Saturday 14th May 2022
CHAMPIONS or playoffs?
In what is now cinch League Two, Ally Love has done both.
And whichever method helps Dumbarton into cinch League One, he wants to make it a hat-trick.
The winger became Sons’ second new signing of the close season – the first fully new signing – when he completed a one-year deal at Dumbarton Football Stadium today.
It is now seven years since he gained a winner’s medal from the fourth tier, with Albion Rovers in 2015. Three years later he was celebrating playoff success with Clyde.
He now hopes to be moving up to the third tier outside Lanarkshire for the first time.
And he reckons it’s a possibility.
Speaking to dumbartonfootballclub.com, Ally said: “I’m delighted. The gaffer has tried to get me for a number of years now. I wanted to stay at Clyde in previous years but I’m delighted to get it over the line with Dumbarton now.
“I’ve seen the potential the club has had for a number of years. I’ve been playing in Leagues One and Two and the Championship while Dumbarton, as a whole, were the best part-time team in Scotland for a long time.
“So I am excited, and hopefully I can help to progress the club back to where it needs to be.
“It was tough to leave Clyde. I got them promoted to League One, kept them in the division and built up a relationship with the fans and the people involved there.
“To captain them was also a huge honour for myself. So it was difficult to leave, but I felt after speaking with the manager that the time was right.
“He wanted to take the club in a different direction, which I totally respected, and I felt for both parties that it was the right call.
“I’ve had quite a few offers since leaving – my phone has been going every day and I’ve had offers from Leagues One and Two.
“But I genuinely think that with the right additions, Dumbarton could have a right go at not just winning promotion back to League One, but going out to try our damnedest to win the league.
“When I played against them last season I genuinely felt they weren’t far away. They beat Clyde three times out of four, and with the core of boys who are there, and with some good additions, I think it’s achievable.
“I know the club will be hurting after relegation, and that’s understandable, but from a personal point of view, my objective is to come in and get the club back to where it should be.”
Ally also has a personal target for his first season with Dumbarton.
He added: “With the position I play, I always look for double figure goals, and I can say I’ve achieved that most seasons.
“But the more goals we can get from all over the pitch the better, as everybody will be doing their bit.
“It will also stand you in good stead to challenge at the right end of the table.”
Dumbarton Football Club