Friday 7th October 2022
EVERYBODY at Dumbarton FC is delighted that after the first quarter of the cinch League Two season, the team finds itself five points clear at the top of the table.
When we started our league campaign against Stirling Albion in July, we had no specific points tally in mind for the first quarter. What we did hope was that winning matches would become more of a habit than it has been in previous seasons. We are sure you will agree that this aspiration has not just been met, if anything it has been exceeded. It has also been recognised with two thoroughly deserved awards in August – Stevie Farrell as the division’s manager of the month and Declan Byrne as player of the month.
However, as Stevie repeatedly stresses, this is only a start towards what we hope will be a season for the history books. There is a long way to go and the previous two games, against Stranraer and Forfar Athletic, have been a reminder of the challenge that remains ahead. We have every confidence in our management and players to meet that challenge and hope that the second quarter of the season can be just as successful as the first. Everybody is in this together, and keen to return to winning ways at Stirling on Saturday.
We also look forward to visiting Cumnock FC as our Scottish Cup campaign begins with our second round tie on Friday, October 21. The match is live on the BBC Scotland channel if you cannot make the trip to Townhead Park.
Another key part of the success to date has been our supporters, with over 300 season tickets and Young Sons memberships sold prior to the start of the league season. Attendances at our home fixtures have been steadily increasing and we very much hope this trend continues. Away from home, it has been pleasing to note that the Sons Supporters Trust have been able to run supporters’ buses to the majority of our away fixtures so far and we hope this also remains the case.
It has been a particular source of encouragement to see the number of Young Sons attending our matches, either in the block nearest Castle Road, or with family members in other parts of the stadium. If you are aged 16 or under, it is not too late to join the Young Sons – membership remains open throughout the season and will guarantee you a seat for home league fixtures. All the details are in this previous story.
To supporters of all ages – keep up the good work, and we will continue to do our best to reward your efforts.
There has been various talk recently, on both sides of the border, about winter fixtures moving to earlier kick-offs to reduce energy costs by minimising the use of floodlights. This is something that we have an open mind on – if such a move is beneficial to Dumbarton FC, it is something we would of course consider. However, we also must be mindful of the wishes of our staff and supporters, including hospitality guests, should any change be put on the table. If we are in a position to consider earlier kick-offs for our home matches over winter, we would seek the opinions of our supporters, so please keep an eye out for any engagement on this.
Talking of winter, party season will soon be upon us and you do not even have to wait as long as December to enjoy a celebration at DFC. Our fundraising ladies’ lunch takes place on Sunday, October 23; a Halloween party for all ages is on Friday, October 28; and we have Breakfast With Santa on Sunday, December 11. We have also just announced Christmas party nights at Dumbarton Football Stadium in conjunction with our head of entertainment, Jim Smart. Last but by no means least, the Rock Comedy Club continues to hold its regular events at the stadium. All details are in the What’s on section linked on the left hand side of your page.
In association with Rock You Events, the stadium is open to stage your own special event, subject to availability. Please contact us on 01389 762569, or by email to frontdesk@dumbartonfc.co.uk, to find out more. We also welcome ideas to further add to the club’s own events calendar. If you have an idea for an event and can help to get the ball rolling with it, we would be delighted to hear from you as above.
Celebrations of our 150th anniversary continue, and an exhibition at Dumbarton Library Heritage Centre to showcase our history is now open. An official launch was held on Wednesday evening, with special guests, including local politicians, in attendance. It is now open to the public until Saturday, December 17 and it is a must-visit for every local football fan. Work is also ongoing behind the scenes on other ways to commemorate this special milestone and we will issue updates on these once we are able to.
Lastly, we welcome any correspondence from supporters in relation to the matchday experience at Dumbarton FC. We always want to do everything we can to make days out at Dumbarton Football Stadium as enjoyable as possible (including winning games of course). If you have any feedback to give us on this, please contact us using the details above.
Many thanks for your continued support, and hopefully we will see you at Stirling on Saturday, or at a future game. As above, we are all in it together and the next chapter is beginning.
Dumbarton Football Club