Dumbarton FC - A Brief History

by Jim McAllister

In this obsolescent society in which we live, age and tradition are to be dearly cherished.

To have survived a decade is noteworthy- to have survived a generation is worth commenting upon- but to have survived for more than 130 years and still to be a force to be reckoned with, is a very rare and special thing.

In 1872, a group of young men met on a wet Sunday afternoon in Dumbarton. This meeting does not appear in the history book but was of immense importance to the people of Dunbartonshire and to sport. For this group of men were founding a football club after seeing their first ever match on the Saturday when Vale of Leven traveled to the Old Recreation Ground at Crosshill, Glasgow to be beaten 3-0 by Queens Park.

These men were forging a team that was to carry the name of Dumbarton to wherever football was played or talked about.

In 1873 the Club became members of the newly formed S.F.A. By 1879 Dumbarton were in their home ground of Boghead Park and staring a run of victories that chalked up an astonishing record of not losing a home game for five years. They won the Scottish Cup in 1882/3 and five times were beaten finalists. As reigning Scottish Cup holders, they met the F.A.Cup winners, Blackburn Olympic, and thrashed them 6-1 to be hailed as champions of Great Britain.

Through the years, with the development of the S.F.A. and the Scottish League, it has become relatively straightforward to identify a football club with a particular 'Home' ground due to the imposed requirements. This was not always the case.

As members of the S.F.A., clubs were required to have permanent pitches. This requirement did not however cover the area outside the playing area and matches could be played under their auspices provided the pitch markings met with the requirements. It was only as crowds increased and fixtures were replayed due to spectator encroachment that the home club became responsible for spectator control and had to 'rope off the playing pitch. Then clubs with serious intentions began to look for a permanent home.

In the early years all clubs moved venue on a regular basis due to the availability of pitches. Football was totally amateur and relatively disorganised and club committees showed little forethought by seeking permanent accommodation, often living game by game. With little income, clubs could not afford to enter long term commitments for the lease of land. Dumbarton Football Club were one of the first to enter into a lease, securing Boghead Park on such an arrangement in 1879. After 121 years, the club had the longest occupancy of a ground in British senior football.

Match reports were vague regarding exact venues. For a fixture between Vale of Leven and Dumbarton the venue was listed as 'a field near Alexandria'. Indeed, the first fixture at Boghead Park was played 'in a field on Boghead Road, half a mile from the town. With such vagueness, it would be foolhardy to suggest the venues used by Dumbarton can all be identified.

Prior to Boghead, it is certain Dumbarton used a number of venues as a home, some only being used in isolated instances. In 1873, fixtures were played at Meadow Park, Broadmeadow, a site now replaced by an industrial estate. From there they moved to Ropework Lane although the dates are unknown. Early in 1875 it is recorded that Alclutha , another town club, were sharing Dumbarton's ground at Ropework Lane but it is unknown how long they had been there. In September of that year, Dumbarton moved to Broomfauld Park, moving again to Lowman's Park, Glasgow Road for season 1876/7 and then to Private Park Townend the following season before setting up base at Boghead in 1879.. It is known Dumbarton played the occasional fixture at Meadow Park, home of Dumbarton Athletic, and in February 1881, a friendly against Rangers was played at Levengrove, the ground of Lennox Amateurs, as the playing surface was much better than Boghead!

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