Dumbarton
1979–1980 season
ManagerDavie Wilson
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 14th
Scottish CupThird Round
Scottish League CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Graeme Sharp (15)
All: Graeme Sharp (15)
Highest home attendance4,500
Lowest home attendance500
Average home league attendance1,560

Season 1979–80 was the 96th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 74th time, the Scottish Cup for the 85th time and the Scottish League Cup for the 33rd time.

Overview

For the fifth year running, Dumbarton played league football in Division 1, and after a promising start to the campaign, there was a real feeling that promotion could be achieved, particularly with the club topping the division at Christmas. However, a run of 7 games where only one win was registered, damped spirits, and following a 1-4 defeat to Arbroath, manager Davie Wilson was sacked. Nevertheless, with John Cushley as caretaker manager, 3 wins in the last 3 matches were sufficient to secure 4th place.

In the Scottish Cup, Dumbarton lost out to fellow Division 1 opponents Ayr United.

Similarly in the League Cup, Dumbarton were to fall at the first hurdle to St Johnstone.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton had to give second-best to local rivals Clydebank in the semi-final in a penalty shoot out after a drawn match.

Note that at the start of the season, Dumbarton embarked on a tour of Ireland which took in 3 matches, all of which were won.

Results & fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division

11 August 1979 Scottish Division 1 Ayr United 1-2 Dumbarton Somerset Park
McLaughlin Sharp 7', 23' Attendance: 2,647
Referee: K Stewart
18 August 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 3-2 Hamilton Boghead Park
Gallacher,B 21'
Sharp 33'
Blair 		Deeney
Graham 		Attendance: 1,000
Referee: D Murdoch
25 August 1979 Scottish Division 1 Clydebank 2-1 Dumbarton Kilbowie Park
Sweeney 36'
Miller 		Whiteford,D Attendance: 2,000
Referee: A McFaul
1 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 4-1 Berwick Rangers Boghead Park
Gallacher,B 5'
Blair 14'
Sharp 39'		 Tait Attendance: 1,000
Referee: L Thow
5 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Clyde 0-2 Dumbarton Shawfield Stadium
Brogan 15' (OG)
Gallacher,B 77'		 Attendance: 1,000
8 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-2 Stirling Albion Boghead Park
Gallacher,B Armstrong (pen)
Kennedy,A 		Attendance: 1,200
Referee: F McKenzie
15 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Airdrie 1-0 Dumbarton Broomfield Park
McClymont 18' Attendance: 2,000
Referee: E Pringle
19 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dunfermline Athletic 1-3 Dumbarton East End Park
Leonard 23' Sharp 23', 85'
Whiteford,D 68'		 Attendance: 2,456
22 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-0 Arbroath Boghead Park
Coyle,J 12' Attendance: 900
Referee: B McGinlay
29 September 1979 Scottish Division 1 Motherwell 3-0 Dumbarton Fir Park
irvine 28'
Clinging 33'
McLaughlin 67'		 Attendance: 3,501
Referee: E Pringle
6 October 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Hearts Boghead Park
Sinclair 35' (OG) McCluskey Attendance: 3,500
Referee: F McKenzie
13 October 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 4-2 Raith Rovers Boghead Park
McCluskey 6'
Blair 		Wallace 52'
Ford		 Attendance: 2,000
Referee: T Muirhead
20 October 1979 Scottish Division 1 St Johnstone 2-4 Dumbarton Muirton Park
Brannigan 39'
Lawson 		Gallacher,B 8'
Sharp 15'
Blair 35'
Coyle,J 		Attendance: 2,056
Referee: L Thow
27 October 1979 Scottish Division 1 Hamilton 1-0 Dumbarton Douglas Park
McCulloch Attendance: 3,000
Referee: R Cuthill
3 November 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-0 Clydebank Boghead Park
Sharp Attendance: 1,200
Referee: J Timmons
10 November 1979 Scottish Division 1 Stirling Albion 2-3 Dumbarton Annfield Stadium
Irvine 3'
Kennedy 34'		 McCluskey 36' (pen)
Sharp 		Attendance: 1,000
Referee: I Foote
17 November 1979 Scottish Division 1 Airdrie 0-0 Dumbarton Broomfield Park
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: A Harris
24 November 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-1 Dunfermline Athletic Boghead Park
Gallacher,B 45'
Sharp 57'		 O'Brien 50' Attendance: 1,200
1 December 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Motherwell Boghead Park
Gallacher,B 43' (pen) McLaughlin 52' (pen) Attendance: 2,000
Referee: H Alexander
8 December 1979 Scottish Division 1 Hearts 1-0 Dumbarton Tynecastle Stadium
O'Sullivan Attendance: 5,600
Referee: A Ferguson
15 December 1979 Scottish Division 1 Raith Rovers 0-1 Dumbarton Starks Park
Sharp 45' Attendance: 1,100
Referee: G Smith
29 December 1979 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 4-0 Hamilton Boghead Park
McNeil 7'
Blair 57'
Sharp
Coyle,J 		Attendance: 2,500
Referee: T Muirhead
5 January 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-1 Stirling Albion Boghead Park
Beaton Attendance: 2,500
Referee: A Ferguson
12 January 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-0 Stirling Albion Boghead Park
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: K Stewart
2 February 1980 Scottish Division 1 Berwick Rangers 0-2 Dumbarton Shielfield Park
Sharp 15' Attendance: 962
Referee: W McLeish
9 February 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-1 Hearts Boghead Park
McGrain Robinson 48' Attendance: 4,500
Referee: J Renton
16 February 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-1 St Johnstone Boghead Park
Brogan Attendance: 1,500
Referee: A Waddell
23 February 1980 Scottish Division 1 Raith Rovers 4-0 Dumbarton Starks Park
Ballantyne 10' (pen)
Harrow 33'
Carroll 41'		 Attendance: 1,899
Referee: A Waddell
1 March 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 0-3 Ayr United Boghead Park
Morris
McSherry 		Attendance: 2,000
Referee: R Cuthill
8 March 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 3-1 Clyde Boghead Park
McNeil 3'
Coyle,J 		McCabe pen' Attendance: 1,000
Referee: D Syme
12 March 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dunfermline Athletic 0-2 Dumbarton East End Park
Gallacher,B 52', 57' Attendance: 2,319
15 March 1980 Scottish Division 1 Berwick Rangers 3-0 Dumbarton Shielfield Park
Smith 18' (pen)
McDowell 29'
Cross 		Attendance: 922
Referee: M Delaney
25 March 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 2-3 Arbroath Boghead Park
McCluskey (pen)
Sharp 		Wells
Harley
Yule 		Attendance: 500
29 March 1980 Scottish Division 1 Ayr United 1-0 Dumbarton Somerset Park
Connor (pen) Attendance: 1,912
Referee: T Kellock
2 April 1980 Scottish Division 1 Clydebank 2-2 Dumbarton Kilbowie Park
Fallon
Sweening 		McNeil
Blair 		Attendance: 1,170
5 April 1980 Scottish Division 1 Arnroath 4-1 Dumbarton Gayfield Park
Harley 2'
Wilson 41'
Durno 		Gallacher,B Attendance: 750
Referee: A McGunnigle
12 April 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 1-0 Motherwell Boghead Park
Rankin 20' Attendance: 800
Referee: T Muirhead
19 April 1980 Scottish Division 1 Dumbarton 5-2 St Johnstone Boghead Park
McCluskey (pen)
McGrain
Martin
Brown
Gallacher,B 		Brannigan
Muir 		Attendance: 500
Referee: P Robertson
26 April 1980 Scottish Division 1 Clyde 1-2 Dumbarton Shawfield Stadium
Kean 23' Blair Attendance: 1,500
Referee: C White

Scottish Cup

26 January 1980 Scottish Cup round 3 Dumbarton 1–2 Ayr United Boghead Park
Gallacher,B Connor (pen)
Armour 		Attendance: 2,480

Scottish League Cup

15 August 1979 Scottish League Cup round 1(1) Dumbarton 1–1 Johnstone Boghead Park
Goldthorp Brown 67' Attendance: 1,200
22 August 1979 Scottish League Cup round 1(2) St Johnstone 3–2
(4–3 agg.)		 Dumbarton Muirton Park
Brogan
Lawson
Goldthorp 		Whitreford,D
Blair 		Attendance: 2,634

Stirlingshire Cup

30 October 1979 First Round Dumbarton 2–0 Alloa Athletic Boghead Park
Gallacher,J
(OG)
26 November 1979 Semi Final Dumbarton 0–0
(Clydebank on penalties)		 Clydebank Boghead Park
Attendance: 400

Pre-season and other matches

31 July 1979 Friendly Northern IrelandColeraine 2-3 Dumbarton The Showgrounds (Coleraine)
Gallacher,B
Blair
Sinclair

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
2 Airdrieonians (P) 39 21 9 9 78 47 +31 51 Promotion to Premier Division
3 Ayr United 39 16 12 11 64 51 +13 44
4 Dumbarton 39 19 6 14 59 51 +8 44
5 Raith Rovers 39 14 15 10 54 46 +8 43
6 Motherwell 39 16 11 12 59 48 +11 43
Source: RSSSF and statto[1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(P) Promoted

Player statistics

Squad

No. Pos Nat Player TotalFirst DivisionScottish CupLeague Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Scotland SCO Tom Carson 30300000
GK Scotland SCO Donald Hunter 60600000
GK Scotland SCO Laurie Williams 3303001020
DF Scotland SCO Rob Campbell 908+100000
DF Scotland SCO Joe O'Donnell 200+200000
MF Scotland SCO Tommy Coyle 2207+1301+1000
MF Scotland SCO John Gallacher 4103801020
MF Scotland SCO Jim Martin 511+410000
MF Scotland SCO Pat McCluskey 3883680020
MF Scotland SCO Ally MacLeod 36032+101020
MF Scotland SCO Donald McNeil 25424+140000
MF Scotland SCO Joe Rowan 100+100000
MF Scotland SCO Graeme Sinclair 4203901020
MF Scotland SCO Derek Whiteford 1331120021
FW Scotland SCO Raymond Blair 36930+381021
FW Scotland SCO Ally Brown 38232+311021
FW Scotland SCO Joe Coyle 41437+141020
FW Scotland SCO Gerry Findlay 1101+1000000
FW Scotland SCO Brian Gallacher 421339121120
FW Scotland SCO Joe Kennedy 100+100000
FW Scotland SCO Tommy McGrain 24220+420000
FW Scotland SCO Mike Rankin 21210000
FW Scotland SCO Graeme Sharp 361533151020

[2]

International Cap

Graeme Sinclair was selected to play for the Scottish League team in a friendly match against the League of Ireland on 17 March 1980 played in Dublin (won by the Irish 2-1).

Transfers

[3]

Reserve team

Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League First Division (West).

In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton lost to Dundee United in the third round, and in the Reserve League Cup, Dumbarton lost to Ayr United, on aggregate, in the first round.

Trivia

  • The League match against Motherwell on 29 September marked Ally Brown's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 14th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The League match against Hearts on 6 October marked Pat McCluskey's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 79th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Hamilton on 27 October marked Raymond Blair's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 80th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The League match against Motherwell on 1 December marked Brian Gallacher's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 81st Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • The fee received of £125,000 for Graeme Sharp's transfer to Everton at the end of the season broke the record set by Murdo MacLeod's departure the previous season.
  • Manager Davie Wilson resigned on 4 April and Sean Fallon took over as caretaker until the end of the season - at which time he was confirmed as the manager for the next season.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Scottish Division One 1979-1980 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 10 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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