1917–18 Dumbarton F.C. season

The 1917–18 season was the 41st Scottish football season in which Dumbarton competed at national level, entering the Scottish Football League. in addition Dumbarton played in the Dumbartonshire Cup and the Dumbartonshire Charity Cup.

Dumbarton

1917–1918 season
Manager	James Collins
Stadium	Boghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League	8th
Top goalscorer	League: John McCulloch (13) All: John McCulloch (13)
Highest home attendance	8,000
Lowest home attendance	2,000
Average home league attendance	3,260
Home colours

Scottish League

This was the fourth season of war-time football, where the playing of all national competitions, other than the Scottish League, was suspended. Membership of the League was reduced from 20 to 18, with Aberdeen, Dundee and Raith Rovers withdrawing and Clydebank being admitted. Dumbarton's 8th place finish with 34 points (22 behind champions Rangers) was their best performance since the 1893-94 season.[1]

18 August 1917 League	Dumbarton	4-1[2][3]	Falkirk	Boghead Park
	McKim Finnie Stewart		Shearer  3'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Edward

25 August 1917 League	Motherwell	0–0[4][5]	Dumbarton	Fir Park
				Attendance: 6,000 Referee: T Dougray

1 September 1917 League	Dumbarton	0–3[6][7]	Morton	Boghead Park
			Broad  40' McNab	Attendance: 3,000

8 September 1917 League	Partick Thistle	0–0[8][9]	Dumbarton	Firhill Park
				Attendance: 7,000

15 September 1917 League	Dumbarton	2–1[10][11]	Queen's Park	Boghead Park
	Finnie Ritchie,W  45'		Walker	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: J Binnie

22 September 1917 League	St Mirren	2–1[12][13]	Dumbarton	Love Street (stadium)
	Harris  50' Lindsay  53'		Cairney  80'	Attendance: 5,000

29 September 1917 League	Dumbarton	2–4[14][15]	Rangers	Boghead Park
	Stewart  (pen)		Muirhead Cairns	Attendance: 8,000

6 October 1917 League	Hibernian	0–3[16][17]	Dumbarton	Easter Road Stadium
			McCulloch  5' Stewart  (pen)	Attendance: 4,000

13 October 1917 League	Dumbarton	2–3[18][19]	Clydebank	Boghead Park
	McCulloch  30', 46'		Brander  5' Neish O'Kane	Attendance: 7,000

20 October 1917 League	Hamilton	2–0[20][21]	Dumbarton	Douglas Park
	Faulds Kelly			Attendance: 4,000

27 October 1917 League	Dumbarton	1–4[22][23]	Kilmarnock	Boghead Park
	McCulloch  44'		Goldie  5' Culley Hamilton,T  (pen)	Attendance: 3,000

3 November 1917 League	Clyde	0–4[24][25]	Dumbarton	Shawfield Stadium
			Ritchie,W McCulloch	Attendance: 3,000

10 November 1917 League	Ayr United	0–1[26][27]	Dumbarton	Somerset Park
			Ritchie,W  10'	Attendance: 3,000

17 November 1917 League	Dumbarton	0-2[28][29]	Celtic	Boghead Park
			Gallagher  4' Browning	Attendance: 7,000

24 November 1917 League	Dumbarton	4–3[30][31]	Motherwell	Boghead Park
	McCulloch  2', 5' Thom  45'		Morgan Ferguson  90' (pen)	Attendance: 2,000

1 December 1917 League	Rangers	2–1[32][33]	Dumbarton	Ibrox Park
	Cairns		McCulloch	Attendance: 15,000

8 December 1917 League	Dumbarton	1–0[34][35]	Hibernian	Boghead Park
	Raeside			Attendance: 4,000

15 December 1917 League	Dumbarton	2-0[36][37]	Airdrie	Boghead Park
	McCulloch  65' Thom  85'			Attendance: 2,500

22 December 1917 League	Celtic	3–0[38][39]	Dumbarton	Celtic Park
	McMenemy  47' Gallagher			Attendance: 8,000

29 December 1917 League	Dumbarton	1–1[40][41]	Hearts	Boghead Park
	Thom		Sharpe  20'	Attendance: 3,000

31 December 1917 League	Clydebank	1–2[42][43]	Dumbarton	Clydeholm Park
	Travers  17'		Thom  14' Gunn  40' (pen)	Attendance: 10,000

5 January 1918 League	Third Lanark	4–1[44][45]	Dumbarton	Cathkin Park
	McLean  20' 83' Duncan  90'		McCulloch  53'	Attendance: 4,000

26 January 1918 League	Dumbarton	3–1[46][47]	Clyde	Boghead Park
	Raeside Durnin Thom		McGowan	Attendance: 1,500

2 February 1918 League	Kilmarnock	0–0[48][49]	Dumbarton	Rugby Park
				Attendance: 5,000

9 February 1918 League	Dumbarton	0–1[50][51]	Third Lanark	Boghead Park
			Duncan	Attendance: 1,500

16 February 1918 League	Morton	2–2[52][53]	Dumbarton	Cappielow Park
	Stevenson,R Seymour		McKim  5' Stewart	Attendance: 4,000

23 February 1918 League	Dumbarton	1–0[54][55]	Ayr United	Boghead Park
	Stewart			Attendance: 2,000

2 March 1918 League	Dumbarton	5–2[56][57]	St Mirren	Boghead Park
	Thom Stewart Ritchie,W		Higginbotham Durward	Attendance: 2,000

9 March 1918 League	Queen's Park	2–0[58][59]	Dumbarton	Hampden Park
	Aitken  20' Morton,R			Attendance: 5,000

16 March 1918 League	Airdrie	0–0[60][61]	Dumbarton	Broomfield Park
				Attendance: 2,000

23 March 1918 League	Dumbarton	1-2[62][63]	Hamilton	Boghead Park
	Stewart		Crawford  45' Murphy	Attendance: 2,000

6 April 1918 League	Dumbarton	1–1[64][65]	Partick Thistle	Boghead Park
	Stewart		Bowie	Attendance: 2,000

13 April 1918 League	Hearts	1–2[66][67]	Dumbarton	Tynecastle Stadium
	Gibson  15' (pen)		McKim Durnin	Attendance: 4,500

20 April 1918 League	Falkirk	1–1[68][69]	Dumbarton	Brockville Park
	Simpson		Finnie	Attendance: 2,000

Dumbartonshire Cup

Dumbarton re-entered the Dumbartonshire Cup for the first time in three seasons, but lost out to Clydebank in the final, which was held over until the beginning of the 1918-19 season.

30 March 1918 Semi Final	Dumbarton	2–1	Dumbarton Harp	Boghead Park
	Durnin Stewart

7 September 1918 Final	Dumbarton	0–1	Clydebank	Boghead Park
			Travers	Attendance: 6,000

Dumbartonshire Charity Cup

Dumbarton retained the Dumbartonshire Charity Cup for the second successive year by beating Renton in the final.

4 May 1918 First Round	Dumbarton	2–0	Dumbarton Harp	Boghead Park
	Finnie Ritchie,W			Attendance: 4,000

18 May 1918 Semi Final	Clydebank	2–3 (a.e.t.)	Dumbarton	Clydholm Park
	Sutherland		Durnin Thom  45' McGregor  (pen)	Attendance: 6,000

28 May 1918 Final	Dumbarton	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Renton	Boghead Park
	Finnie  50', 115'		Harris	Attendance: 1,500

Charity matches

During the season two charity matches were played for the benefit of the Red Cross War Fund, both being won, scoring 8 goals for the loss of 4.

4 August 1917 Charity Match	Dumbarton Harp	0-3	Dumbarton	Meadow Park, Dumbarton
			Trialist Finnie

11 August 1917 Charity Match	Dumbarton Harp	4-5	Dumbarton	Meadow Park, Dumbarton
	Trialist Gunn  (OG) McDonald		Finnie Ritchie,W Stewart	Attendance: 1,500

Player statistics

Squad

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Scottish League
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK		John Miller[70]	34	0	34	0
	DF		Felix Gunn[71]	12	1	12	1
	DF		Alex Marshall[72]	24	0	24	0
	DF		Bob McGrory	34	0	34	0
	DF		Archibald Ritchie	3	0	3	0
	DF		John Semple	1	0	1	0
	MF		John Durnin	21	2	21	2
	MF		James McGregor[73]	19	1	19	1
	MF		John McMeekin[74]	1	0	1	0
	MF		Thomas Raeside	29	2	29	2
	MF		Alex Trotter	17	0	17	0
	MF		William Wilson[75]	25	0	25	0
	FW		Richard Bell[76]	1	0	1	0
	FW		John Brodie	1	0	1	0
	FW		Hugh Cairney[77]	6	1	6	1
	FW		David Finnie[78]	31	3	31	3
	FW		William Gallacher[79]	1	0	1	0
	FW		John McCulloch	18	13	18	13
	FW		John McKim[80]	20	4	20	4
	FW		Arthur Murphy[81]	1	0	1	0
	FW		William Ritchie	27	4	27	4
	FW		Finlay Speedie	2	0	2	0
	FW		James Stewart	13	9	13	9
	FW		Alexander Thom[82]	33	9	33	9
	FW		Fred Williams[83]	1	0	1	0

Source:[84]

[85]

Transfers

Players in Player From Date David Finnie Cambuslang R 7 Jul 1917 James McGregor Cambuslang R 7 Jul 1917 William Wilson Cambuslang R 7 Jul 1917 James Stewart Hamilton (loan) 17 Jul 1917 John McMeekin Glasgow Perthshire 18 Jul 1917 Alex Marshall Ashfield 24 Aug 1917 Alex Trotter Rangers 25 Aug 1917 Richard Bell Rangers (loan) 14 Sep 1917 John McCulloch Vale of Clyde 29 Sep 1917 John Durnin Partick Thistle 1 Nov 1917 John Brodie Celtic (loan) 1 Jan 1918 Fred Williams Bradford PA 14 Feb 1918 William Gallacher Vale of Leven (loan) 27 Feb 1918

Players out Player To Date James Lister Morton 31 Jul 1917 John Semple Ayr United 7 Aug 1917 Pat Travers Clydebank 14 Aug 1917 George Baird Rangers 17 Dec 1917 John McCulloch St Mirren 12 Apr 1918 Hugh Cairney Airdrie (loan) 31 Jan 1918 Alexander Thom Kilmarnock (loan)

Source:[86]

In addition Robert Catterson, Thomas Hamilton and Joseph Tait all played their final 'first XI' games in Dumbarton colours.

References

1. Smailes, Gordon (1995). The Breedon Book of Scottish Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-020-X.
2. "Dumbarton 4 - 1 Falkirk, Scottish League (18/08/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
3. "Dumbarton 4 - 1 Falkirk, Saturday, August 18th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
4. "Motherwell 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (25/08/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
5. "Motherwell 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, August 25th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
6. "Dumbarton 0 - 3 Morton, Scottish League (01/09/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
7. "Dumbarton 0 - 3 Morton, Saturday, September 1st 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
8. "Partick Thistle 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (08/09/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
9. "Partick Thistle 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, September 8th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
10. "Dumbarton 2 - 1 Queen's Park, Scottish League (15/09/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
11. "Dumbarton 2 - 1 Queen's Park, Saturday, September 15th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
12. "St Mirren 2 - 1 Dumbarton, Scottish League (22/09/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
13. "St Mirren 2 - 1 Dumbarton, Saturday, September 22nd 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
14. "Dumbarton 2 - 4 Rangers, Scottish League (29/09/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
15. "Dumbarton 2 - 4 Rangers, Saturday, September 29th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
16. "Hibernian 0 - 3 Dumbarton, Scottish League (06/10/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
17. "Hibernian 0 - 3 Dumbarton, Saturday, October 6th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
18. "Dumbarton 2 - 3 Clydebank, Scottish League (13/10/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
19. "Dumbarton 2 - 3 Clydebank, Saturday, October 13th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
20. "Hamilton 2 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (20/10/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
21. "Hamilton 2 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, October 20th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
22. "Dumbarton 1 - 4 Kilmarnock, Scottish League (27/10/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
23. "Dumbarton 1 - 4 Kilmarnock, Saturday, October 27th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
24. "Clyde 0 - 4 Dumbarton, Scottish League (03/11/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
25. "Clyde 0 - 4 Dumbarton, Saturday, November 3rd 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
26. "Ayr United 0 - 1 Dumbarton, Scottish League (10/11/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
27. "Ayr United 0 - 1 Dumbarton, Saturday, November 10th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
28. "Dumbarton 0 - 2 Celtic, Scottish League (17/11/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
29. "Dumbarton 0 - 2 Celtic, Saturday, November 17th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
30. "Dumbarton 4 - 3 Motherwell, Scottish League (24/11/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
31. "Dumbarton 4 - 3 Motherwell, Saturday, November 24th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
32. "Rangers 2 - 1 Dumbarton, Scottish League (01/12/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
33. "Rangers 2 - 1 Dumbarton, Saturday, December 1st 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
34. "Dumbarton 1 - 0 Hibernian, Scottish League (08/12/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
35. "Dumbarton 1 - 0 Hibernian, Saturday, December 8th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
36. "Dumbarton 2 - 0 Airdrieonians, Scottish League (15/12/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
37. "Dumbarton 2 - 0 Airdrieonians, Saturday, December 15th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
38. "Celtic 3 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (22/12/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
39. "Celtic 3 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, December 22nd 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
40. "Dumbarton 1 - 1 Heart of Midlothian, Scottish League (29/12/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
41. "Dumbarton 1 - 1 Heart of Midlothian, Saturday, December 29th 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
42. "Clydebank 1 - 2 Dumbarton, Scottish League (31/12/1917)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
43. "Clydebank 1 - 2 Dumbarton, Tuesday, December 31st 1917". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
44. "Third Lanark 4 - 1 Dumbarton, Scottish League (05/01/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
45. "Third Lanark 4 - 1 Dumbarton, Saturday, January 5th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
46. "Dumbarton 3 - 1 Clyde, Scottish League (26/01/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
47. "Dumbarton 3 - 1 Clyde, Saturday, January 26th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
48. "Kilmarnock 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (02/02/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
49. "Kilmarnock 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, February 2nd 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
50. "Dumbarton 0 - 1 Third Lanark, Scottish League (09/02/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
51. "Dumbarton 0 - 1 Third Lanark, Saturday, February 9th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
52. "Morton 2 - 2 Dumbarton, Scottish League (16/02/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
53. "Morton 2 - 2 Dumbarton, Saturday, February 16th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
54. "Dumbarton 1 - 0 Ayr United, Scottish League (23/02/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
55. "Dumbarton 1 - 0 Ayr United, Saturday, February 23rd 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
56. "Dumbarton 5 - 2 St Mirren, Scottish League (02/03/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
57. "Dumbarton 5 - 2 St Mirren, Saturday, March 2nd 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
58. "Queen's Park 2 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (09/03/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
59. "Queen's Park 2 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, March 9th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
60. "Airdrieonians 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Scottish League (16/03/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
61. "Airdrieonians 0 - 0 Dumbarton, Saturday, March 16th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
62. "Dumbarton 1 - 2 Hamilton, Scottish League (23/03/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
63. "Dumbarton 1 - 2 Hamilton, Saturday, March 23rd 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
64. "Dumbarton 1 - 1 Partick Thistle, Scottish League (06/04/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
65. "Dumbarton 1 - 1 Partick Thistle, Saturday, April 6th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
66. "Heart of Midlothian 1 - 2 Dumbarton, Scottish League (13/04/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
67. "Heart of Midlothian 1 - 2 Dumbarton, Saturday, April 13th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
68. "Falkirk 1 - 1 Dumbarton, Scottish League (20/04/1918)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
69. "Falkirk 1 - 1 Dumbarton, Saturday, April 20th 1918". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
70. The league match against Clydebank on 13 October marked John Miller's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions.
71. "Felix Gunn - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
72. "Alex Marshall - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
73. "James McGregor - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
74. "James McMeekin - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
75. "William Wilson - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
76. "Richard Bell - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
77. "Hugh Cairney - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
78. "David Finnie - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
79. "William Gallacher - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
80. "John McKim - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
81. "Arthur Murphy - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
82. Alexander Thom's appearance in the league match against Rangers on 29 September was his 140th competitive match for the club - overtaking Johnny Hill's record set in 1912.
83. "Fred Williams - Player Statistics". The Sons Archive. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
84. McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
85. McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
86. Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.