Wikipedia

1996–97 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1996–97 was the 113th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 91st time, the Scottish Cup for the 102nd time, the Scottish League Cup for the 50th time and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the seventh time.

Dumbarton
1996–1997 season
ManagerJim Fallon/Ian Wallace
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 29th
Scottish CupSecond Round
Scottish League CupSecond Round
Scottish Challenge CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Hugh Ward (7)
All: Hugh Ward (7)
Highest home attendance762
Lowest home attendance411
Average home league attendance627

Overview

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Despite the failures of the previous season, manager Jim Fallon retained his position and unfortunately that decision was to prove disastrous as the league campaign started off in the same poor manner as the previous one. By the end of October, Dumbarton had one win to show for 13 league matches, and had sunk to second bottom place, resulting in Fallon's resignation. Within a week Ian Wallace, one of the club's brightest stars of the 1970s, had been installed and things began to take a turn for the better. Three wins on the trot in November saw Wallace named as Second Division manager of the month, but it wasn't to last. Results began again to go downhill, but even with three games left it was within Dumbarton's own hands whether a second successive relegation would occur. A last minute defeat to Stranraer and an uninspiring loss to Queen of the South meant that they had to better any result that Stranraer could achieve on the last day. As it was, a win over Brechin City was not enough, and it would be Third Division football next season and the fourth tier of Scottish football for the first time in the club's history.

In the national cup competitions, the drought on wins extended for a fifth season. In the Scottish Cup Cowdenbeath defeated Dumbarton in the second round.

In the League Cup, Premier Division Dundee beat Dumbarton, also in the second round.

Finally, in the Challenge Cup, it was a seventh first round defeat in seven attempts – this time to Montrose.

Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup the misery was compounded with a defeat to Falkirk.

Results & fixtures

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[1]  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish Second Division

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Main article: 1996–97 Scottish Second Division
17 August 1996 Scottish Second Division Dumbarton 1–1 Stranraer Boghead Park
Dallas   43' McIntyre   50' Attendance: 560
24 August 1996 Second Division Queen of the South 2–1 Dumbarton Palmerston Park
Mallan   60'
Flannigan   83'		 Meechan   66' Attendance: 1,127
31 August 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 1–1 Brechin City Boghead Park
McGivern   57' Kerrigan   13' Attendance: 560
7 September 1996 Second Division Clyde 0–1 Dumbarton Broadwood Stadium
Ward   87' Attendance: 721
14 September 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 2–4 Livingston Boghead Park
McKinnon   41'
Ward   65'		 Harvie   9' (pen), 44'
Young   30'
McLeod   70'		 Attendance: 762
21 September 1996 Second Division Berwick Rangers 3–1 Dumbarton Shielfield Park
Grant   33'
Craig   56'
Robinson   81'		 Ward   76' Attendance: 326
28 September 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 1–1 Stenhousemuir Boghead Park
Meechan   67' Henderson   85' Attendance: 524
5 October 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 1–3 Ayr United Boghead Park
Dallas   13' Kinnaird   28'
Henderson   37'
English   55'		 Attendance: 939
12 October 1996 Second Division Hamilton 2–0 Dumbarton Cliftonhill Stadium
Thomson   65'
Ritchie   75'		 Attendance: 533
19 October 1996 Second Division Stranraer 2–0 Dumbarton Stair Park
Docherty   5'
Young   76'		 Attendance: 460
26 October 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 1–2 Queen of the South Boghead Park
Rowe   31' (OG) McFarlane   68'
Mallan   77'		 Attendance: 562
2 November 1996 Second Division Livingston 5–0 Dumbarton Almondvale Stadium
Young   16'
Harvey   20', 34'
Duthie   53'
Alleyne   80'		 Attendance: 1,941
9 November 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 2–2 Clyde Boghead Park
Wilson   5'
McKinnon   90'		 Mathieson   24'
Brownlie   68'		 Attendance: 724
16 November 1996 Second Division Stenhousemuir 0–1 Dumbarton Ochilview
Meechan   23' Attendance: 564
23 November 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 1–0 Berwick Rangers Boghead Park
Ward   51' Attendance: 601
30 November 1996 Second Division Ayr United 1–4 Dumbarton Somerset Park
English   24' McKinnon   49'
Glancy   56', 65'
Ward   63'		 Attendance: 1,773
14 December 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 1–3 Hamilton Boghead Park
Wilson   55' Fotheringham   40'
Ritchie   55', 65'		 Attendance: 733
26 December 1996 Second Division Dumbarton 2–2 Stranraer Boghead Park
Sharp   63'
Meechan   90'		 Young   15'
McIntyre   86'		 Attendance: 686
28 December 1996 Second Division Brechin City 2–1 Dumbarton Glebe Park, Brechin
Conway   50'
Brand   54'		 Granger   89' (pen) Attendance: 356
11 January 1997 Second Division Berwick Rangers 0–3 Dumbarton Shielfield Park
Glancy   33'
King   54'
Ward   82'		 Attendance: 346
18 January 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 1–1 Ayr United Boghead Park
Sharp   80' Sharp   39' (OG) Attendance: 801
21 January 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 0–2 Stenhousemuir Boghead Park
Little   20'
Fisher   70'		 Attendance: 470
1 February 1997 Second Division Hamilton 4–0 Dumbarton Cliftonhill Stadium
Ritchie   4', 33', 43', 53' Attendance: 505
8 February 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 2–3 Livingston Boghead Park
Mooney   35'
McKinnon   62'		 Duthie   15'
Harvey   74'
McLeod   77'		 Attendance: 503
22 February 1997 Second Division Queen of the South 4–0 Dumbarton Palmerston Park
Bryce   54', 74', 76', 77' Attendance: 908
1 March 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 1–2 Brechin City Boghead Park
Hringsson   16' McKellar   11'
Sorbie   65'		 Attendance: 411
4 March 1997 Second Division Clyde 2–1 Dumbarton Broadwood Stadium
Mathieson   33'
Annand   68'		 Hringsson   51' Attendance: 480
8 March 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 2–2 Berwick Rangers Boghead Park
Hringsson   18'
Sharp   21'		 Manson   24'
Reid   81'		 Attendance: 446
15 March 1997 Second Division Stenhousemuir 1–4 Dumbarton Ochilview
Harrow   70' Wilson   21'
King   48'
Glancy   60'
Sharp   80'		 Attendance: 376
22 March 1997 Second Division Ayr United 1–1 Dumbarton Somerset Park
Horace   44' Meechan   27' Attendance: 1,575
5 April 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 0–3 Hamilton Boghead Park
McCormick   30', 51'
Ritchie   90'		 Attendance: 718
12 April 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 2–0 Clyde Boghead Park
Wilson   54'
Ward   61'		 Attendance: 554
19 April 1997 Second Division Livingston 1–2 Dumbarton Almondvale Stadium
McLeod   18' Meechan   81'
Sharp   83'		 Attendance: 1,579
26 April 1997 Second Division Stranraer 1–0 Dumbarton Stair Park
Higgins   86' Attendance: 739
3 May 1997 Second Division Dumbarton 0–3 Queen of the South Boghead Park
Mallan   23', 73', 90' Attendance: 643
10 May 1997 Second Division Brechin City 0–3 Dumbarton Glebe Park, Brechin
Glancy   11', 73'
Reilly   39'		 Attendance: 620

Scottish League Challenge Cup

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Main article: 1996–97 Scottish Challenge Cup
10 August 1996 Challenge Cup R1 Montrose 2–0 Dumbarton Links Park
Smith   17'
Glass   48'		 Attendance: 309

Coca-Cola League Cup

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Main article: 1996–97 Scottish League Cup
13 August 1996 League Cup R2 Dundee 2–1 Dumbarton Dens Park
Reaeside   75'
Hamilton   85'		 Dallas   28' Attendance: 1,872

Tennant's Scottish Cup

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Main article: 1996–97 Scottish Cup
13 January 1997 Cup R2 Cowdenbeath 1–0 Dumbarton Central Park, Cowdenbeath
Scott   49' Attendance: 294

Stirlingshire Cup

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28 July 1996 First Round Falkirk 2–1 Dumbarton Brockville Park
    

Pre-season/Other Matches

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29 July 1996 Friendly Vale of Leven 4-1 Dumbarton Millburn Park
Mellis   
Grace   		 Grainger  

League table

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Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
6 Stenhousemuir 36 11 11 14 49 43 +6 44
7 Brechin City 36 10 11 15 36 49 −13 41
8 Stranraer 36 9 9 18 29 51 −22 36
9 Dumbarton (R) 36 9 8 19 44 66 −22 35 Relegation to the Third Division
10 Berwick Rangers (R) 36 4 11 21 32 75 −43 23
Source: "1996-1997 Second Division - SPFL Archive". SPFL. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Player statistics

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Squad

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Second Division League Cup Challenge Cup Scottish Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   SCO Derek Barnes 12 0 11+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
GK   SCO Peter Dennison 2 0 2+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
GK   SCO Ian MacFarlane 11 0 9+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
GK   SCO Kenny Meechan 14 0 14+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF   SCO Jamie Bruce 9 0 9+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF   SCO Billy Davidson 17 0 12+4 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
DF   SCO Stevie Gow 26 0 21+3 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
DF   SCO Graeme McKenzie 5 0 4+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF   SCO Martin Melvin 25 0 23+0 0 1+0 0 0+1 0 0+0 0
DF   SCO David Reid 1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Joe Goldie 4 0 1+3 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Toby King 30 2 27+0 2 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
MF   SCO Jim Marsland 34 0 30+1 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
MF   SCO Gerry McCabe 4 0 4+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Martin McGarvey 15 0 7+5 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
MF   SCO Sam McGivern 2 1 1+1 1 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Jim Meechan 39 6 36+0 6 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
MF   SCO Adrian Mellis 1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO John Scott 2 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+1 0
MF   SCO Willie Wilson 21 4 21+0 4 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Stephen Dallas 17 3 15+1 2 1+0 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Martin Glancy 34 6 24+8 6 0+0 0 0+1 0 1+0 0
FW   SCO Alan Granger 8 1 2+4 1 0+0 0 1+0 0 0+1 0
FW   ISL Hrienn Hringsson 3 3 3+0 3 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Ross McCuaig 1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Jim McGall 6 0 0+6 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Colin McKinnon 37 4 34+0 4 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
FW   SCO Martin Mooney 25 1 18+4 1 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
FW   SCO Gordon Parks 4 0 4+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Robert Reilly 8 1 2+6 1 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Lee Sharp 38 5 35+0 5 1+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0
FW   SCO Hugh Ward 37 7 26+9 7 0+0 0 1+0 0 1+0 0

[2][3]

Transfers

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[4]

Trivia

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  • The League match against Brechin City on 31 August marked Jim Marsland's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 25th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The League match against Ayr United on 5 October marked Ian MacFarlane's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 26th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
  • The League match against Livingston on 19 April marked Colin McKinnon's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 110th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • Dumbarton became only the second team in Scottish League history to be relegated in successive seasons.
  • For the second successive season Dumbarton matched the record fewest league home wins during a season - just two!

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997/98. London: Headline Book Publishing. 1998. ISBN 0-7472-7738-9.
  2. ^ Scottish Football League Review 1997-98. The Scottish Football League. 1998.
  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.
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