1915–16 Dumbarton F.C. season

The 1915–16 season was the 39th Scottish football season in which Dumbarton competed at national level, entering the Scottish Football League. In addition Dumbarton played in the Dumbartonshire Charity Cup.

Dumbarton

1915–1916 season
Manager	James Collins
Stadium	Boghead Park, Dumbarton
Scottish League	9th
Top goalscorer	League: Patrick O'Neill (14) All: Patrick O'Neill (14)
Highest home attendance	7,000
Lowest home attendance	2,000
Average home league attendance	3,420
Home colours
← 1914–15 1916–17 →

Scottish League

Main article: 1915–16 Scottish Football League

In the second season of war-time football, where the Scottish League was the only national competition which was played, Dumbarton achieved their best league performance in over 20 years by finishing 9th out of 20, with 37 points, 30 behind champions Celtic.^[1]

Dumbarton v Rangers

21 August 1915 League	Dumbarton	1–3[2][3]	Rangers	Boghead Park
	Gettins (pen.)		Reid 10', 40' Cunningham	Attendance: 6,000 Referee: J Weir

Aberdeen v Dumbarton

28 August 1915 League	Aberdeen	2–2[4][5]	Dumbarton	Pittodrie Stadium
	Walker 13' Main		McGregor 60' O'Neill 62'	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: A Allan

Dumbarton v Ayr United

4 September 1915 League	Dumbarton	0–3[6][7]	Ayr United	Boghead Park
			Crombie Richardson Ingram	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: M Dickie

Motherwell v Dumbarton

11 September 1915 League	Motherwell	4–1[8][9]	Dumbarton	Fir Park
	Neil Waugh Gray 45'		Farrell 55'	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: A Edward

Dumbarton v Falkirk

18 September 1915 League	Dumbarton	3–1[10][11]	Falkirk	Boghead Park
	Ritchie,W 48', 65' O'Neill 68'		Gibbons 87'	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: A Edward

Kilmarnock v Dumbarton

25 September 1915 League	Kilmarnock	5–1[12][13]	Dumbarton	Rugby Park
	Short 20' Murray Armour Culley		Ritchie,W 20'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Jackson

Dumbarton v Dundee

2 October 1915 League	Dumbarton	1–1[14][15]	Dundee	Boghead Park
	McGregor 60'		Fisher 15'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Edward

Dumbarton v Queen's Park

9 October 1915 League	Dumbarton	2–4[16][17]	Queen's Park	Boghead Park
	O'Neill		Sibbald Morton,R	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: J Binnie

St Mirren v Dumbarton

16 October 1915 League	St Mirren	1–2[18][19]	Dumbarton	Love Street (stadium)
	Bruce 5'		Ritchie 2' Travers 10'	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: L Wynne

Dumbarton v Airdrie

23 October 1915 League	Dumbarton	3–1[20][21]	Airdrie	Boghead Park
	McGregor		Williams (pen.)	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: T Robertson

Hibernian v Dumbarton

30 October 1915 League	Hibernian	1–1[22][23]	Dumbarton	Easter Road Stadium
	Meagher		O'Neill 30'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Jackson

Dumbarton v Clyde

6 November 1915 League	Dumbarton	2–1[24][25]	Clyde	Boghead Park
	McGregor 13' Ritchie,W 50'		Scouller 34'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Jackson

Morton v Dumbarton

13 November 1915 League	Morton	3–1[26][27]	Dumbarton	Cappielow Park
	Buchanan 10' Stevenson		Ritchie,W	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: J Stevenson

Dumbarton v Third Lanark

20 November 1915 League	Dumbarton	1–1[28][29]	Third Lanark	Boghead Park
	Rowan 10'		Anderson 25'	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: R Kelso

Hearts v Dumbarton

27 November 1915 League	Hearts	3–1[30][31]	Dumbarton	Tynecastle Stadium
	Millar 20' Welsh 21' Graham		Ritchie,W	Attendance: 4,500 Referee: H Humphrey

Dumbarton v Raith Rovers

4 December 1915 League	Dumbarton	1–0[32][33]	Raith Rovers	Boghead Park
	Ritchie,W 40'			Attendance: 3,000 Referee: G McKenzie

Dumbarton v Partick Thistle

11 December 1915 League	Dumbarton	2–0[34][35]	Partick Thistle	Boghead Park
	McGregor Thom			Attendance: 2,000 Referee: R Murray

Hamilton v Dumbarton

18 December 1915 League	Hamilton	1–1[36][37]	Dumbarton	Douglas Park
	Kelly		Ritchie,W	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: H Humphrey

Dumbarton v Motherwell

25 December 1915 League	Dumbarton	0–0[38][39]	Motherwell	Boghead Park
				Attendance: 2,000 Referee: H Dickie

Raith Rovers v Dumbarton

1 January 1916 League	Raith Rovers	1–0[40][41]	Dumbarton	Starks Park
	Turner			Attendance: 4,000 Referee: J Weir

Ayr United v Dumbarton

3 January 1916 League	Ayr United	3–1[42][43]	Dumbarton	Somerset Park
	Gray McLaughlin Rattray		Miller	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Allan

Dumbarton v Celtic

8 January 1916 League	Dumbarton	1–2[44][45]	Celtic	Boghead Park
	Riddell 13'		Brown 60' Johnstone	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: R Kelso

Partick Thistle v Dumbarton

15 January 1916 League	Partick Thistle	0–0[46][47]	Dumbarton	Firhill Park
				Attendance: 10,000 Referee: J Matthews

Dumbarton v Morton

22 January 1916 League	Dumbarton	1–1[48][49]	Morton	Boghead Park
	Thom		Pickering	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: T Robertson

Airdrie v Dumbarton

29 January 1916 League	Airdrie	2–1[50][51]	Dumbarton	Broomfield Park
	Anderson Reid		McGregor	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: J Kirkland

Dumbarton v Hearts

5 February 1916 League	Dumbarton	1–1[52][53]	Hearts	Boghead Park
	O'Neill 53'		Welsh	Attendance: 6,000 Referee: A Jackson

Celtic v Dumbarton

12 February 1916 League	Celtic	6–0[54][55]	Dumbarton	Celtic Park
	McAtee 75' (pen.) McMaster 76', 86' Gallacher 81'			Attendance: 6,000 Referee: R Murray

Falkirk v Dumbarton

19 February 1916 League	Falkirk	1–2[56][57]	Dumbarton	Brockville Park
	Harvie		O'Neill 40'	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: J Weir

Dumbarton v Hamilton

26 February 1916 League	Dumbarton	7–0[58][59]	Hamilton	Boghead Park
	Thom O'Neill Gilchrist Robertson (OG)			Attendance: 2,000 Referee: A Allan

Dumbarton v St Mirren

4 March 1916 League	Dumbarton	2–0[60][61]	St Mirren	Boghead Park
	O'Neill Thom			Attendance: 4,000 Referee: J Lyons

Third Lanark v Dumbarton

11 March 1916 League	Third Lanark	4–0[62][63]	Dumbarton	Cathkin Park
	McLean			Attendance: 3,000 Referee: J Weir

Dundee v Dumbarton

18 March 1916 League	Dundee	0–1[64][65]	Dumbarton	Dens Park
			Riddell (pen.)	Attendance: 6,000 Referee: T Robertson

Queen's Park v Dumbarton

1 April 1916 League	Queen's Park	0–2[66][67]	Dumbarton	Hampden Park
			Gilchrist 50' Thom 80'	Attendance: 10,000 Referee: J Lyons

Dumbarton v Hibernian

8 April 1916 League	Dumbarton	2–1[68][69]	Hibernian	Boghead Park
	O'Neill McGregor		Hutchison	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Edward

Clyde v Dumbarton

15 April 1916 League	Clyde	3–1[70][71]	Dumbarton	Shawfield Stadium
	Watson,C Watson,G Thomson		O'Neill	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: H Humphreys

Rangers v Dumbarton

20 April 1916 League	Rangers	2–2[72][73]	Dumbarton	Ibrox Park
	Branscombe 50' Duncan 53'		Ritchie,W 30' O'Neill 75'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: T Robertson

Dumbarton v Aberdeen

25 April 1916 League	Dumbarton	2–1[74][75]	Aberdeen	Boghead Park
	McGregor Riddell 85'		Cumming 2'	Attendance: 2,000

Dumbarton v Kilmarnock

29 April 1916 League	Dumbarton	1–1[76][77]	Kilmarnock	Boghead Park
	O'Neill 88'		Goldie,G 35'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: A Kirkland

Dumbartonshire Charity Cup

While Dumbarton did not enter the Dumbartonshire Cup, the Dumbartonshire Charity Cup was played for the first time but Dumbarton were knocked out in the first round by Clydebank.

Clydebank v Dumbarton

6 May 1916 First round	Clydebank	5–1	Dumbarton	Clydeholm Park
	Michie Philips Welsh		Ritchie

Friendlies

During the season two 'friendlies' were played, both being won, scoring 7 goals for the loss of none.

Dumbarton v Vale of Leven

22 April 1916 Friendly	Dumbarton	1–0	Vale of Leven	Boghead Park
	Thom

Dumbarton v Clydebank

20 May 1916 Friendly	Dumbarton	6–0	Clydebank	Boghead Park
	Arnott Thom O'Neill Gilchrist Ritchie			Attendance: 1,000

Player statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Scottish League
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	SCO	Thomas Hamilton[78]	38	0	38	0
	DF	SCO	Felix Gunn[79]	33	0	33	0
	DF	SCO	Tommy Kelso	10	0	10	0
	DF	SCO	Bob McGrory	37	0	37	0
	DF	SCO	Archibald Ritchie	1	0	1	0
	MF	SCO	John Chalmers[80]	9	0	9	0
	MF	SCO	Ted Garry	18	0	18	0
	MF	SCO	Peter McFie[81]	8	0	8	0
	MF	SCO	Arthur Murphy[82]	16	0	16	0
	MF	SCO	James Riddell[83]	31	3	31	3
	FW	SCO	James Arnott[84]	1	0	1	0
	FW	SCO	William Farrell[85]	21	1	21	1
	FW	ENG	Alfred Gettins	16	1	16	1
	FW	SCO	Thomas Gilchrist	19	2	19	2
	FW	SCO	Alex McGregor	35	10	35	10
	FW	SCO	John Miller[86]	3	1	3	1
	FW	SCO	Patrick O'Neill[87]	26	14	26	14
	FW	SCO	William Ritchie	35	10	35	10
	FW	SCO	John Rowan	2	1	2	1
	FW	SCO	Alexander Thom	38	8	38	8
	FW	SCO	Pat Travers	21	1	21	1

Source:^[88]

Transfers

Players in Player From Date William Ritchie Renton 28 Jul 1915 John Chalmers Croy Celtic 12 Aug 1915 Felix Gunn Parkhead 14 Aug 1915 Patrick O'Neill Burnbank Athletic 14 Aug 1915 Thomas Gilchrist Rangers 16 Aug 1915 Alex McGregor Celtic (loan) 21 Aug 1915 William Farrell Stevenston United (loan) 31 Aug 1915 Arthur Murphy Airdrie 2 Sep 1915 Tommy Kelso Rangers (loan) 20 Oct 1915 Ted Garry Derby County 16 Nov 1915 John Miller QPR 1 Jan 1916 James Arnott Leicester City 22 Apr 1916

Players out Player To Date John Miller Airdrie (loan) 23 Mar 1916 James Ferguson Cowdenbeath

Source:^[89]

In addition James Brown, Alexander Davidson, William McAlpine, John Murray, James Thomson, William Watson and Andrew Wilson all played their final 'first XI' games in Dumbarton colours.