1995–96 Dumbarton F.C. season

Dumbarton
1995–1996 season
Manager	Murdo MacLeod/Jim Fallon
Stadium	Boghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 1	10th
Scottish Cup	Second Round
Scottish League Cup	Second Round
Scottish Challenge Cup	First Round
Top goalscorer	League: Martin Mooney (5); All: Martin Mooney (6)
Highest home attendance	2,733
Lowest home attendance	654
Average home league attendance	1,352
	← 1994–95 1996–97 →

Season 1995–96 was the 112th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 90th time, the Scottish Cup for the 101st time, the Scottish League Cup for the 49th time and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the sixth time.

Overview

After the success of the previous season, no one could foresee the disaster that was to befall Dumbarton. The league season had begun brightly, with the club sitting atop Division 1 with 2 wins from 2. However manager Murdo MacLeod then departed for Premier Division Partick Thistle, and it all began to fall apart. A reluctant Jim Fallon stepped up from his assistant managerial post to take on the reins but it was clear from the start that he was ill-prepared for what was to be faced. Indeed, the only other win to be registered throughout the remainder of the league campaign was an impressive victory over champions elect Dundee United. From December, a string of 19 consecutive defeats in the league were suffered, Dumbarton's worst losing streak in their long history. Relegation back to Division 2 was a certainty long before the season had ended.

In the national cup competitions, it was now four seasons without a single win. In the Scottish Cup Airdrie defeated Dumbarton in the second round.

In the League Cup, Premier Division Kilmarnock were victors over Dumbarton, but only after extra time.

Finally, the long wait for a win in the Challenge Cup continued - a first round defeat to Brechin City was the sixth in a row.

Locally, there was something to cheer as the Stirlingshire Cup returned to Boghead, with a final win over East Stirlingshire.

Results & fixtures

^[1] Win Draw Loss

Scottish First Division

12 August 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	1–0	Hamilton	Boghead Park
	Burns 65'			Attendance: 1,191 Referee: J Smith

26 August 1995 First Division	Morton	1–2	Dumbarton	Cappielow Park
	Lilley 56'		Mooney 7' (pen) Charnley 34'	Attendance: 2,612 Referee: G Allison

2 September 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	0–4	Dunfermline Athletic	Boghead Park
			McNamara 29' Shaw Gow 77' (OG) Petrie	Attendance: 1,952 Referee: A Waddell

9 September 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	1–2	Airdrie	Boghead Park
	Martin 70'		Boyle McIntyre,T	Attendance: 1,320 Referee: J McGillvray

16 September 1995 First Division	St Johnstone	4–1	Dumbarton	McDiarmid Park
	O'Boyle 7' Twaddle 20' Farquhar Martin 73' (OG)		McKinnon 89'	Attendance: 2,273 Referee: J Herald

23 September 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	1–5	Dundee	Boghead Park
	McGarvey		Shaw 1', 54' Martin (OG) Bain 51' Hamilton 86'	Attendance: 1,207 Referee: R Tait

30 September 1995 First Division	Clydebank	2–1	Dumbarton	Kilbowie Park
	Grady 22' Sutherland 83'		Gibson 56'	Attendance: 913

7 October 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	1–0	Dundee United	Boghead Park
	Mooney 81'			Attendance: 2,013 Referee: W Young

14 October 1995 First Division	St Mirren	3–2	Dumbarton	Love Street (stadium)
	Dick 14' Archdeacon 23' Yardley		Mooney 12' (pen) McGarvey	Attendance: 2,377 Referee: T Brown

21 October 1995 First Division	Dunfermline Athletic	3–1	Dumbarton	East End Park
	Petrie 12' Shaw		Gibson 13'	Attendance: 3,842 Referee: S Dougal

28 October 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	0–2	Morton	Boghead Park
			Hawke 6', 36'	Attendance: 2,378 Referee: J Fleming

4 November 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	1–3	St Johnstone	Boghead Park
	Mooney 26'		Twaddle 47', 58' O'Boyle	Attendance: 1,050

11 November 1995 First Division	Airdrie	2–1	Dumbarton	Broadwood Stadium
	Davies 14' Black 81'		Boyle 85' (OG)	Attendance: 1,205 Referee: G Clyde

18 November 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	1–2	Clydebank	Boghead Park
	Mooney 61' (pen)		Grady 7' Eadie 52'	Attendance: 1,043

2 December 1995 First Division	Dundee United	8–0	Dumbarton	Tannadice Park
	Brewster Johnston McSwegan Coyle (OG)			Attendance: 5,285

5 December 1995 First Division	Dundee	1–1	Dumbarton	Dens Park
	Tosh 65'		Dallas	Attendance: 2,804

9 December 1995 First Division	Dumbarton	0–0	St Mirren	Boghead Park
				Attendance: 1,461

16 December 1995 First Division	Hamilton	3–0	Dumbarton	Douglas Park
	Hartley Clark McStay			Attendance: 762 Referee: M Pocock

6 January 1996 First Division	St Johnstone	3–0	Dumbarton	McDiarmid Park
	O'Boyle 64', 77' Burns 81' (OG)			Attendance: 2,448 Referee: I Taylor

13 January 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	1–2	Airdrie	Boghead Park
	Granger 89'		Duffield 40' McIntyre,J 43'	Attendance: 1,045 Referee: J McGillvray

20 January 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	1–3	Dundee United	Boghead Park
	Ward 33'		Brewster 12' Shannon 30' McSwegan 74'	Attendance: 1,354 Referee: J Underhill

23 January 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	1–2	Dundee	Boghead Park
	Ward 25'		Hamilton 56', 73'	Attendance: 761 Referee: L Thow

5 February 1996 First Division	St Mirren	5–0	Dumbarton	Love Street (stadium)
	Lavety 21', 57' Fenwick 60' Watson 69' Iwelumo 88'			Attendance: 1,838 Referee: L Mottram

13 February 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	1–2	Hamilton	Boghead Park
	Granger		Hartley	Attendance: 654

17 February 1996 First Division	Clydebank	1–0	Dumbarton	Kilbowie Park
	Eadie 71'			Attendance: 612 Referee: G Clyde

24 February 1965 First Division	Morton	2–0	Dumbarton	Cappielow Park
	Lilley Mahood			Attendance: 2,833 Referee: R Tait

6 March 1996 First Division	Dundee	3–0	Dumbarton	Dens Park
	Hamilton 13', 51' Tosh 82'			Attendance: 1,712

9 March 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	0–3	Dunfermline Athletic	Boghead Park
			Shaw Smith	Attendance: 1,477 Referee: J Herald

16 March 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	0–1	Clydebank	Boghead Park
			Flannigan 84'	Attendance: 654 Referee: S Dougal

23 March 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	0–3	St Johnstone	Boghead Park
			Jenkinson 8' O'Boyle 20' Grant 70'	Attendance: 903

30 March 1996 First Division	Airdrie	5–1	Dumbarton	Broadwood Stadium
	Smith McIntyre,T 49' Connolly 56', 66' Hetherston		Foster 33'	Attendance: 1,062

6 April 1996 First Division	Dundee United	6–1	Dumbarton	Tannadice Park
	McSwegan 4', 8' (41), 42' Perry 59' Brewster 84'		Sharp 2'	Attendance: 7,142 Referee: W Crombie

13 April 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	0–1	St Mirren	Boghead Park
			Archdeacon 43' (pen)	Attendance: 1,139 Referee: A Roy

20 April 1996 First Division	Dunfermline Athletic	4–1	Dumbarton	East End Park
	French 46' Moore Smith Shaw		Dallas 21'	Attendance: 5,971

27 April 1996 First Division	Dumbarton	0–1	Morton	Boghead Park
			Anderson 41'	Attendance: 2,733 Referee: L Thow

4 May 1996 First Division	Hamilton	2–1	Dumbarton	Douglas Park
	Hartley Geraghty		Granger (pen)	Attendance: 657

Coca-Cola League Cup

19 August 1995 League Cup Round 2	Kilmarnock	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Dumbarton	Rugby Park
	Roberts 118'			Attendance: 5,011 Referee: W Crombie

Scottish League Challenge Cup

22 August 1995 Challenge Cup Round 1	Dumbarton	0–1	Brechin City	Boghead Park
			Mearns 17'	Attendance: 524

Tennant's Scottish Cup

30 January 1996 Cup Round 3	Dumbarton	1–3	Airdrie	Boghead Park
	Mooney		Duffield Smith	Attendance: 1,076

Stirlingshire Cup

29 July 1995 First Round	Alloa Athletic	0–2	Dumbarton	Recreation Park, Alloa
			Meechan 61' McGarvey 82'

15 April 1996 Semi Final	Dumbarton	3–3 (5-4 p)	Stirling Albion	Boghead Park

6 May 1996 Final	Dumbarton	2–1	East Stirling	Boghead Park
	Ward 21' Meechan 61'		Neill 40'

Pre-season/Other Matches

26 July 1995 Friendly	Rangers XI	3–2	Dumbarton	University Grounds, Anniesland

2 August 1995 Friendly	Dumbarton	1–2	Bradford City	Boghead Park
	Ward 2'		Wright 41' (pen) Tolson 89'

5 August 1995 Friendly	Dumbarton	1–2	Wigan Athletic	Boghead Park
	Gow

6 August 1995 Friendly	Dumbarton	4–2	Vale of Leven	Boghead Park
	Gow 15' Grainger 45', 70' McCuiag 89'		McGinlay 21', 30'

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
6	St Mirren	36	13	8	15	46	51	−5	47
7	Clydebank	36	10	10	16	39	58	−19	40
8	Airdrieonians	36	9	11	16	43	54	−11	38
9	Hamilton Academical (R)	36	10	6	20	40	57	−17	36	Relegation to the Second Division
10	Dumbarton (R)	36	3	2	31	23	94	−71	11	Relegation to the Second Division

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Player statistics

Squad

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		First Division		League Cup		Challenge Cup		Scottish Cup
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	SCO	Peter Dennison	2	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	GK	SCO	Ian MacFarlane	25	0	22+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	GK	SCO	Kenny Meechan	13	0	12+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	SCO	Roland Fabiani	23	0	19+1	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	SCO	Alan Foster	12	1	10+2	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	SCO	Stevie Gow	23	0	20+1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	DF	SCO	Jim Hamilton	3	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	DF	SCO	Martin Melvin	34	0	32+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	SCO	Hugh Burns	14	1	10+1	1	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	SCO	Chic Charnley	20	1	16+2	1	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	SCO	Joe Goldie	2	0	1+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	SCO	Toby King	31	0	27+1	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	MF	SCO	Jim Marsland	20	0	18+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	SCO	Paul Martin	14	1	12+0	1	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
	MF	SCO	Martin McGarvey	27	2	14+10	2	1+0	0	0+1	0	0+1	0
	MF	SCO	Sam McGivern	13	0	9+2	0	1+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
	MF	SCO	Jim Meechan	34	0	31+1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
	FW	SCO	Stephen Dallas	23	2	8+14	2	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
	FW	SCO	Charlie Gibson	32	2	23+6	2	0+1	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
	FW	SCO	Martin Glancy	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	SCO	Alan Granger	34	3	20+11	3	0+1	0	1+0	0	0+1	0
	FW	SCO	Colin McKinnon	35	1	31+2	1	0+0	0	0+1	0	1+0	0
	FW	SCO	Martin Mooney	39	6	31+5	5	1+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	1
	FW	SCO	Lee Sharp	15	1	14+1	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
	FW	SCO	Hugh Ward	15	2	10+4	2	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0

^[2]^[3]

Transfers

^[4]

Players in

Player	From	Date
Chic Charnley	Partick Thistle	28 Jul 1995
Alan Granger	Pollok	9 Aug 1995
Hugh Burns	Ayr United	11 Aug 1995
Sam McGivern	Ayr United	11 Aug 1995
Lee Sharp	Ashfield	11 Dec 1995
Martin Glancy	Petershill	16 Jan 1996
Joe Goldie	Leven Valley Juv	21 May 1996

Players out

Player	To	Date
Murdo MacLeod	Partick Thistle	13 Aug 1995
Jimmy Gilmour	Bo'ness United	8 Sep 1995
Gerry Farrell	Dunfermline Athletic	5 Oct 1995
Steve Mooney	Ayr United	8 Nov 1995
Jim Hamilton	Forfar Athletic	22 Dec 1995
Chic Charnley	Dundee	6 Jan 1996
Robert Docherty	East Stirling	28 Feb 1996
Calum Campbell	Irvine Meadow
Mike Hendry	Arbroath

Reserve Team

Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League (West), and with 4 wins and 3 draws from 22 games, finished 12th and last.

Trivia

The League match against Clydebank on 30 September marked Martin Melvin's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 23rd Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
The League match against Hamilton on 16 December marked Jim Meechan's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 24rd Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
The League match against St Mirren on 9 December marked Martin McGarvey's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 109th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
The season ended with a two unwanted records being broken. In addition to the longest losing streak in the league - which extended to a 20-game drought once the Scottish Cup defeat is taken into account - the number of games without a win was also broken. From 14 October, there were 28 consecutive winless games in the league - and 29 consecutive competitive games during the season.
The two home wins recorded in the league during the season matched the record fewest league home wins last seen during the 1896-97 season. In addition, the 15 home defeats in the league was a new record, easily beating the previous worst of 11 during the 1920-21 season.
The 10 goals scored at Boghead in league matches beat the previous fewest home league goals (16) set in the 1918-19 season.

References

^ Scottish Football League Review 1996-97. The Scottish Football League. 1997.
^ Scottish Football League Review 1996-97. The Scottish Football League. 1997.
^ McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
^ Litster, John. Record of Post-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.

External links

[review-1] Scottish Football League Review 1996-97. The Scottish Football League. 1997.

[2] Scottish Football League Review 1996-97. The Scottish Football League. 1997.

[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.

[1]

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v t e 1995–96 in Scottish football
« 1994–95 1996–97 »
Domestic leagues	Football League Premier Division First Division Second Division Third Division Highland League
Domestic cups	Scottish Cup Final League Cup Final Challenge Cup Final Junior Cup
European competitions	Champions League UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup
Related to national team	Results Euro 1996 qualifying Group 8 Euro 1996
Club seasons
Premier Division	Aberdeen Celtic Falkirk Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Kilmarnock Motherwell Partick Thistle Raith Rovers Rangers
First Division	Airdrieonians Clydebank Dumbarton Dundee Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic Greenock Morton Hamilton Academical St. Johnstone St. Mirren
Second Division	Ayr United Berwick Rangers Clyde East Fife Forfar Athletic Montrose Queen of the South Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion Stranraer
Third Division	Albion Rovers Alloa Athletic Arbroath Brechin City Caledonian Thistle Cowdenbeath East Stirlingshire Livingston Queen's Park Ross County