| Club: | Dumbarton |
| Season: | 1987–1988 |
| Manager: | Mark Clougherty |
| Stadium: | Boghead Park, Dumbarton |
| League: | Scottish League Division 1 |
| League Result: | 12th |
| Cup1: | Scottish Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Third Round |
| Cup2: | Scottish League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third Round |
| Matches: | 48 |
| Total Goals: | 53 |
| League Topscorer: | Owen Coyle (14) |
| Season Topscorer: | Owen Coyle (14) |
| Highest Attendance: | 1,283 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 700 |
| Average Attendance: | 850 |
| Prevseason: | 1986–87 |
| Nextseason: | 1988–89 |
Season 1987–88 was the 104th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 82nd time, the Scottish Cup for the 93rd time and the Scottish League Cup for the 41st time.
Following two promotion challenging seasons, Dumbarton inexplicably sank to the bottom of the First Division and were relegated to the third tier of Scottish league football. With the loss of Sir Hugh Fraser, finances at the club were tight, and with this in mind it was decided to appoint Mark Clougherty as player/manager. However results were generally poor and the board sacked Clougherty in January. In his place Bertie Auld was appointed and despite a spirited draw against Hibernian in the Cup, a winless run of 11 games would ensure the club's drop into bottom place in the league - a place they would occupy even though Dumbarton were unbeaten in their last four games.
In the Scottish Cup, another third round exit was Dumbarton's fate, although this would be after a draw against Premier Division opponents Hibernian.
In the League Cup, for the second year in a row Celtic were Dumbarton's third round opponents, and it would be the Premier Division side that would ease through to the next round.
Locally however, Dumbarton regained the Stirlingshire Cup, with a final victory over Stirling Albion.
See main article: 1987-88 Scottish First Division.
See main article: 1987-88 Scottish League Cup.
See main article: 1987–88 Scottish Cup.
| Player | From | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Cranmer | Belhaven Athletic | 27 Jun 1987 | |
| Benny Rooney | Petershill | 27 Jun 1987 | |
| Jimmy Bell | Kilbowie Union | 23 Jul 1987 | |
| Stevie Gow | Dumbarton United | 23 Jul 1987 | |
| Iain McKinley | Duntocher BC | 23 Jul 1987 | |
| Robert Docherty | Hamilton | 1 Nov 1987 | |
| Jim Creaney | Stranraer (loan) | 14 Nov 1987 | |
| Willie Cairns | Partick Thistle | 9 Jan 1988 | |
| Dougie McGuire | Celtic (loan) | 13 Feb 1988 | |
| Gerry Doyle | Stranraer | 26 Feb 1988 | |
| Joe Carson | Stranraer | 12 Mar 1988 | |
| Billy Blackie | Forfar Athletic | 9 Apr 1988 | |
| Gerry McCabe | Hamilton (loan) | 9 Apr 1988 |
| Player | To | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie Rafferty | Partick Thistle | 13 Jun 1987 | |
| Danny Docherty | Queen of the South | 1 Aug 1987 | |
| Tommy Coyle | St Johnstone | 22 Aug 1987 | |
| Arthur Grant | East Stirling | 28 Nov 1987 | |
| Joe Carson | Vale of Leven | ||
| Alan Kay | |||
| Jimmy Bell | |||
| Jim McNeil | |||
| Billy Traynor |
Dumbarton competed in the Scottish Reserve League (West), winning 11 and drawing 11 of 33 games.