Friday 5th August 2016
THIS season, Stuart Millar will know what’s happening to Dumbarton a week before everybody else.
Not that he has psychic powers or anything. But he’ll be manager Stevie Aitken’s unseen ally.
While Sons are at East End Park on Saturday, Stuart will be at Tannadice watching Dundee United play Queen of the South.
Then, when the Arabs are visitors to the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium, he’ll be across the Clyde attending Morton’s clash with Falkirk.
And so on. Whatever there is to know about Dumbarton’s opponents one week, Stuart will know it the previous one.
He said: “My job at the club is an important and enjoyable one. The only drawback is that I very rarely get to see my own team play!
“To survive in Scotland’s second tier as a part-time club, it is vital that you know what you are up against.
“With most of the league being full-time, they have time to work on things that you don’t. Therefore you must take every chance to see them put their ideas into practice.
“It worked out for us last season. Had we not had the likes of St Mirren and Livingston watched on a regular basis, we might not have taken so many points off them and might not have finished above them.
“Reading about your opponents in the papers is all very well and good, but you have to see them for yourself. It is a challenge I am happy to take on, and delighted when it works out for Stevie and the players.”
But Stuart’s responsibilities don’t end there. As chief scout, he is responsible for sourcing potential new recruits to the squad.
And the former Sons player knows just how key that element of his post is to helping the club achieve its targets.
He added: “Signing players is always a challenge but I would like to think that most of our activity paid off last season.
“This time around, we have added quality to our ranks, some of it with experience of this level or higher.
“It is going to be an exciting season at the club and as staff, we all have to muck in – whether we attend games or not.”
Join the debate @dumbartonfc and #sons24
Andy Galloway