Dumbarton F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Dumbarton Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Sons | ||
| Founded | 23 December 1872 | ||
| Ground | Dumbarton Football Stadium, Dumbarton | ||
| Capacity | 2,020 | ||
| Owner | Mario Lapointe | ||
| Chairman | John Steele | ||
| Manager | Stephen Farrell | ||
| League | Scottish Championship | ||
| 2015–16 | Scottish Championship, 8th | ||
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Dumbarton Football Club is a semi-professional football team from Dumbarton, Scotland. They are one of Scotland's oldest football clubs, started on December 23, 1872. The club plays its home games at the Dumbarton Football Stadium, which is right next to Dumbarton Castle.
Contents
Club History and Achievements
Dumbarton FC was very successful in the late 1800s. They won the Scottish Football League in its first two seasons. They even shared the first title with Rangers.
The club stopped playing for a short time in 1901 but returned in 1905. Since then, they have mostly played outside the top division of Scottish football. Their last time in the top league was in the 1984–85 season.
Dumbarton is special because they were the first team (and one of only two) to win a league title in all four of the top divisions in the Scottish football league system.
Recent Club Changes
Stephen Farrell became the club's manager in May 2021.
In May 2021, the club got new owners when Brabco sold their shares to Cognitive Capital. In November 2024, the club faced financial difficulties and went into a process called administration. This means a special team took over to manage their money problems.
On June 24, 2025, a new company, fully owned by Canadian businessman Mario Lapointe, took over the club. The old company was closed down. Dumbarton FC stayed in League Two, but they still had a 5-point penalty from their administration period.
Team Colours and Badge
For the 2025–26 season, Dumbarton FC wears kits made by the Macron brand. Their home kit is mostly white with a black and gold stripe. The away kit is gold and black.
The club's badge shows an elephant with a castle on its back. This design represents Dumbarton Rock and Dumbarton Castle. Dumbarton Rock is a volcanic plug that looks a bit like an elephant. The team's nickname, 'The Sons', comes from the phrase 'Sons of The Rock'. This is a term used for people born in the town of Dumbarton.
Home Stadium: The Rock
Dumbarton plays its home games at the Dumbarton Football Stadium. Fans often call it "The Rock." This stadium has seats for 2,020 people and has been used since December 2, 2000. The main stand is overshadowed by Dumbarton Rock and sits next to the River Leven.
The stadium has had different names over the years due to sponsorship deals:
- Strathclyde Homes Stadium (Dec 2000 – Sep 2011)
- Dumbarton Football Stadium (Sep 2011 – Feb 2012)
- Dumbarton Football Stadium Sponsored by DL Cameron (Feb 2012 – Jul 2012)
- The BetButler Stadium (Jul 2012 – Sep 2014)
- Dumbarton Football Stadium (Sep 2014 – Jun 2015)
- The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium (Jul 2015 – May 2017)
- The YOUR Radio 103FM Stadium (July 2017 – May 2018)
- C&G Systems Stadium (May 2018 – May 2021)
- Dumbarton Football Stadium (May 2021 – September 2021)
- Moreroom.com Stadium (September 2021 – March 2022)
- Marbill Coaches Stadium (July 2024 – Present)
Before December 2000, the team played at Boghead Park from 1879. They played there for 121 years, which was the longest any senior Scottish club had stayed at the same ground. Between May and November 2000, Dumbarton shared Cliftonhill stadium with Albion Rovers.
In November 2014, the club's owners wanted to move to a new stadium. They planned to build a bigger stadium for 4,000 fans. The old stadium site would have been used for houses. However, these plans were rejected by West Dunbartonshire Council in March 2018.
Fan Attendance at Games
Here's a look at how many fans came to Dumbarton's league games in recent seasons:
| Season | League | Average Fans | Highest Fans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | League Two | 662 | 2,020 |
| 2022–23 | League Two | 635 | 1,086 |
| 2021–22 | League One | 539 | 1,198 |
| 2019–20 | League One | 663 | 1,394 |
| 2018–19 | League One | 637 | 1,353 |
Supporters and Club Culture
Dumbarton was the first league club in Scotland to have a supporters' trust. This trust helps connect the club with its fans. The trust owns a lot of shares in the club and is the fourth-largest shareholder. They also have a representative on the club's board of directors. The supporters' trust helps create the match programme and runs the club's website. They also manage many of the club's business activities.
Current Players
Team Squad
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Club Hall of Fame
The club and its fans have chosen some of their "best players of all time" for a Hall of Fame. These players include:
- Lawrie Williams – played 372 games (1970–1980)
- Ray Montgomerie – played 180 games (1981–1988)
- Murdo MacLeod – played 87 games (1975–1978) and 66 games (1993–1995) as Player/Manager
- Donald McNeil – played 320 games (1975–1988)
- Colin McAdam – played 70 games (1969–1975)
- Albert Craig – played 138 games (1981–1986)
- Tom McAdam – played 76 games (1970–1975)
- Johnny Graham – played 385 games (1967–1977)
- William Wallace – played 84 games (1972–1975)
- Kenny Wilson – played 74 games (1970–1972)
- Charlie Gibson – played 257 games (1989–1996)
International Players
Between 1880 and 1898, 18 Dumbarton players were chosen to play for the Scotland national team. Some of these international players were:
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More recently, in 2018, midfielder Dimitris Froxylias was called up to play for the Cyprus national football team. He played his first game for Cyprus in March 2018. He earned two caps (played two international games) while he was a Dumbarton player. He was the first Dumbarton player to play for an international team since Harry Chatton from Ireland in 1932.
Coaching Staff
The people who coach and help the team include:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Stephen Farrell |
| Assistant manager | Frank McKeown |
| Goalkeeping coach | Eric Phillips |
| Sports scientist | Calum Strang |
| Video analyst and head of youth development | Gordon Scanlan |
Recent League Performance
Here's how Dumbarton FC has done in the league in recent seasons:
| Season | Games Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Position | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 36 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 51 | 66 | -15 | 20* | 10 (R) | League One |
| 2023–24 | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 56 | 44 | 12 | 58 | 4(P) | League Two |
| 2022–23 | 36 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 49 | 39 | 10 | 62 | 2 | League Two |
| 2021–22 | 36 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 48 | 71 | -23 | 34 | 9(R) | League One |
| 2020–21 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 24 | -10 | 25 | 9 | League One |
*Deducted 15 points for entering administration.
Club Honours and Trophies
Dumbarton FC has won many awards and trophies throughout its history:
League Titles
- Scottish Football League: Winners in 1890–91 and 1891–92
- Scottish First Division: Winners in 1910–11 and 1971–72
- Runners-up in 1907–08 and 1983–84
- Scottish Second Division: Winners in 1991–92
- Runners-up in 1994–95
- Play-Off Winners in 2011–12
- Scottish Third Division: Winners in 2008–09
- Runners-up in 2001–02 and 2022–23
- Play-Off Winners in 2023–24
- Scottish Combination League: Winners in 1905–06
Cup Competitions
National Cups
- Scottish Cup: Winners in 1882–83
- Runners-up in 1880–81, 1881–82, 1886–87, 1890–91, 1896–97
- Scottish Challenge Cup: Runners-up in 2017–18
- Festival of Britain St. Mungo Quaich: Winners in 1951–52
Other Cups
- Stirlingshire Cup: Winners 16 times, including 2012–13
- Dumbartonshire Cup: Winners 20 times, including 1939–40
- Glasgow Charity Cup: Runners-up in 1881–82, 1884–85
- Greenock Charity Cup: Winners in 1889–90, 1890–91
- Dumbartonshire Charity Cup: Winners 5 times, including 1922–23
Club Records
- Biggest win:
- Scottish Cup: 13–2 against Kirkintilloch Central (September 1, 1888)
- Biggest loss:
- Scottish Football League: 1–11 against Albion Rovers (January 30, 1926)
- Scottish League Cup: 1–11 against Ayr United (August 13, 1952)
- Biggest home attendance:
- Boghead Park: 18,001 against Raith Rovers (March 2, 1957)
- Dumbarton Football Stadium: 2,020 against Rangers (January 20, 2024)
- Most goals in a season: Kenny Wilson scored 38 goals in the 1971–72 season.
See also
In Spanish: Dumbarton Football Club para niños
