| Club: | Dumbarton |
| Season: | 1956–1957 |
| Manager: | Peter McGown |
| Stadium: | Boghead Park, Dumbarton |
| League: | Scottish League Division 2 |
| League Result: | 9th |
| Cup1: | Scottish Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Seventh round |
| Cup2: | Scottish League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Prelims |
| League Topscorer: | Hugh Gallacher (28) |
| Season Topscorer: | Hugh Gallacher (37) |
| Pattern La1: | _black_hoops |
| Pattern B1: | _goldhoops |
| Pattern Ra1: | _black_hoops |
| Pattern So1: | _goldtop |
| Leftarm1: | ffc100 |
| Body1: | 000000 |
| Rightarm1: | ffc100 |
| Shorts1: | ffffff |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
| Prevseason: | 1955–56 |
| Nextseason: | 1957–58 |
The 1956–57 season was the 73rd football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup. In addition Dumbarton competed in the Stirlingshire Cup.
See main article: 1956–57 Scottish Football League. By coming so close to promotion the previous season, confidence was high to mount a serious challenge on the Division 2 title. However, despite breaking the 100 goals scored in a league season for the first time, the 70 against was never going to be 'championship material' and only a 9th place was achieved with 38 points, 26 behind runaway winners Clyde.
See main article: 1956–57 Scottish Cup. In the Cup, Dumbarton dispatched two Division 1 clubs en route to the quarter-finals, where Raith Rovers were to prove too strong.
See main article: 1956–57 Scottish League Cup. Dumbarton failed to qualify from their section in the League Cup, although it was their poor home performances which were to count against them this season.
With an aggregate win over Alloa Athletic in the final, the county cup returned to Dumbarton for the second time.
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Source:[1]
Amongst those players joining and leaving the club were the following:
| Player | From | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Rollo | 28 May 1956 | ||
| Jim Hunter | 11 Aug 1956 | ||
| Felix Kiernan | 22 Sep 1956 | ||
| Bobby Gibson | 29 Nov 1956 | ||
| Bertie Auld | Celtic (loan) |
| Player | To | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerry McCaffrey | Cowdenbeath | 23 Jun 1956 | |
| Joe Harvey | Freed | 30 Apr 1957 | |
| Jim Hunter | Freed | 30 Apr 1957 |
Source:[2]
Dumbarton played a 'reserve' team in the Alliance League, which was set up for Division 2 sides. The season was split into two 'series' - with Dumbarton winning the First Series (with 6 wins and 2 draws from 10 games) and finishing as runners up in the Second (with 6 wins and 3 draws from 12 games).