Season 1996–97 was the 120th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 90th 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.

Overview

It was a mystery to most Dumbarton supporters, after the failures of the previous season, that manager Jim Fallon had retained his position – and 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 11 league matches, and had sunk to second bottom place, resulting in Jim 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 3 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 for the first time in the club's history.

In the national cup competitions, the drought on wins extented 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, in what was now becoming an embarrassment – a seventh first round defeat in seven attempts was registered – this time to Montrose.

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

Results

All results are written with Dumbarton's score first.

Scottish League

Scottish Cup

Scottish League Cup

Scottish Challenge Cup

Stirlingshire Cup

Player Statistics

Squad^[1][2]

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

Transfers^[3]

Players in Player From Date Jim McGall Arsenal BC 30 Aug 1996 Billy Davidson Clydebank 29 Sep 1996 Gerry McCabe Arbroath 11 Oct 1996 Willie Wilson Ayr United 9 Nov 1996 Derek Barnes Clydebank 14 Dec 1996 Gordon Parks Clyde 9 Jan 1997 David Reid Baillieston 20 Feb 1997 Jamie Bruce East Kilbride Thistle 26 Mar 1997 Robert Reilly Queen's Park 26 Mar 1997 Graeme McKenzie Kilbirnie Ladeside 28 Mar 1997 Stephen Hamill Possil YM 31 Mar 1997 Hrienn Hringsson East Stirling (trialist) Ross McCuaig Leven Valley (trialist) Adrian Mellis Vale of Leven (trialist) John Scott Largs Thistle (trialist)

Players out Player To Date Paul Martin Albion Rovers 2 Aug 1996 Ian MacFarlane Clydebank 19 Dec 1996 Hugh Burns Larkhall Thistle Roland Fabiani Greenock Alan Foster Arthurlie Charlie Gibson Petershill

See also

• 1996–97 in Scottish football

References

External links

• Scottish Football Historical Archive