# 1986–87 Dumbarton F.C. season

Season 1986–87 was the 103rd football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 81st time, the Scottish Cup for the 92nd time and the Scottish League Cup for the 40th time.

## Overview

Dumbarton began another First Division campaign with a new manager at the helm - Alex Totten - who had been released from his duties with Rangers following the arrival of Graeme Souness. Following another league reconstruction, the First Division clubs would play each other 4 times - a big ask particularly for the part-time clubs - but as things turned out it was to be a close thing for promotion with Dumbarton always up with the front runners. In the end, it was to be a 3rd-place finish - just 4 points behind champions Morton.
In the Scottish Cup, it would be another early exit for Dumbarton, this time to Brechin City after a draw, in the third round.
In the League Cup, Stirling Albion were dispatched in the second round before a fighting display against Celtic, saw Dumbarton's interest in the competition come to an end for another year.
Locally, Dumbarton failed to keep a grip on the Stirlingshire Cup, with Stirling Albion gaining some revenge for their League Cup exit, with a semi final win.

## Results & fixtures

Win  Draw  Loss

### Pre-season matches
## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Morton (C, P) | 44 | 24 | 9 | 11 | 88 | 56 | +32 | 57 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Dunfermline Athletic (P) | 44 | 23 | 10 | 11 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 56 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Dumbarton | 44 | 23 | 7 | 14 | 67 | 52 | +15 | 53 | |
| 4 | East Fife | 44 | 15 | 21 | 8 | 68 | 55 | +13 | 51 | |
| 5 | Airdrieonians | 44 | 20 | 11 | 13 | 58 | 46 | +12 | 51 | |

## Player statistics
### Squad

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | First Division | First Division | League Cup | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | SCO | Gordon Arthur | 35 | 0 | 31+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | GK | SCO | Hugh Stevenson | 13 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Ray Montgomerie | 38 | 0 | 35+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Billy Traynor | 7 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Mark Clougherty | 30 | 0 | 26+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Owen Coyle | 46 | 17 | 33+10 | 17 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Tommy Coyle | 46 | 7 | 43+0 | 5 | 2+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 1 |
| | MF | SCO | Harry Curran | 11 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Danny Docherty | 24 | 0 | 18+4 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Alan Kay | 21 | 0 | 18+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Dave Martin | 34 | 0 | 32+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Steve McCahill | 42 | 2 | 37+2 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Joe McLeod | 5 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Donald McNeil | 14 | 1 | 12+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Jim McNeil | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Jackie Rafferty | 3 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Jim Rooney | 25 | 2 | 23+1 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | John Bourke | 13 | 1 | 8+3 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Arthur Grant | 26 | 0 | 10+15 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Peter Houston | 42 | 5 | 34+4 | 5 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Stuart MacIver | 34 | 9 | 18+13 | 7 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 2 |
| | FW | SCO | Gerry McCoy | 43 | 22 | 35+4 | 21 | 0+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 |
| | FW | SCO | Pat McGowan | 35 | 2 | 17+15 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Allan Moore | 20 | 3 | 18+0 | 3 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |

### International caps

Owen Coyle was selected to play for the Republic of Ireland Under 21 team in matches against Scotland on 17 February played at Easter Road and against Belgium on 28 April.

### Transfers
## Reserve Team

Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League (West).

## Trivia

* The League match against Clyde on 15 November marked Gordon Arthur's 100th appearance for Dumbarton in all national competitions - the 92nd Dumbarton player to reach this milestone.
* Dumbarton ended the season managerless - Alex Totten having been appointed at St Johnstone, and with the death of chairman and benefactor Sir Hugh Fraser, the club would face severe financial challenges in the coming season.