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1975–76 Dumbarton F.C. season

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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

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.

Overview

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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

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  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division

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Main article: 1975–76 Scottish Football League
30 August 1975 Scottish Division 1 Clyde 1-2 Dumbarton Shawfield Stadium
Harvey 30' McLean 65', 72' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: R Keggie
6 September 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-4 Falkirk Boghead Park
Bourke 28' Lawson 16', 44'
McCaig 33'
Shirra 83'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: D Syme
13 September 1975 Scottish Division 1 Montrose 3-2 Dumbarton Links Park
Johnston 70', 84'
Barr 74' (pen)		 McLean 7', 65' Attendance: 1,100
Referee: W Reid
20 September 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-3 Partick Thistle Boghead Park
Bourke 47'
Wallace 62'		 Craig, J 33', 77'
Somner 37'		 Attendance: 4,000
Referee: J Gordon
27 September 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 5-5 East Fife Boghead 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 1 Airdrie 3-0 Dumbarton Broomfield Park
Jonquin 2' (pen), 13' (pen)
Wilson 54' (pen)		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: A Hope
11 October 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 4-0 Morton Boghead Park
Bourke 21'
Wallace 42'
McAdam 54', 62'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: A Paterson
18 October 1975 Scottish Division 1 St Mirren 3-2 Dumbarton Love Street (stadium)
McGillivray 43'
McDowall 72'
Reid, R 83'		 Bourke 54', 81' Attendance: 3,500
25 October 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-1 Queen of the South Boghead Park
McAdam 5', 12' Dempster 57' (pen) Attendance: 1,500
Referee: T Kellock
1 November 1975 Scottish Division 1 Arbroath 1-5 Dumbarton Gayfield Park
McKenzie 65' Wallace 31'
Bourke 40'
Cook 73'
McLean 82', 88'		 Attendance: 1,682
Referee: T Kyle
8 November 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-0 Dunfermline Athletic Boghead Park
Bourke 34'
Wallace 81'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: R Keggie
15 November 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 5-1 Hamilton Boghead Park
Bourke 2'
McLean 19'
Muir 21', 61'
Brown, A 80'		 Taylor 11' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: H Alexander
22 November 1975 Scottish Division 1 Kilmarnock 1-0 Dumbarton Rugby Park
Fallis 14' Attendance: 5,000
Referee: W Mullan
29 November 1975 Scottish Division 1 East Fife 2-1 Dumbarton Bayview Park, Methil
Rutherford 25'
Rankin 87' (pen)		 Brown, A 38' Attendance: 1,493
Referee: A McGunnigle
6 December 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-0 Airdrie Boghead Park
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A McKenzie
13 December 1975 Scottish Division 1 Morton 1-1 Dumbarton Cappielow Park
Reid 86' Cook 76' Attendance: 2,500
20 December 1975 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-0 St Mirren Boghead Park
Wallace 44'
Bourke 89'		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: A Paterson
27 December 1975 Scottish Division 1 Queen of the South 4-2 Dumbarton Palmerston 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 1 Falkirk 3-2 Dumbarton Brockville Park
Mitchell
Lawson
Whiteford (pen)		 Cook
Bourke 		Attendance: 3,000
3 January 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-6 Montrose Boghead Park
Miller 13', 32'
Barr 35'
Markland 53'
Stewart 67'
Livingstone 78'		 Attendance: 2,000
17 January 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 3-0 Kilmarnock Boghead Park
Bourke 19', 63'
Muir 75'		 Attendance: 3,500
Referee: D Ramsay
31 January 1976 Scottish Division 1 Partick Thistle 0-0 Dumbarton Firhill Park
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: R Keggie
7 February 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-0 Clyde Boghead Park
Bourke 36' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: T Kellock
21 February 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 3-2 Arbroath Boghead Park
McLean 1'
Muir 22'
Wallace 52'		 Yule 77'
Fettes 79'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: T Kyle
28 February 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dunfermline Athletic 0-3 Dumbarton East End Park
Bourke 3', 54'
Wallace 13'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: K Hope
15 March 1976 Scottish Division 1 Hamilton 2-3 Dumbarton Douglas Park
Thomas 25', 82' Wallace 35'
Cook 56'
Kane 78'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: W Mullen

Scottish Cup

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Main article: 1975–76 Scottish Cup
24 January 1976 Scottish Cup round 3 Dumbarton 2–0 Keith Boghead Park
Wallace 21'
Muir 72'		 MacKintosh 68' Attendance: 2,500
Referee: D Downie
14 February 1976 Scottish Cup round 4 Partick Thistle 0–0 Dumbarton Firhill Park
Attendance: 8,300
Referee: J Paterson
25 February 1976 Scottish Cup round 4R Dumbarton 1–0 Partick Thistle Boghead Park
Wallace 55' Attendance: 7,539
Referee: J Paterson
6 March 1976 Scottish Cup round 5 Dumbarton 2–1 Kilmarnock Boghead Park
Clarke 53' (OG)
Muir 74'		 Fallis 64' Attendance: 7,796
Referee: I Foote
3 April 1976 Scottish Cup Semi-final Hearts 0–0 Dumbarton Hampden Park
Attendance: 16,087
Referee: I Foote
14 April 1976 Scottish Cup Semi-final Replay Hearts 3–0 Dumbarton Hampden Park
Smith 8' (OG)
Prentice 35'
Busby 47'		 Attendance: 11,273
Referee: I Foote

Scottish League Cup

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

Spring Cup

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10 March 1976 Section 4 Dumbarton 4–1 Albion Rovers Boghead Park
Cook 11'
Bourke 14', 88'
Muir 60' (pen)		 McLean 44' Referee: D Syme
13 March 1976 Section 4 Arbroath 0–1 Dumbarton Gayfield Park
Wallace 64' Attendance: 1,187
Referee: F Pringle
20 March 1976 Section 4 Stenhousemuir 2–1 Dumbarton Ochilview Park
Sinclair 11'
Wight 65'		 McKinlay 42' Attendance: 489
27 March 1976 Section 4 Dumbarton 1–2 Arbroath Boghead Park
Wallace 68' Bone 61'
Fletcher 80'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: T Muirhead
7 April 1976 Section 4 Albion Rovers 1–2 Dumbarton Cliftonhill Stadium
Sermanni 41' Wallace 20', 45' Referee: A McGunnigle
10 April 1976 Section 4 Dumbarton 3–1 Stenhousemuir Boghead Park
McLeod 43'
Bourke 79', 84'		 Simpson 57' Attendance: 1,500
17 April 1976 Round 2(1) Raith Rovers 2–2 Dumbarton Starks Park
Graham 14'
Wallace 22'		 Brown, A 47'
Cooper 83' (OG)		 Attendance: 3,201
Referee: D Syme
19 April 1976 Round 2(2) Dumbarton 4–0
(6–2 agg.)		 Raith Rovers Boghead Park
Wallace 3', 27'
Graham 20'
Bourke 23'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: D Syme
21 April 1976 Round 3(1) Dumbarton 4–2 Falkirk Boghead 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) Falkirk 1–2
(3–6 agg.)		 Dumbarton Brockville Park
Fowler 67' Bourke 51'
Brown, A 61'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: I Foote
28 April 1976 Semi-final Clydebank 3–1 Dumbarton Kilbowie Park
McCallan 57', 80'
Hall 72'		 Wallace 60' Attendance: 3,000
Referee: E Thomson

Stirlingshire Cup

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3 November 1975 1st round Dumbarton 1–1
(5 – 4 on penalties)		 Clydebank Boghead Park
McAdam Cooper 89'
11 November 1975 Semi-final Stenhousemuir 3–1 Dumbarton Ochilview Park
McPaul 10', 52'
Halliday 79'		 McCormack 74'

Pre-season and other matches

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16 July 1975 Friendly Dumbarton 2–0 Vale of Leven Boghead Park
Mathie
28 July 1975 Friendly Queen's Park 2–0 Dumbarton Hampden Park
Brown 19' (OG)
McGill 71'
30 July 1975 Friendly Dumbarton 2–2 EnglandPreston NE Boghead Park
Wallace 19'
McAdam 30'		 Elwess 78', 87'
2 August 1975 Friendly EnglandChester City 1–1 Dumbarton Sealand Road
Lennard 35' Bourke 89' Attendance: 1,885
4 August 1975 Friendly EnglandTranmere Rovers 2–3 Dumbarton Prenton Park
Moore 26'
Peplow		 Bourke 10'
Wallace
1 October 1975 Friendly Dumbarton 5–3 Morton Boghead Park
Rankin
OG
Mullen
McCormack
Harvey 		Evans
Nelson
Brown
16 March 1976 Friendly Dumbarton 1–3 Rangers Boghead Park
Kane 2' Sinclair 25' (OG)
Fyfe 60'
Scott 85'		 Referee: B McGinlay

League table

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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 the 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

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Squad

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No. Pos Nat Player Total First Division Scottish Cup League Cup Spring Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Scotland SCO Ian McGregor 4 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0
GK Scotland SCO Laurie Williams 46 0 26 0 5 0 4 0 11 0
DF Scotland SCO Jim Brown 7 1 1+1 0 3 0 0+2 1 0 0
DF Scotland SCO Terry Mullen 24 0 9+2 0 4+1 0 1+1 0 5+1 0
DF Scotland SCO Don Watt 48 0 25 0 6 0 6 0 11 0
MF Scotland SCO Alan Bennett 6 0 1+2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Brian Brown 4 0 0+3 0 0 0 0 0 0+1 0
MF Scotland SCO John Cushley 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Johnny Graham 48 3 22+3 1 6 0 6 0 11 2
MF Scotland SCO Columb McKinley 40 1 19+1 0 6 0 3 0 11 1
MF Scotland SCO Hugh McLean 42 11 21+1 10 4+1 0 6 1 6+3 0
MF Scotland SCO Donald McNeil 23 0 11+3 0 0+1 0 0 0 7+1 0
MF Scotland SCO Jim Muir 33 6 18 3 6 2 4 0 5 1
MF Scotland SCO Denis Ruddy 8 0 2+1 0 0 0 4+1 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Graeme Sinclair 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
MF Scotland SCO Walter Smith 36 0 24 0 6 0 0 0 6 0
FW Scotland SCO John Bourke 45 26 25 18 6 0 4 1 10 7
FW Scotland SCO Ally Brown 38 4 19 2 5 0 5 0 8+1 2
FW Scotland SCO Peter Coleman 11 0 5 0 0 0 2+3 0 0+1 0
FW Scotland SCO Jim Cook 48 6 25+1 4 5 0 5+1 1 9+2 1
FW Scotland SCO Drew Harvey 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2+1 2
FW Scotland SCO George Kane 2 1 0+1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
FW Scotland SCO Ross Mathie 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO Tom McAdam 12 5 6 4 0 0 5+1 1 0 0
FW Scotland SCO Murdo MacLeod 13 1 1+6 0 0 0 0 0 5+1 1
FW Scotland SCO Ian Wallace 45 20 25+1 10 6 2 5 0 8 8

[2]

Transfers

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[3]

Reserve team

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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

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  • 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

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References

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  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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