1986–87 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1986–87 was the 103rd football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 81st time, the Scottish Cup for the 92nd time and the Scottish League Cup for the 40th time.

Dumbarton
1986–1987 season
ManagerAlex Totten
StadiumBoghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League Division 13rd
Scottish CupThird Round
Scottish League CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Gerry McCoy (21)
All: Gerry McCoy (22)
Highest home attendance2,500
Lowest home attendance440
Average home league attendance1,180

Overview

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Dumbarton began another First Division campaign with a new manager at the helm - Alex Totten - who had been released from his duties with Rangers following the arrival of Graeme Souness. Following another league reconstruction, the First Division clubs would play each other 4 times - a big ask particularly for the part-time clubs - but as things turned out it was to be a close thing for promotion with Dumbarton always up with the front runners. In the end, it was to be a 3rd-place finish - just 4 points behind champions Morton.

In the Scottish Cup, it would be another early exit for Dumbarton, this time to Brechin City after a draw, in the third round.

In the League Cup, Stirling Albion were dispatched in the second round before a fighting display against Celtic, saw Dumbarton's interest in the competition come to an end for another year.

Locally, Dumbarton failed to keep a grip on the Stirlingshire Cup, with Stirling Albion gaining some revenge for their League Cup exit, with a semi final win.

Results & fixtures

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[1]  Win   Draw   Loss

Scottish First Division

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9 August 1986 First Division Partick Thistle 1–2 Dumbarton Firhill Park
Herd   27' McCahill   82'
McGowan   88'
Attendance: 2,272
Referee: L Thow
13 August 1986 First Division Dumbarton 0–1 Dunfermline Athletic Boghead Park
Montgomerie   67' (OG) Attendance: 1,780
16 August 1986 First Division Airdrie 1–0 Dumbarton Broomfield Park
Black   41' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: K Hope
23 August 1986 First Division Dumbarton 3–2 Forfar Athletic Boghead Park
Coyle,O   8'  (pen)
Bourke   78'
MacDonald   34'
Clarke  
Attendance: 550
30 August 1986 First Division Morton 0–3 Dumbarton Cappielow Park
Moore   13'
Coyle,O   27'
Houston  
Attendance: 2,300
Referee: D Miller
6 September 1986 First Division Dumbarton 3–1 Brechin City Boghead Park
Coyle,O   10'
Coyle,T   62'
Bourke  
Gallacher   Attendance: 480
Referee: M Delaney
13 September 1986 First Division Dumbarton 1–0 Montrose Boghead Park
Coyle,T   Attendance: 440
Referee: J Smith
16 September 1986 First Division Kilmarnock 2–1 Dumbarton Rugby Park
Bryson  
Clougherty   (OG)
Coyle,O   Attendance: 1,200
20 September 1986 First Division Clyde 2–1 Dumbarton Shawfield Stadium
Millar   15'
Watters   35'
Coyle,O   Attendance: 800
27 September 1986 First Division Dumbarton 2–1 East Fife Boghead Park
McCoy   2'
Moore   24'
Burgess   77' Attendance: 630
Referee: P Hanley
30 September 1986 First Division Queen of the South 1–3 Dumbarton Palmerston Park
Cloy   Moore  
Coyle,O  
McCoy  
Attendance: 1,620
4 October 1986 First Division Dumbarton 2–2 Partick Thistle Boghead Park
Coyle,O   1'  56' (pen) Montgomerie   (OG)
Cairns   68'
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: H Gould
8 October 1986 First Division Dunfermline Athletic 0–1 Dumbarton East End Park
McCoy   71' Attendance: 4,161
11 October 1986 First Division Forfar Athletic 3–5 Dumbarton Station Park, Forfar
Scott   12' 
MacDonald   89'
Coyle,O   43' (pen), 84' (pen)
McCoy   52', 57'
Clarke   50' (OG)
Attendance: 815
18 October 1986 First Division Dumbarton 2–1 Airdrie Boghead Park
McNeil   41'
Coyle,O   55'
Lindsay   7' Attendance: 1,200
Referee: H Williamson
25 October 1986 First Division Montrose 1–0 Dumbarton Links Park
Brown   24' Attendance: 350
29 October 1986 First Division Dumbarton 2–0 Kilmarnock Boghead Park
McCoy   60'  Attendance: 1,050
1 November 1986 First Division Brechin City 3–1 Dumbarton Glebe Park, Brechin
Powell   10'  90'
Adam  
McCoy   88' (pen) Attendance: 450
Referee: J McGillvray
8 November 1986 First Division Dumbarton 2–1 Morton Boghead Park
Coyle,T   45'
McCahill  
O'Hara   86' Attendance: 1,600
15 November 1986 First Division Dumbarton 1–1 Clyde Boghead Park
Houston   15' Tait   45' Attendance: 1,200
Referee: A Waddell
22 November 1986 First Division East Fife 0–0 Dumbarton Bayview Park, Methil
Attendance: 1,494
Referee: R Valentine
29 November 1986 First Division Dumbarton 1–1 Queen of the South Boghead Park
McCoy   25' Armstrong   29' (pen) Attendance: 900
Referee: G Evans
6 December 1986 First Division Partick Thistle 0–2 Dumbarton Firhill Park
Houston   37'
McCoy   39'
Attendance: 2,284
Referee: A Ferguson
13 December 1986 First Division Dumbarton 1–2 Dunfermline Athletic Boghead Park
Houston   41' McCall   9'
McCathie   89'
Attendance: 2,431
Referee: K O'Donnell
20 December 1986 First Division Dumbarton 0–1 Forfar Athletic Boghead Park
McDonald   58' Attendance: 1,000
Referee: D Yeats
27 December 1986 First Division Airdrie 1–0 Dumbarton Broomfield Park
Frye   Attendance: 1,362
Referee: T Muirhead
1 January 1987 First Division Morton 4–1 Dumbarton Cappielow Park
Robertson  
McNeil   
Alexander  
Coyle,O   Attendance: 1,400
24 January 1987 First Division Clyde 1–2 Dumbarton Shawfield Stadium
Murphy   90+2' Rooney   46'
Coyle,O   65'
Attendance: 800
Referee: A Roy
27 January 1987 First Division Kilmarnock 1–2 Dumbarton Rugby Park
McVeigh   MacIver    Attendance: 1,000
7 February 1987 First Division Dumbarton 1–1 East Fife Boghead Park
McCoy   89' Kirkwood   24' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: W Crombie
14 February 1987 First Division Queen of the South 0–1 Dumbarton Palmerston Park
MacIver   15' Attendance: 1,400
21 February 1987 First Division Dumbarton 2–1 Montrose Boghead Park
Houston   41'
MacIver  
Allan   Attendance: 1,000
28 February 1987 First Division Dumbarton 1–0 Partick Thistle Boghead Park
McGowan   78' Attendance: 1,600
7 March 1987 First Division Dunfermline Athletic 1–0 Dumbarton East End Park
Morrison   10' Attendance: 4,366
Referee: P Hanley
17 March 1987 First Division Forfar Athletic 0–2 Dumbarton Station Park, Forfar
McCoy  
Rooney  
Attendance: 720
21 March 1987 First Division Dumbarton 2–2 Airdrie Boghead Park
Coyle,O   (pen)
Coyle,T  
Flood  
Lawrie  
Attendance: 1,200
28 March 1987 First Division Dumbarton 2–3 Morton Boghead Park
McCoy   27'
Coyle,O   58'
Alexander   3'
Turner   52'
Boag   88'
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: R Paterson
31 March 1987 First Division Dumbarton 1–1 Brechin City Boghead Park
MacIver   Lytwyn   Attendance: 1,050
4 April 1987 First Division Brechin City 1–2 Dumbarton Glebe Park, Brechin
Adam   McCoy    Attendance: 382
Referee: H Williamson
11 April 1987 First Division Dumbarton 3–2 Kilmarnock Boghead Park
Coyle,O  
McCoy   74'
MacIver   78'
Reid   11'  16' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: D McVicar
18 April 1987 First Division Montrose 2–0 Dumbarton Links Park
Paterson   50'  Attendance: 300
Referee: H Gould
25 April 1987 First Division Dumbarton 2–1 Clyde Boghead Park
McCoy   50' (pen), 51' McGlashan   57' Attendance: 1,250
Referee: R Valentine
2 May 1987 First Division East Fife 2–1 Dumbarton Bayview Park, Methil
McNaughton   (pen)  McCoy   (pen) Attendance: 449
9 May 1987 First Division Dumbarton 3–0 Queen of the South Boghead Park
MacIver   23'
McCoy  
Coyle,T   85'
Attendance: 1,000

Skol Cup

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20 August 1986 League Cup round 2 Dumbarton 1–0 Stirling Albion Boghead Park
Coyle,T   78' Attendance: 746
27 August 1986 League Cup round 3 Celtic 3–0 Dumbarton Celtic Park
Johnston   44' 
McStay   75'
Attendance: 11,390

SHEG Scottish Cup

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31 January 1987 Cup round 3 Brechin City 2–2 Dumbarton Glebe Park, Brechin
Lees   32'
Adam   47'
MacIver   21'
McCoy   25'
Attendance: 506
Referee: J McGillvray
4 February 1987 Cup round 3R Dumbarton 2–3 Brechin City Boghead Park
MacIver   32'
Coyle,T   82'
Adam   6'
Powell   10'
Lees   28'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: J McGillvray
4 August 1986 First Round Falkirk 1–2 Dumbarton Brockville Park
Nichol   Moore  
McCoy  
21 April 1987 Semi Final Dumbarton 1–2 Stirling Albion Boghead Park
Martin   Spence  
Ormond  

Pre-season matches

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27 July 1986 Friendly Rothes 0-5 Dumbarton Mosset Park, Forres
MacIver    
  
31 July 1986 Friendly Vale of Leven 1-4 Dumbarton Millburn Park
McLaren       
2 August 1986 Friendly Dumbarton 4–1 Alloa Athletic Boghead Park
McCoy  
MacIver   
Coyle,T  
 

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Morton (C, P) 44 24 9 11 88 56 +32 57 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Dunfermline Athletic (P) 44 23 10 11 61 41 +20 56
3 Dumbarton 44 23 7 14 67 52 +15 53
4 East Fife 44 15 21 8 68 55 +13 51
5 Airdrieonians 44 20 11 13 58 46 +12 51
Source: RSSSF[dead link] and statto[2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Player statistics

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Squad

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No. Pos Nat Player Total First Division League Cup Scottish Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   SCO Gordon Arthur 35 0 31+0 0 2+0 0 2+0 0
GK   SCO Hugh Stevenson 13 0 13+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF   SCO Ray Montgomerie 38 0 35+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0
DF   SCO Billy Traynor 7 0 7+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Mark Clougherty 30 0 26+0 0 2+0 0 2+0 0
MF   SCO Owen Coyle 46 17 33+10 17 1+0 0 2+0 0
MF   SCO Tommy Coyle 46 7 43+0 5 2+0 1 1+0 1
MF   SCO Harry Curran 11 0 8+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0
MF   SCO Danny Docherty 24 0 18+4 0 2+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Alan Kay 21 0 18+2 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Dave Martin 34 0 32+0 0 0+0 0 2+0 0
MF   SCO Steve McCahill 42 2 37+2 2 1+0 0 2+0 0
MF   SCO Joe McLeod 5 0 4+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Donald McNeil 14 1 12+0 1 2+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Jim McNeil 2 0 2+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Jackie Rafferty 3 0 2+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF   SCO Jim Rooney 25 2 23+1 2 0+0 0 1+0 0
FW   SCO John Bourke 13 1 8+3 1 1+1 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Arthur Grant 26 0 10+15 0 0+1 0 0+0 0
FW   SCO Peter Houston 42 5 34+4 5 2+0 0 0+2 0
FW   SCO Stuart MacIver 34 9 18+13 7 1+0 0 2+0 2
FW   SCO Gerry McCoy 43 22 35+4 21 0+2 0 2+0 1
FW   SCO Pat McGowan 35 2 17+15 2 1+0 0 2+0 0
FW   SCO Allan Moore 20 3 18+0 3 2+0 0 0+0 0

[3][4]

International caps

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Owen Coyle was selected to play for the Republic of Ireland Under 21 team in matches against Scotland on 17 February played at Easter Road and against Belgium on 28 April.

Transfers

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[5]

Reserve Team

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Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League (West).

Trivia

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  • The League match against Clyde on 15 November marked Gordon Arthur's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 92nd Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
  • Dumbarton ended the season managerless - Alex Totten having been appointed at St Johnstone, and with the death of chairman and benefactor Sir Hugh Fraser, the club would face severe financial challenges in the coming season.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Scottish Football League Review 1987-88. The Scottish Football League. 1988.
  2. ^ "Scottish Division One 1986-1987 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  3. ^ Scottish Football League Review 1987-88. The Scottish Football League. 1988.
  4. ^ McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
  5. ^ Litster, John. Record of Post-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
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