Wednesday 29th June 2022
DUMBARTON FC historian Jim McAllister pays tribute to our club record appearance holder Johnny Graham, who passed away yesterday.
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It is with deep and profound sadness that Dumbarton Football Club learned yesterday of the passing of Johnny Graham at the age of 74, following a period of illness.
Quite simply, he was one of the finest players to have graced the club and a gentleman to boot. He regularly underplayed his own contribution but his peers will confirm how good a player he was.
Known affectionately as ‘Casper’, he was short in stature and slim in build but he had grit and determination, added to a gifted left foot that saw him score 29 goals for the club and create countless others.
Johnny started his football career with Arthurlie Juniors in 1967 before joining Dumbarton in February 1968. He went straight into the side and he was a fixture there for the next 10 seasons, playing a total of 385 games, more than anyone else in the club’s history. His record of playing in 99 cup ties for Dumbarton will never be surpassed.
He was a valuable member of the Second Division Championship winning team of 1971/72 and also played in both games against Celtic in the 1970 Scottish League Cup Semi-Final and both games against Heart of Midlothian the Scottish Cup Semi Final in 1976. It is no coincidence Dumbarton’s most successful period of the 20th Century was achieved when Johnny Graham was in the side.
When he was released in 1977 at the age of 29 many thought he still had plenty to offer the game and so it proved. He joined Renfrew Juniors briefly before moving to Rutherglen Glencairn in 1978 where he went on to win 6 Scotland Junior International Caps. His career ended at Johnstone Burgh in 1984.
Johnny has been a regular visitor to the club along with several of his team-mates and only last month the Championship winning side of 1971/72 were inducted into the newly created Dumbarton Football Club Hall of Fame.
He will be sadly missed.
Our thoughts are his family at this time.