1976–77 Dumbarton F.C. season

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Dumbarton
1976–1977 season
ManagerAlex Wright
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 17th
Scottish CupThird Round
Scottish League CupPrelims
Top goalscorerLeague: John Bourke (19)
All: John Bourke (22)
Highest home attendance4000
Lowest home attendance500
Average home league attendance1450

Season 1976–77 was the 93rd football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 71st time, the Scottish Cup for the 82nd time and the Scottish League Cup for the 30th time.

Overview[]

Dumbarton played for the second successive season in Division 1, but with the Spring Cup being dispensed with, the league programme was extended by each team playing the other 3 times. Facing the unlucky ballot of two away trips to newly relegated Dundee, as well what proved to be the division's top two teams, St Mirren and Clydebank, provided an immediate disadvantage.

Once again a poor start was to scupper Dumbarton's promotion ambitions. On this occasion the transfer of future £1m player Ian Wallace to Coventry City immediately following a 3–3 home draw with Celtic in the season-opening League Cup sections proved a disruptive loss as only a single win was gained from the first 6 league games. Although this was immediately followed by a seven-game unbeaten run, and there was another unbeaten run of five games from the end of November until the end of January, thereafter results were without any level of consistency - something which almost led to manager Alex Wright resigning in February - although a mid-table 7th place was achieved in the end.

In the Scottish Cup it was once again Hearts who were to end any thoughts of a cup run for Dumbarton, losing in a third round replay by the only goal, after a 1-1 drawn game at Tynecastle Park.

In the League Cup, another tough qualifying group, which included two of the top-four Premier Division clubs, Celtic (again) and Dundee United, was to prove to be too much of a hurdle to progress to the knock-out stages. However, 2 wins and 2 draws from the 6 ties (including the 3–3 home draw with Celtic after leading 3–1 at half-time, and a 1–1 draw away to Dundee United) was a creditable achievement for a second-tier side.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton were defeated by Alloa Athletic in the first round.

Elsewhere during the pre-season a short tour of Spain was undertaken.

Results & fixtures[]

  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division[]

Main article: 1976–77 Scottish Football League
4 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dundee 2-1 Dumbarton Dens Park
Hutchinson 10'
Pirie 53'		 Muir 61' Attendance: 4,619
Referee: M Delaney
8 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 Arbroath 1-0 Dumbarton Gayfield Park
Fletcher 18' Attendance: 753
11 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-1 Montrose Boghead Park
Bourke 72', 76' Lowe 86' Attendance: 1,000
14 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-3 Airdrie Boghead Park
Bourke 5' McCulloch 2'
Clark 59'
Whiteford 80'		 Attendance: 1,200
18 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 St Mirren 2-1 Dumbarton Love Street (stadium)
McDowall 11'
McKinlay 71' (OG)		 Bourke 8' Attendance: 2,500
Referee: J Gordon
25 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-2 Hamilton Boghead Park
Brown, A 68' McGrogan 40'
Lynch 62'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: R Hopkins
29 September 1976 Scottish Division 1 East Fife 2-3 Dumbarton Bayview Park, Methil
O'Connor 27'
Young 67'		 Brown,A 2'
Muir 20'
Steele 62'		 Attendance: 784
2 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 Raith Rovers 1-1 Dumbarton Starks Park
Urquhart 62' (pen) Muir 56' Attendance: 1,553
Referee: K Hope
5 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 5-1 East Fife Boghead Park
Muir 10', 51', 75'
Steele 16'
Bourke 20'		 Law 1' Attendance: 1,000
Referee: H Alexander
9 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Morton Boghead Park
Bourke 50' Brown 44' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: A McFaull
16 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 St Johnstone 1-2 Dumbarton Muirton Park
McKay Bourke 73', 82' Attendance: 2,000
20 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-2 Falkirk Boghead Park
McLean 16'
Bourke 18'		 Ford 30', 70' (pen) Attendance: 2,000
Referee: A McFaull
23 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 3-3 Queen of the South Boghead Park
McLean 11'
Bourke 76'
Brown,A 86'		 Dickson 69', 73'
McKinlay 84' (OG)		 Attendance: 1,505
Referee: K Stewart
30 October 1976 Scottish Division 1 Clydebank 2-0 Dumbarton Kilbowie Park
McCallan 80'
Lumsden 90' (pen)		 Attendance: 7,000
Referee: G Smith
10 November 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Dundee Boghead Park
Harvey 79' Hutchinson 9' Attendance: 500
Referee: D Murdoch
13 November 1976 Scottish Division 1 Montrose 2-1 Dumbarton Links Park
Low 16'
Street 84'		 Harvey 61' Attendance: 1,000
20 November 1976 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-1 St Mirren Boghead Park
Torrance 76' Attendance: 4,000
Referee: E Pringle
27 November 1976 Scottish Division 1 Hamilton 0-1 Dumbarton Douglas Park
Whiteford 84' Attendance: 1,200
Referee: E Thomson
27 December 1976 Scottish Division 1 Queen of the South 1-2 Dumbarton Palmerston Park
Dempster McLean
MacLeod 		Attendance: 2,500
1 January 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Clydebank Boghead Park
Brown,A 74' Larnach 36' Attendance: 4,000
8 January 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-2 Montrose Boghead Park
Whiteford 44' (pen), 88' Brown 61'
Stewart 76'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: M Delaney
22 January 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Hamilton Boghead Park
Whiteford 87' Lawson 44' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: H Alexander
5 February 1977 Scottish Division 1 Raith Rovers 3-1 Dumbarton Starks Park
Harrow 15'
Brown,J 51'
Cooper 55'		 Brown,A 29' Attendance: 1,613
Referee: J Gordon
7 February 1977 Scottish Division 1 St Mirren 3-2 Dumbarton Love Street (stadium)
Reid 19'
Hyslop 24'
Torrance 49' (pen)		 Graham 21'
Bourke 46'		 Attendance: 7,800
Referee: I Foote
12 February 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-4 Morton Boghead Park
Anderson 19'
McGhee 46'
Morrison 47'
Goldthorpe 89'		 Attendance: 1,000
Referee: I Foote
19 February 1977 Scottish Division 1 St Johnstone 0-2 Dumbarton Muirton Park
Bourke 80', 89' Attendance: 1,497
Referee: A Ferguson
23 February 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-0 Raith Rovers Boghead Park
Whiteford 22'
Bourke 58'		 Attendance: 800
26 February 1977 Scottish Division 1 Morton 3-0 Dumbarton Cappielow Park
McGhee 49', 69'
Goldthorp 90'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: W Anderson
5 March 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-0 Queen of the South Boghead Park
Whiteford 41'
Muir 46'		 Attendance: 1,000
Referee: E Pringle
12 March 1977 Scottish Division 1 Clydebank 4-2 Dumbarton Kilbowie Park
McCallan 6'
Houston 27', 65'
Larnach 77'		 Bourke 41'
Whiteford 74'		 Attendance: 4,000
Referee: D Murdoch
19 March 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-1 Airdrie Boghead Park
Bourke 71'
Whiteford 73'		 McVeigh 67' Attendance: 1,000
Referee: R Valentine
23 March 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dundee 4-0 Dumbarton Dens Park
Pirie 19', 33', 35', 62' Attendance: 2,401
Referee: A Ferguson
26 March 1977 Scottish Division 1 Airdrie 1-2 Dumbarton Broomfield Park
McVeigh 30' Whiteford 48'
Bourke 80'		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: J Gordon
2 April 1977 Scottish Division 1 Falkirk 1-3 Dumbarton Brockville Park
Wilson 56' (pen) Whiteford 12' (pen), 41'
MacLeod 69'		 Attendance: 1,000
Referee: T Kellock
6 April 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-4 St Johnstone Boghead Park
Whiteford 24' (pen), 35' O'Connor 2'
Anderson 55'
Brogan 77', 81'		 Attendance: 1,000
Referee: A Downie
9 April 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 4-0 Falkirk Boghead Park
MacLeod 23', 39'
Whiteford
Muir 		Attendance: 1,000
Referee: W Anderson
16 April 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-3 Arbroath Boghead Park
MacLeod 4'
Bourke 66'		 Yule 56'
Rylance 71'
Bone 84'		 Attendance: 1,000
Referee: K Hope
23 April 1977 Scottish Division 1 Arbroath 1-2 Dumbarton Gayfield Park
Yule Wells OG'
MacLeod 		Attendance: 957
Referee: M Delaney
30 April 1977 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 3-3 East Fife Boghead Park
McLean 27'
MacLeod 39'
Bourke 85'		 Clarke 15' (pen)
Gillies 69'
Huskie 80'		 Attendance: 2,000

Scottish Cup[]

Main article: 1976–77 Scottish Cup
29 January 1977 Scottish Cup Round 3 Hearts 1–1 Dumbarton Tynecastle Stadium
Callachen 7' Bourke 87' Attendance: 7,969
Referee: R Valentine
2 February 1977 Scottish Cup Round 3R Dumbarton 0–1 Hearts Boghead Park
Gibson 112' Attendance: 4,000
Referee: R Valentine

Scottish League Cup[]

Main article: 1976–77 Scottish League Cup
14 August 1975 Section 3 Dumbarton 2–0 Arbroath Boghead Park
Wallace 52'
Sinclair 69'		 Attendance: 1,500
Referee: I Foote
18 August 1975 Section 3 Celtic 3–0 Dumbarton Celtic Park
Doyle 25'
Dalglish 80' (pen), 88' (pen)		 Attendance: 15,000
Referee: J Downie
21 August 1975 Section 3 Dumbarton 1–2 Dundee United Boghead Park
Wallace 9' Reid 69'
Hegarty 84'		 Attendance: 2,500
Referee: A McGunnigle
25 August 1975 Section 3 Dumbarton 3–3 Celtic Boghead Park
Bourke 8', 24'
Wallace 34'		 Wilson 14'
McDonald 61'
Doyle 84'		 Attendance: 12,000
Referee: E Thomson
28 August 1975 Section 3 Dundee United 1–1 Dumbarton Tannadice Park
McAdam 42' Muir 56' Attendance: 4,000
Referee: I Foote
1 September 1975 Section 3 Arbroath 0–3 Dumbarton Gayfield Park
Muir 19'
Mullen 52'
MacLeod 58'		 Attendance: 810
Referee: R Cuthill

Stirlingshire Cup[]

15 November 1976 1st Round Dumbarton 2–4 Alloa Athletic Boghead Park
Steele 30'
Brown,A 49'		 Muir 19'
Wilson 33'
Forrest 54'
McCabe 78'		 Attendance: 500
Referee: A McGunnigle

Pre-season Matches[]

27 July 1976 Friendly Vale of Leven 2–5 Dumbarton Millburn Park
Wallace
Mulraine
MacLeod
OG'
3 August 1976 Friendly SpainCF Lloret 1–6 Dumbarton Lloret de Mar
Wallace 3'
Mulr
Sinclair
Harvey
4 August 1976 Friendly SpainMalgrat 2–3 Dumbarton Malgrat de Mar
Wallace
Smith
Harvey
6 August 1976 Friendly SpainGerona v Dumbarton Gerona, Spain
11 August 1976 Friendly Dumbarton 3-2 Rangers Boghead Park
Wallace 13', 69'
Muir 25'		 McDougall 39'
Henderson 58'

League table[]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
5 Montrose 39 16 9 14 61 62 −1 41
6 Airdrieonians 39 13 12 14 63 58 +5 38
7 Dumbarton 39 14 9 16 63 68 −5 37
8 Arbroath 39 17 3 19 46 62 −16 37
9 Queen of the South 39 11 13 15 58 65 −7 35
Source: RSSSF and statto[1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Player statistics[]

Squad[]

[2]

No. Pos Nat Player Total First Division Scottish Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Scotland SCO Ian McGregor 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
GK Scotland SCO Laurie Williams 46 0 38 0 2 0 6 0
DF Scotland SCO Terry Mullen 4 1 0+1 0 0 0 0+3 1
DF Scotland SCO Willie Russell 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
DF Scotland SCO Don Watt 36 0 28 0 2 0 6 0
MF Scotland SCO Brian Brown 4 0 3+1 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Johnny Graham 42 1 33+1 1 1+1 0 6 0
MF Scotland SCO Columb McKinley 33 0 27+1 0 2 0 2+1 0
MF Scotland SCO Hugh McLean 37 4 22+8 4 2 0 3+2 0
MF Scotland SCO Donald McNeil 27 0 14+8 0 0+2 0 3 0
MF Scotland SCO Martin Mowat 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Jim Muir 35 10 26+1 8 2 0 6 2
MF Scotland SCO Graeme Sinclair 46 1 38 0 2 0 6 1
MF Scotland SCO Walter Smith 35 0 26+1 0 2 0 6 0
FW Scotland SCO Raymond Blair 13 0 11+2 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO John Bourke 42 22 36 19 2 1 4 2
FW Scotland SCO Ally Brown 42 5 29+6 5 2 0 5 0
FW Scotland SCO Jim Cook 16 0 12+1 0 0 0 3 0
FW Scotland SCO Jim Donaldson 2 0 0+2 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO Drew Harvey 12 2 4+5 2 1+1 0 1 0
FW Scotland SCO Bobby McCallum 16 0 10+4 0 0 0 1+1 0
FW Scotland SCO Murdo MacLeod 33 8 25+5 7 0 0 3 1
FW Scotland SCO Tommy Mulraine 5 0 2+2 0 0 0 1 0
FW Scotland SCO Billy Steele 20 2 16+4 2 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO Ian Wallace 4 3 0 0 0 0 4 3
FW Scotland SCO Jocky Whiteford 21 15 19 15 2 0 0 0

International Caps[]

Graeme Sinclair was selected to play for Scotland Under23s in a match against England Under23s on April 27, 1977. The tie - which was part of the unofficial under23 British Home International Championship - was won by England 1–0. This was the first Dumbarton internationalist, of any sort, for over 15 years.

Transfers[]

[3]

Reserve team[]

Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League and finished 9th of 18 with 14 wins and 6 draws from 34 matches.

In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton lost to Queen of the South in the second round, on penalties, after a 2–2 draw.

In the Scottish Reserve League Cup, Dumbarton failed to qualifying from their section.

Trivia[]

  • Johnny Graham set two records during the season. His appearance in the League match against Montrose on 13 November was his 365th competitive match for the club - overtaking Andy Jardine's record set a decade earlier - and in what was to be his final match for Dumbarton, his appearance in the League match against East Fife on 30 April was his 385th competitive match for the club - setting a new club record - which still stands.
  • The fee of £80,000 for Ian Wallace's transfer to Coventry City at the end of August set a new record.
  • Despite only a 7th place in the league, John Bourke finished as the First Division's top scorer.
  • At the end of the season Alex Wright gave up his managerial duties to accept a directorship and was replaced by his assistant manager Davie Wilson.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Scottish Division One 1976-1977 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. 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.

External links[]

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