Dumbarton F.C.

Dumbarton
Full name Dumbarton Football Club
Nickname(s) The Sons
Founded 1872 (1872)
Ground Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium, Dumbarton
Ground Capacity 2,020[1]
Chairman Alan Jardine
Manager Stevie Aitken
League Scottish Championship
2015–16 Scottish Championship, 8th

Dumbarton Football Club is a Semi-professional Scottish association football club based in the town of Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire. Dumbarton is Scotland's 4th oldest senior football club, founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park (1867), Kilmarnock (1869) and Stranraer (1870).[2] They come from the town of Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire and play their home games at the Dumbarton Football Stadium, known for sponsorship reasons as The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium,[3] which is situated next to Dumbarton Castle.

The club were one of the most successful of the nineteenth century, winning the Scottish Football League in the first two seasons of the competition (the first jointly with Rangers). Since then the club have spent the majority of their history outside the top flight, and last played at the top level in 1985, thus being the only existing Scottish league champions never to have competed in the former breakaway, Scottish Premier League. The club were the only team to win at least one league title in each of the four tiers in the Scottish league system until Rangers achieved it in 2016.

Stevie Aitken is currently the club's manager, having been appointed on 27 May 2015.[4]

Colours and Badge

For the 2015–16 season the team will wear strips from the Joma brand. The home strip is based on the popular strips from the 1970s and early-1980s, an all white kit with a single black and gold band across the front, whilst the away kit is mainly gold with black trim.[5]

The clubs' badge features an elephant with a castle on its back, this represents Dumbarton Rock with Dumbarton Castle upon it, based on the historic town crest. Dumbarton Rock, a volcanic plug, is said to resemble an elephant. The teams nickname 'The Sons' is derived from the phrase 'Sons of The Rock', a term used for those born in the town of Dumbarton.

Stadium

Dumbarton Rock & The Stadium

Dumbarton play their home games at The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium (commonly referred to as "The Rock" by Supporters). The 2,020[1] all seated stadium has been used since 2 December 2000. The main (and currently only) stand is overshadowed by Dumbarton Rock & sits aside the banks of the River Leven. The stadium has been named for sponsorship purposes for most of its existence:

Prior to December 2000 the team played at Boghead Park from 1879 until the end of the 1999–00 season, 121 years is currently the longest a senior Scottish club has stayed at the same ground. Between May and November 2001, Dumbarton shared Cliftonhill in Coatbridge with Albion Rovers.

In November 2014 the club formally announced its intention to move to a new ground,[8] after only 15 years at their current home, to be situated in what is now Young's Farm to the North of Dumbarton between Dalreoch and Renton just off the A82 by-pass. The proposed new development, which had long been rumoured, will double the existing capacity to 4,000 in a mix of seating and terracing, add additional hospitality and non-footballing facilities, allow for training and community artificial pitches and increase access and parking facilities from the current site. The existing site would be used by Denny Homes to build 180 houses and a walkway along the River Clyde connecting the town centre with Dumbarton Rock.

Attendances

Season League Average Highest
2015–16 Championship 1,033 1,978
2014–15 Championship 1,074 1,850
2013–14 Championship 938 1,469
2012–13 First Division 927 1,530
2011–12 Second Division 660 1,088
2010–11 Second Division 640 853
2009–10 Second Division 695 1,227
2008–09 Third Division 722 1,396
2007–08 Third Division 560 907
2006–07 Third Division 709 1,089
2005–06 Second Division 946
2004–05 Second Division 900
2003–04 Second Division 1,039
2002–03 Second Division 950

Supporters

Dumbarton were the first league club in Scotland to have a supporters' trust, which works to strengthen the links between the club & the fans. The trust own a significant number of shares in the club and are currently the fourth largest shareholder. Following a £25,000 direct investment, the trust also has a representative on the club board of directors. The supporters' trust works with the club to produce the match programme & run the club website. As well as those important functions, the trust's main role at the club is that of overseeing commercial activity.

Players

Current squad

As of 5 May 2016 [9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Scotland GK Mark Brown
3 Scotland DF Mark Docherty
4 Scotland DF Steven Saunders
5 Scotland DF Gregor Buchanan
8 Scotland MF Grant Gallagher
9 Scotland FW Garry Fleming (vice-captain)
14 Scotland DF Darren Barr (captain)
No. Position Player
15 Scotland MF Donald McCallum
19 Scotland GK Jamie Ewings
22 Scotland DF Frazer Wright
25 Scotland MF Daniel Lightbody
26 Scotland FW John Cunningham
27 France FW Christian Nade

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
28 Scotland MF Ryan Clark (at Arthurlie)

Hall Of Fame

Recently, the club and its fans named their "best player of all time" and a "Hall of Fame" including:

Staff

Position[10] Name
Manager Stephen Aitken [4]
Assistant Manager Stephen Farrell
Goalkeeping Coach Jim Gallacher [note 1]
Head of Youth Development Richard Salveta
Head Scout Stuart Millar
Physiotherapist Claire Mitchell
Club Doctor Dr Neil MacKay
Kit Man Colm McKinley
Assistant Kit Man Jimmy McLoughlin

Recent league history

Main article(s): Dumbarton F.C. seasons

Season P W D L GF GA GD Pts Pos League
2014–15 36 9 7 20 36 79 −43 34 7 Championship
2013–14 36 15 6 15 64 64 0 51 5 Championship
2012–13 36 13 4 19 58 83 −25 43 7 First Division
2011–12 36 17 7 12 61 61 0 58 3 Second Division
2010–11 36 11 7 18 52 70 −18 40 7 Second Division

Managerial history

Manager records for all league, league play-offs, League Cup, Scottish Cup & Challenge Cup games (i.e. not including friendlies & Stirlingshire Cup games)

As of match played Sunday 1 May 2016.

Name Nat. From To Record
Pld W D L %won
Stevie Aitken Scotland May 2015 Current 4313822
Ian Murray Scotland November 2012 May 2015 10841155237.96
Alan Adamson Scotland October 2010 October 2012 8332163538.55
Jim Chapman Scotland December 2007 October 2010 11340274635.39
Gerry McCabe Scotland June 2006 November 2007 5725112143.86
Paul Martin Scotland December 2004 June 2006 6712153517.91
Brian Fairley Scotland March 2003 December 2004 6630102645.45
David Winnie Scotland June 2002 March 2003 341161732.35
Tom Carson Scotland October 2000 June 2002 6732132247.76
Jimmy Brown Scotland March 1999 October 2000 6626103039.39
Ian Wallace Scotland November 1996 March 1999 9526244527.37
Jim Fallon Scotland September 1995 November 1996 5026424.00
Murdo MacLeod Scotland June 1993 September 1995
Billy Lamont Scotland April 1990 June 1993
Jim George Scotland October 1988 April 1990 7729202837.68
Bertie Auld Scotland January 1988 September 1988 24481216.66
Mark Clougherty Scotland July 1987 January 1988 30971430.00
Alex Totten Scotland July 1986 April 1987 462381550.00
Derek Whiteford Scotland May 1986 May 1986
Alex Wright (caretaker) Scotland February 1986 May 1986 1765635.30
Davie Wilson Scotland March 1984 February 1986 9732224333.00
Billy Lamont Scotland July 1981 February 1984 12444262635.48
Sean Fallon Republic of Ireland July 1980 May 1981 4314121732.56
Davie Wilson Scotland July 1977 April 1980 12751383840.16
Alex Wright Scotland March 1973 May 1977 19266428434.37
Jackie Stewart Scotland November 1968 January 1973 19089346746.84
Ian Spence Scotland September 1967 October 1968 4613112228.26
Willie Toner Scotland October 1964 September 1967 13147275735.88
Jackie Fearn Scotland May 1962 September 1964 10041174241.00
Bobby Campbell Scotland July 1961 May 1962 4310102323.26
Bobby Combe Scotland May 1959 November 1960 6328142144.44
Peter McGown Scotland May 1954 April 1959 216108337550.00
William Irvine Scotland June 1950 May 1954 15551327232.90
William Guthrie Scotland August 1946 June 1950 15342278427.45
Jackie Milne Scotland June 1945 August 1946 381461836.84
William Guthrie (secretary) Scotland 1944 1945
Fred Donovan (secretary) Scotland 1940 1944
Jimmy Smith Scotland 1939 1940
Fred Donovan (secretary) Scotland 1931 1939
Donald Colman Scotland 1922 1931
Paddy Travers Scotland 1921 1922
James Collins Scotland September 1920 May 1921
George Livingstone Scotland March 1919 September 1920
James Collins Scotland May 1914 March 1919

Honours

Club records

Biggest win:
(Scottish Cup): 13–2 v Kirkintilloch Central (1 September 1888)

Biggest loss:
Scottish Football League: 1–11 v Albion Rovers (30 January 1926)
Scottish League Cup: 1–11 v Ayr United (13 August 1952)

Biggest home attendance:
Boghead Park: 18,001 v Raith Rovers, (2 March 1957)
Dumbarton Football Stadium: 1,978 v Rangers, (19 September 2015)[13]

Most goals in a season: Kenny Wilson (38), 1971–72

References

  1. 1 2 "Dumbarton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. http://www.dumbartonfootballclub.com/contact2/
  3. 1 2 "Dumbarton Football Club – NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL ANNOUNCED". dumbartonfootballclub.com. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Dumbarton Football Club – STEPHEN AITKEN ANNOUNCED AS NEW SONS MANAGER". dumbartonfootballclub.com. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  5. "Dumbarton Football Club – SONS LINK UP WITH JOMA". dumbartonfootballclub.com. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  6. "Strathclyde is latest Scots victim of building slump". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  7. "BetButler update". Gambling Commission. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. "Dumbarton Relocation Planning update". Dumbarton FC. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  9. "1st Team Squad 2013/2014". dumbartonfootballclub.com (Dumbarton F.C.). Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  10. "Dumbarton Football Club – Management". dumbartonfootballclub.com. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  11. Shared with Rangers after both clubs ended the season on 29 points. A play-off game at Cathkin Park on 21 May 1891 finished 2–2, so the clubs were declared joint champions
  12. Known as second division prior to 1975
  13. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34230450

Notes

  1. Former Arbroath 'keeper and made over 600 appearances for Clydebank. His son, Paul Gallacher currently plays in goal for Partick Thistle.

External links

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