1980–81 Dumbarton F.C. season
Season 1980–81 was the 97th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 75th time, the Scottish Cup for the 86th time and the Scottish League Cup for the 34th time.
| 1980–1981 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Sean Fallon |
| Stadium | Boghead Park, Dumbarton |
| Scottish League Division 1 | 8th |
| Scottish Cup | Fourth Round |
| Scottish League Cup | First Round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Brian Gallacher (13) All: Brian Gallacher (14) |
Overview
For the sixth year running, Dumbarton played league football in Division 1, and with Sean Fallon taking over the manager's post, there was some confidence that this season could see a top two finish. However, despite a promising start, results were mixed, and it was clear by the beginning of the year that any hopes of promotion had gone. Indeed, things may have been worse had there not been an unbeaten run in the final 6 games, and in the end Dumbarton finished in 8th place with 37 points, 20 behind champions Hibernian.
In the Scottish Cup, Dumbarton beat Premier Division opponents St Mirren in the third round before losing a close encounter in the next round to fellow Division 1 team Motherwell.
It was the same old story however in the League Cup, where Dumbarton lost in the first round, this time to Raith Rovers.
Locally, however, in the Stirlingshire Cup, there was something to cheer, with the silverware returning to Boghead after a final win over Stirling Albion.
Results & fixtures
Win Draw Loss
Scottish First Division
| 9 August 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Falkirk | 0-5 | Dumbarton | Brockville Park |
Brown  MacLeod Rankin Blair |
Referee: D Galloway |
| 16 August 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 0-3 | St Johnstone | Boghead Park |
| Morton Brannigan McCoist |
Attendance: 1,000 |
| 23 August 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Clydebank | 1-4 | Dumbarton | Kilbowie Park |
| McGorm |
Blair Gallacher,B Coyle,J |
Attendance: 2,000 |
| 6 September 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Hamilton | 1-1 | Dumbarton | Douglas Park |
| Fairley (pen) |
Rankin |
Attendance: 2,000 Referee: C White |
| 9 September 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dunfermline Athletic | 1-1 | Dumbarton | East End Park |
| O'Brien |
Brown |
Attendance: 2,400 |
| 13 August 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-2 | East Stirling | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B MacLeod |
|
Referee: P McKenzie |
| 17 August 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-0 | Berwick Rangers | Boghead Park |
| Coyle,J MacLeod |
| 20 September 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Raith Rovers | 4-1 | Dumbarton | Starks Park |
| Harrow 8' Urquhart 34'Lawson |
Coyle,J |
Attendance: 1,600 Referee: A McFaull |
| 27 September 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-2 | Motherwell | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B 40' |
Kidd (pen) McKeever |
Attendance: 1,000 Referee: E Pringle |
| 1 October 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-0 | Hibernian | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B 68' Rankin 86' |
Attendance: 2,500 |
| 4 October 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dundee | 3-1 | Dumbarton | Dens Park |
| Fleming 2' Shirra 32'Sinclair |
Schaedler (OG) |
Attendance: 3,553 |
| 11 October 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Stirling Albion | 0-1 | Dumbarton | Annfield Stadium |
| Donnelly 41' |
Attendance: 700 Referee: W Anderson |
| 18 October 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 0-1 | Ayr United | Boghead Park |
| Morris |
Attendance: 1,000 Referee: W Waddell |
| 25 October 1980 Scottish Division 1 | East Stirling | 2-1 | Dumbarton | Firs Park |
| Lamont 22' Rennie |
Gallacher,B |
Attendance: 550 Referee: L Thow |
| 1 November 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-1 | Hamilton | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B |
|
Attendance: 550 |
| 8 November 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Berwick Rangers | 2-2 | Dumbarton | Shielfield Park |
| |
Donnelly Brown |
Attendance: 759 Referee: P McKenzie |
| 15 November 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-2 | Raith Rovers | Boghead Park |
| Donnelly 6' McGowan,P |
Harris 27' |
Attendance: 750 Referee: A Waddell |
| 22 November 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Motherwell | 4-2 | Dumbarton | Fir Park |
| Forbes Clelland 39' |
Jackson 26' Smith (OG) |
Attendance: 2,223 Referee: J Renton |
| 29 November 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-2 | Dundee | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B 19' |
Stephen |
Attendance: 800 |
| 6 December 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-0 | Stirling Albion | Boghead Park |
| Clougherty 25' Gallacher,B |
Attendance: 250 Referee: B Robertson |
| 13 December 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Ayr United | 0-0 | Dumbarton | Somerset Park |
| Attendance: 1,875 Referee: A Ferguson |
| 20 December 1980 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-0 | Dunfermline Athletic | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B 40' |
Attendance: 400 Referee: K Hope |
| 27 December 1980 Scottish Division 1 | St Johnstone | 2-0 | Dumbarton | Muirton Park |
| Docherty 14' |
Referee: W Knowles |
| 1 January 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-1 | Clydebank | Boghead Park |
| Brown |
|
| 3 January 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Hibernian | 1-0 | Dumbarton | Easter Road |
| Murray |
Attendance: 5,546 |
| 10 January 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 0-1 | Falkirk | Boghead Park |
| Brown |
Attendance: 400 |
| 31 January 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-0 | East Stirling | Boghead Park |
| MacLeod |
| 7 February 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Raith Rovers | 1-0 | Dumbarton | Starks Park |
| Jackson (OG) |
| 21 February 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-1 | Berwick Rangers | Boghead Park |
| Donnelly |
Hamilton 36' |
Attendance: 400 Referee: D Galloway |
| 11 March 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dundee | 2-1 | Dumbarton | Dens Park |
| Scrimgeour Carson (OG) |
Gallacher,J |
Attendance: 2,812 |
| 14 March 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Stirling Albion | 0-0 | Dumbarton | Annfield Stadium |
| Attendance: 500 Referee: R Ballantyne |
| 21 March 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-4 | Hibernian | Boghead Park |
| Rankin |
Rae Murray |
Attendance: 913 |
| 28 March 1981 Scottish Division 1 | St Johnstone | 2-1 | Dumbarton | Muirton Park |
| Brogan Kilgour |
Gallacher,B |
Attendance: 2,476 |
| 4 April 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 2-1 | Hamilton | Boghead Park |
| Gallacher,B Brown |
McDowall |
Attendance: 400 |
| 8 April 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 0-0 | Motherwell | Boghead Park |
| Attendance: 1,000 |
| 11 April 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Falkirk | 1-3 | Dumbarton | Brockville Park |
| Smith |
Blair Brown |
| 18 April 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Dumbarton | 1-2 | Dunfermline Athletic | Boghead Park |
| Brown Gallacher,B |
Jenkins |
Attendance: 450 |
| 25 April 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Ayr United | 1-2 | Dumbarton | Somerset Park |
| Morris |
Blair 12', 18' |
Attendance: 998 Referee: M Delaney |
| 2 May 1981 Scottish Division 1 | Clydebank | 0-0 | Dumbarton | Kilbowie Park |
| Attendance: 300 Referee: J Thomson |
Scottish Cup
| 24 January 1981 Scottish Cup Round 3 | St Mirren | 0–2 | Dumbarton | Love Street (stadium) |
| Donnelly 23' Coyle,J 86' |
Attendance: 6,209 Referee: D Syme |
| 14 February 1981 Scottish Cup Round 3 | Motherwell | 2–1 | Dumbarton | Fir Park |
| Gahagan McLaughlin |
Coyle,J |
Scottish League Cup
| 27 August 1980 Scottish League Cup Round 1(1) | Dumbarton | 0–1 | Raith Rovers | Boghead Park |
| Harrow |
Attendance: 600 |
| 30 August 1980 Scottish League Cup Round 1(1) | Raith Rovers | 0–0 (1–0 agg.) | Dumbarton | Starks Park |
| Attendance: 1,750 |
Stirlingshire Cup
| 13 October 1980 First Round | Falkirk | 1–2 | Dumbarton | Brockville Park |
| McRoberts |
Kennedy McGowan,P |
| 14 April 1981 Semi Final | Dumbarton | 3–0 | Stenhousemuir | Boghead Park |
| Brown |
| 29 April 1981 Final | Dumbarton | 3–0 | Stirling Albion | Boghead Park |
|
Pre-season/Other matches
| 5 August 1980 Friendly | Dumbarton | 0–6 |  Coventry City | Boghead Park |
| Gooding 10' Hunt 54' (pen)Thomson Dyson Van Gool English |
Referee: A McFaull |
| 6 March 1981 Friendly | Dumbarton | 0–2 | Celtic XI | Boghead Park |
| |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Ayr United | 39 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 59 | 42 | +17 | 45 |
| 7 | Hamilton Academical | 39 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 61 | 57 | +4 | 37 |
| 8 | Dumbarton | 39 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 49 | 50 | −1 | 37 |
| 9 | Falkirk | 39 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 39 | 52 | −13 | 34 |
| 10 | Clydebank | 39 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 48 | 59 | −11 | 33 |
Source: RSSSF
Player statistics
Squad
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | First Division | Scottish Cup | League Cup | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK |  |
Tom Carson | 37 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| GK | |
Donald Hunter | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | |
Rob Campbell | 16 | 0 | 11+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | |
Martin McGowan | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | |
Joe O'Donnell | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | |
George Brannigan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Mark Clougherty | 34 | 1 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Tommy Coyle | 33 | 0 | 29+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| MF | |
John Gallacher | 27 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Billy Hutchinson | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Dave Jackson | 8 | 1 | 7+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Jim Martin | 15 | 0 | 5+9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Ally MacLeod | 43 | 4 | 39 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Donald McNeil | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | |
Graeme Sinclair | 40 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Steve Armstrong | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Raymond Blair | 34 | 8 | 22+8 | 8 | 0+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Ally Brown | 25 | 7 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Joe Coyle | 29 | 5 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| FW | |
John Donnelly | 18 | 5 | 14+2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Brian Gallacher | 37 | 14 | 33 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| FW | |
Ian Gibson | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Joe Kennedy | 7 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | |
John Mailer | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Gerry Marshall | 3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Pat McGowan | 27 | 1 | 21+4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Tommy McGrain | 28 | 0 | 23+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Mike Rankin | 32 | 4 | 23+5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | |
| FW | |
Sean Sweeney | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Transfers
Amongst those players joining and leaving the club were the following:[2]
Players in
|
Players out
|
Reserve team
Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League First Division (West), winning 6 and drawing 6 of 26 games - finishing 11th of 14.
In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton again lost to Dundee United in the fourth round, and in the Reserve League Cup, Dumbarton lost to Partick Thistle in the first round.
Trivia
- The League match against Dunfermline on 9 September marked Joe Coyle's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 82nd Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
- The League match against Motherwell on 27 September marked Ally MacLeod's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 83rd Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
- The Scottish Cup match against Motherwell on 14 February marked John Gallacher's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 84th Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
- The League match against Hamilton on 4 April marked Graeme Sinclair's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 15th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.
- The signing fee of £13,500 paid to Clyde for Mark Clougherty was a new club record.
- During the season there was an amazing attempt to sign Johan Cruyff on a match-to-match basis. The £1,500 per match offer was eventually declined in favour of a £1.5 million contract from the USA.
- The disappointing season was in the end to result in Sean Fallon's resignation as manager.
See also
References
- 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
- George Brannigan (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Billy Hutchinson (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Dave Jackson (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Jim Martin (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Steve Armstrong (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Ian Gibson (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Joe Kennedy (Dumbarton Football Club Historical Archive)
- Scottish Football Historical Archive
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