1973–74 Dumbarton F.C. season
1973–1974 season | |||
Manager | Alex Wright | ||
---|---|---|---|
Stadium | Boghead Park, Dumbarton | ||
Scottish League Division 1 | 10th | ||
Scottish Cup | Fourth Round | ||
Scottish League Cup | Second Round | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Brian Heron (8) All: Brian Heron (9) | ||
|
Season 1973–74 was the 97th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 67th time, the Scottish Cup for the 79th time and the Scottish League Cup for the 27th time.
Overview
This was Dumbarton's second successive season competing in Division 1, the objective being to build on the previous season's results, and in particular to avoid any relegation worries. This was certainly achieved, and indeed by mid November there were hopes of European qualification by reaching 6th in the table. However the wins began to dry up which resulted in a slide down the league - but the final position of 10th was the best the club had achieved for over 70 years - and qualification for the Anglo-Scottish sponsored competition, the Texaco Cup the following season - although this was not to be, following a reorganisation of the qualification requirements.
In the Scottish Cup, Dumbarton's interest was short-lived as they lost out to Arbroath in the third round.
In the League Cup, with two wins and a draws from the six sectional games, Dumbarton qualified for the next stage in the competition, where Rangers awaited. A 6-0 thumping in the first leg was made the return fixture a formality, although losing by the odd goal in three was something of an achievement.
Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton tried hard to retain the trophy they had won in the previous season, but were to lose out to Stirling Albion in the final on penalties, after a drawn game.
Interestingly at the beginning of the season, Dumbarton embarked on a mini overseas tour - the first since 1922 - where they beat Spanish regional side CF Lloret.
Results
Win |
Draw |
Loss |
All results are written with Dumbarton's score first.
Scottish League
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 September 1973 | Dundee United | H | 1-2 | Borland | 4,500 |
8 September 1973 | Falkirk | A | 3-2 | McAdam,T;McCormack(2) | 3,000 |
15 September 1973 | Ayr United | H | 0-2 | 3,500 | |
22 September 1973 | Arbroath | A | 1-2 | Wallace | 2,623 |
29 September 1973 | Partick Thistle | H | 2-0 | Paterson;McAdam,T | 4,000 |
6 October 1973 | East Fife | A | 1-0 | Paterson | 2,622 |
13 October 1973 | Aberdeen | H | 0-1 | 4,000 | |
20 October 1973 | Hearts | A | 0-0 | 10,500 | |
27 October 1973 | Clyde | A | 3-0 | McCormack;Heron;Coleman | 2,000 |
3 November 1973 | Motherwell | H | 3-0 | Heron;Bourke;McCormack | 6,000 |
10 November 1973 | Dundee | A | 1-2 | McAdam,C | 4,465 |
17 November 1973 | St Johnstone | H | 2-1 | Heron(2) | 3,500 |
24 November 1973 | Celtic | H | 0-2 | 9,000 | |
15 December 1973 | Morton | A | 1-3 | Heron | 1,000 |
22 December 1973 | Rangers | H | 0-2 | 7,500 | |
29 December 1973 | Dundee United | A | 0-6 | 3,000 | |
2 January 1974 | Falkirk | H | 1-5 | Mathie | 3,000 |
5 January 1974 | Ayr United | A | 1-0 | Mathie | 3,500 |
12 January 1974 | Arbroath | H | 5-2 | McAdam,C;Wallace;Mathie(3) | 2,000 |
19 January 1974 | Partick Thistle | A | 0-0 | 4,000 | |
9 February 1974 | Aberdeen | A | 0-3 | 4,000 | |
16 February 1974 | East Fife | H | 1-1 | Mathie | 3,500 |
23 February 1974 | Hearts | H | 0-1 | 5,000 | |
9 March 1974 | Clyde | H | 1-1 | Wallace | 2,500 |
23 March 1974 | St Johnstone | A | 3-3 | Bourke;Heron;McAdam,C | 2,052 |
30 March 1974 | Celtic | A | 3-3 | McAdam,T;McAdam,C;Coleman | 19,000 |
6 April 1974 | Hibernian | H | 3-3 | McAdam,T;McAdam,C;Bourke | 4,500 |
9 April 1974 | Motherwell | A | 0-2 | ||
13 April 1974 | Dunfermline Athletic | A | 2-3 | McAdam,T;Bourke | 4,000 |
17 April 1974 | Hibernian | A | 0-3 | 7,859 | |
20 April 1974 | Morton | H | 1-0 | Bourke | 4,500 |
24 April 1974 | Dunfermline Athletic | H | 1-0 | Bourke | 4,500 |
27 April 1974 | Rangers | A | 1-3 | Heron | 10,000 |
10 May 1974 | Dundee | H | 2-0 | Heron;Bourke |
Scottish Cup
Date | Rd | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 January 1974 | 3 | Arbroath | A | 0-1 | 2,796 |
Scottish League Cup
Date | Rd | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 August 1973 | P | Ayr United | A | 0-2 | 7,500 | |
15 August 1973 | P | Morton | H | 1-1 | Heron | 3,000 |
18 August 1973 | P | Hibernian | A | 0-1 | 11,318 | |
22 August 1973 | P | Morton | A | 0-1 | ||
25 August 1973 | P | Hibernian | H | 4-1 | Wallace;McAdam,T;Coleman;McCormack | 4,500 |
29 August 1973 | P | Ayr United | H | 1-0 | McCormack | 5,000 |
12 September 1973 | 2(1) | Rangers | A | 0-6 | 25,000 | |
10 October 1973 | 2(2) | Rangers | H | 1-2 | McCormack |
Stirlingshire Cup
Date | Rd | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 August 1973 | 1 | Clydebank | H | 3-0 | Coleman;Mathie(2) | |
26 March 1974 | SF | East Stirling | A | 2-2* | McAdam,C;Mathie | |
29 April 1974 | F | Stirling Albion | H | 2-2 | Wallace;McAdam,T |
* - won on penalties
- lost on penalties
Other Matches
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 August 1973 | CF Lloret | A | 5-1 | Graham;Mathie(2);Bourke;McAdam,T |
Appearances
Dumbarton used 26 players for the 43 League, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup matches, as detailed below. Willie Wallace was the only player to feature in every one of these matches.[1]
Player | Position | Appearances[2] | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Alan Black | DF | 10 | |
Willie Borland | FW | 4(2) | 1 |
John Bourke | FW | 14(7) | 7 |
Peter Coleman | FW | 29(2) | 2 |
John Cushley | MF | 37(1) | |
Johnny Graham | MF | 21(6) | |
Brian Heron | FW | 30(3) | 9 |
Kenny Jenkins | FW | 6(6) | 1 |
Ross Mathie | FW | 12(5) | 6 |
Colin McAdam | DF | 18(3) | 5 |
Tom McAdam | FW | 23(6) | 6 |
Roy McCormack | FW | 32 | 7 |
Jim McIntyre | FW | 0(1) | |
Allan McKay | DF | 16(2) | |
Peter McQuade | DF | 11 | |
Gordon Menzies | MF | 30 | |
Terry Mullen | DF | 8(1) | |
John Paterson | FW | 18(2) | 2 |
Denis Ruddy | MF | 30(2) | |
John Taylor | GK | 16 | |
Willie Wallace | FW | 41 | 4 |
Don Watt | DF | 18(1) | |
Billy Wilkinson | DF | 22 | |
Laurie Williams | GK | 27 |
Reserve Team
Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League, and with 12 wins and 6 draws from 34 matches, finished 12th of 18 for the second successive season.
Dumbarton again entered the Scottish Second XI Cup, and again reached the third round where Celtic were to prove too good on the day by four goals to none.
For the first time, Dumbarton entered the Scottish Reserve League Cup, and after qualifying from their section with 4 wins and a draw from 6 games, they eventually lost out to Partick Thistle in a two-legged semi final.