Club chairman Neil McKay has provided the following statement:
The season in which we have celebrated our 150th year has drawn to a close. It has been a remarkable one both on and off the pitch.
Club records have been broken, including the longest unbeaten start to a season, the most clean sheets in any season and the longest unbeaten home record since moving to the current stadium.
Our aim remains, as always, to play at the highest possible sustainable level within the structure of the SPFL and this season we demonstrated that we were almost, but not quite, ready to return to League One – we will use this platform to build for the challenge of next season and the success which we all seek.
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who arranged and participated in our 150th anniversary celebrations. Not only was it appropriate to reflect upon the rich history of the Dumbarton Football Club, its many achievements and inspirational characters but we were alsostruck by the huge affection which so many former players from all eras hold for this club – they are all legends.
We have been concerned and appalled to learn recently of the impact of online abuse on some of our players and officials.
To finish second at the end of a long league campaign is, in itself, an achievement and by the very nature of sport there will be reversals along the way. It is vital to the success of the club that we are able to recruit, nurture and retain talented players and staff who will give their all for the club while enjoying their successes and learning from their defeats but without being demotivated by exposure to vitriolic and offensive abuse from a small minority on online platforms.
This is sport, we are Dumbarton Football Club and these are not our supporters. We deplore online abuse and fully recognise that the vast majority of our fans do too.
We provide an opportunity for all to enjoy competitive football in a safe and welcoming environment, with the club at the heart of a growing programme of community engagement. We continue to support and to develop partnerships with local businesses and are delighted that a growing number of these are embracing the potential for working more closely with us.
We thank all of you for your support throughout this most recent season and are very appreciative of the fact that the uptake of season tickets for next season has already exceeded our expectations. So, as the football pauses, we would like to wish you all a wonderful summer. The hard work at the club continues and we will provide regular updates about signings, upcoming events and developments.
