jim Meechan 39636+061+001+001+00
MF Adrian Mellis 101+000+000+000+00
MF John Scott 200+100+000+000+10
MF Willie Wilson 21421+040+000+000+00
FW Stephen Dallas 17315+121+010+000+00
FW Martin Glancy 34624+860+000+101+00
FW Alan Granger 812+410+001+000+10
FW Hrienn Hringsson 333+030+000+000+00
FW Ross McCuaig 100+100+000+000+00
FW Jim McGall 600+600+000+000+00
FW Colin McKinnon 37434+041+001+001+00
FW Martin Mooney 25118+411+001+001+00
FW Gordon Parks 404+000+000+000+00
FW Robert Reilly 812+610+000+000+00
FW Lee Sharp 38535+051+001+001+00
FW Hugh Ward 37726+970+001+001+00

[2][3]

Transfers

[4]

Trivia
  • The League match against Brechin City on 31 August marked Jim Marsland's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 25th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The League match against Ayr United on 5 October marked Ian MacFarlane's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 26th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The League match against Livingston on 19 April marked Colin McKinnon's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 110th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • Dumbarton became only the second team in Scottish League history to be relegated in successive seasons.
  • For the second successive season Dumbarton matched the record fewest league home wins during a season - just two!
gollark: Hmm, if there are regular expressions, are there irregular expressions?
gollark: Yes. Regexes bring only pain.
gollark: Ah, ”wojbie”.
gollark: Perhaps *you* are gay.
gollark: Also wojbie2 and rawritsgerard.

See also

References
  1. Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997/98. London: Headline Book Publishing. 1998. ISBN 0-7472-7738-9.
  2. Scottish Football League Review 1997-98. The Scottish Football League. 1998.
  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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