# 2003–04 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 2003–04 was the 120th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 98th time, the Scottish Cup for the 109th time, the Scottish League Cup for the 57th time and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the 13th time.

## Overview

Notwithstanding the improvement in performances towards the end of the previous season, manager David Winnie set about a considerable change in playing staff. Unfortunately, despite an initial burst, it would take longer than expected for the new players to settle in, and by the end of October, only one league win had been recorded. However, from then until the end of the season, the league campaign saw a vast improvement in results and in the end a 3rd-place finish was achieved - missing promotion by just 2 points.
In the Scottish Cup, it would be a first round exit for the third season in a row, with a heavy defeat to Gretna.
In the League Cup, following a win over Ayr United in the first round, it would be Premier Division Aberdeen that would bring Dumbarton's interest in the competition to an end.
Finally, in the Scottish Challenge Cup, it was back to old habits, with Ross County handing out a first round thumping.
Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton lost both of their opening group ties - however each tie was lost on a penalty shoot out.

## Results & fixtures

Win  Draw  Loss

### Pre-season and mid-season friendlies
## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Airdrie United (C, P) | 36 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 64 | 36 | +28 | 70 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 2 | Hamilton Academical (P) | 36 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 70 | 47 | +23 | 62 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | Dumbarton | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 56 | 41 | +15 | 60 | |
| 4 | Greenock Morton | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 66 | 58 | +8 | 59 | |
| 5 | Berwick Rangers | 36 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 61 | 67 | −6 | 48 | |

## Player statistics
### Squad

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Second Division | Second Division | League Cup | League Cup | Challenge Cup | Challenge Cup | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | SCO | Stephen Grindlay | 38 | 0 | 34+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | GK | SCO | Kris Robertson | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | GK | SCO | John Wight | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Craig Brittain | 36 | 1 | 32+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Neil Collins | 34 | 2 | 29+1 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Ian Dobbins | 20 | 0 | 12+5 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Neil Duffy | 11 | 0 | 8+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Craig McEwan | 25 | 4 | 19+4 | 4 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | James McKinstry | 40 | 0 | 36+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | NGA | James Okoli | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Steve Renicks | 18 | 0 | 7+11 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Steven Bonar | 39 | 6 | 35+0 | 5 | 1+1 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Chris Boyle | 32 | 4 | 17+11 | 4 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Mark Bradley | 28 | 2 | 18+6 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | John Dillon | 39 | 8 | 31+5 | 8 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Barry Donald | 28 | 0 | 24+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Steve Laidler | 6 | 0 | 0+6 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | NGA | Emeka Obidile | 13 | 1 | 8+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Danny Smith | 7 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Isaac English | 11 | 1 | 8+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Paddy Flannery | 13 | 4 | 8+2 | 3 | 1+1 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Gordon Herd | 21 | 8 | 11+9 | 8 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Stevie Mallan | 5 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Andy Rodgers | 11 | 4 | 7+4 | 4 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Paul Ronald | 14 | 3 | 13+1 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Iain Russell | 36 | 10 | 26+7 | 10 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | FW | NOR | Bjorn Skjelbred | 8 | 1 | 2+6 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |

### Transfers
## Trivia

* The League match against Forfar Athletic on 20 September marked Craig Brittain's 200th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 28th Dumbarton player to break the 'double century'.