Saturday 29th April 2017
SO, it was not to be tonight.
Despite a well-fought game at Tannadice tonight, Dumbarton must face one last push next Saturday in order to meet their goal of Championship survival.
And push they most definitely will.
Our stay in Scotland’s second tier has been a fantastic experience. To achieve five seasons in the Championship, all of them as a part-time club, has been something extremely special.
We are one point away from making it six seasons. We may in fact not even need to take anything from Falkirk next Saturday, depending on how results go elsewhere. But we’d rather win anyway to be absolutely sure.
Think back to that unforgettable day at Airdrie in May 2012, when we were confirmed as being promoted to what was then the First Division. How long did you think our stay at this level would last? Hopefully more than one season – maybe two or three? Other part-time clubs have held their own at this level before reality has bitten.
Our reality is that we need one final result to make it six seasons in the second tier. SIX seasons, competing against some of the best-known clubs in Scottish football in the process, and we are still here, with every one of those campaigns being undertaken as a part-time side.
The goal we set at the start of this season is within touching distance. But we still need to reach out and grab it.
So make sure you are at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium next Saturday for the finale to the scheduled league season – and hopefully the final fixture of the campaign.
And support the team like you have done since the first ball of the league season was kicked, at Dunfermline on the first Saturday in August. Once again, your backing at Tannadice tonight was fantastic and it is a pity that it could not be rewarded with celebrations of official survival on the night.
Those celebrations, though, could be delayed by only a week. We are still in control of our own destiny and if the final push is hard enough next Saturday, our goal will be achieved.
We don’t want to spend the afternoon with one eye on the football and one eye on the phone checking how other games are going. We’re capable of doing the job ourselves.
Next Saturday is a day when everybody at Dumbarton – players, management, officials and supporters – needs to join together once again.
And give us one last push.
See you there.