| Club: | Dumbarton |
| Season: | 2024–25 |
| Manager: | Stevie Farrell |
| Chairman: | Dr Neil MacKay |
| Stadium: | Dumbarton Football Stadium |
| League: | League One |
| Cup1: | League Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Group stage |
| Cup2: | Scottish Cup |
| Prevseason: | 2023–24 |
| Nextseason: | 2025–26 |
The 2024–25 season will be Dumbarton Football Club's first back in Scottish League One, the third tier of Scottish football, having finished fourth in Scottish League Two in 2023–24 and won the playoffs.[1] Dumbarton will also compete in the Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
Following promotion to Scottish League One the club's first friendly was announced on May 21, with Sons facing Hebburn Town on July 6.[2] On June 23 forward Marc Kelly, midfielder Luca Vata and goalkeeper Harry Broun were released. With new deals offered to Finlay Gray, Michael Ruth, Aron Lynas and Kalvin Orsi.[3] On May 29, forward Michael Ruth who had scored 15 times the previous season, signed a new season long deal with the club.[4] However midfielders Blair Malcolm and Callum Wilson both departed the club.[5] The same day the Sons were drawn to face East Kilbride, Airdrieonians, Aberdeen and Queen of the South in the Scottish League Cup.[6] On May 31 defender Matthew Shiels became the club's first signing of the summer, returning to the club for a third spell from Cove Rangers.[7] [8]
Sons made a double signing on June 1 with Cameron Clark joining from Stirling Albion and Michael Miller from Broomhill.[9] Midfielder Finlay Gray[10] and winger Kalvin Orsi also agreed new season-long deals.[11] On June 7, winger Craig McGuffie became the club's fourth new addition - joining from Queen of the South.[12] The same day, winger Ross MacLean left the club - joining Forfar Athletic for an undisclosed fee[13] - but goalkeeper Patrick O'Neil signed a new season long deal.[14] On June 8 defender Aron Lynas extended his stay - signing a season long deal to take him into a third campaign with the club.[15] A third friendly of pre-season was arranged for July 2, with Sons travelling to Ayrshire to face Glenafton Athletic.[16] Mouhamed Niang was the club's next new addition, joining on a year long deal from Cove Rangers on June 19.[17] [18] On June 26 defender Sean Crighton left the club to become the new head coach of Queen's Park's B team.[19] Sons' first pre-season friendly ended in a 3-2 defeat to 2023–24 League One champions Falkirk - with Jinky Hilton scoring both goals.[20]
Sons' second friendly match finished in a 4-0 victory against Glenafton Athletic. Carlo Pignatiello scored a brace with Jinky Hilton and a trialist striker also on target, with all the goals coming before half-time.[21] The pre-season campaign was rounded off with another big away win, this time 6-1 against Hebburn Town in Newcastle. Again Pignatiello and the trialist striker got on the scoresheet, with David Wilson, Finlay Gray and Michael Ruth's brace completing the scoring.[22] On July 9 the Dumbarton Football Stadium was renamed The Marbill Coaches Stadium in a new sponsorship deal.[23] The first competitive game of the season finished in a 1-1 draw with East Kilbride. Kalvin Orsi getting Sons' goal, with Kilby claiming the bonus point after a 4-2 penalty shootout win. The second game in the group finished in a 2-0 defeat to Queen of the South at Palmerston Park.[24] A second defeat followed, 4-3 against Airdrieonians, in a game where Sons were 3-1 up after an hour. Finlay Gray opened the scoring, with Jinky Hilton netting a double.[25] On July 25 Swedish striker Joel Mumbongo became the Sons' sixth new signing of the summer, joining on a season long deal having left Hamilton Academical.[26] He made his debut on July 27 as the Sons' League Cup campaign ended with a 6-0 defeat to Aberdeen - with the Dons scoring all six goals in the second-half.
The first league game of the new season ended in a 1-1 draw with newly-relegated Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Highlands, with Carlo Pignatiello on target and Mouhamed Niang sent-off for two bookings.[27] For the second season in a row Sons started with two draws, with the first home game of the campaign ending 3-3 with Alloa Athletic. Michael Ruth netted a double, with Jinky Hilton also on target. Whilst ex-Sons Kevin Cawley and Scott Taggart both scored for the Wasps.[28] A first win of the competitive season arrived in the Scottish Challenge Cup, 4-0 against Berwick Rangers with Craig McGuffie scoring a brace. Youth graduates Panos Grivas and Jacob Shields both made their senior debuts in the match. A third straight draw in the league followed on August 17, with Mark Durnan scoring his first goal for the club in injury time to draw with Cove Rangers.[29]
| Player | To | League | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Kelly | St Cadoc's | West of Scotland Football League | Free | |
| Harry Broun | Stranraer | Scottish League Two | Free | |
| Luca Vata | Civil Service Strollers | Lowland Football League | Free | |
| Blair Malcolm | Forfar Athletic | Scottish League Two | Free | |
| Callum Wilson | Cumbernauld Colts | Lowland Football League | Free | |
| Ross MacLean | Forfar Athletic | Scottish League Two | Undisclosed | |
| Sean Crighton | Retired | N/A | N/A |
See main article: 2021–22 Scottish League One.
| Position | Player | Starts | Subs | Unused subs | Goals | Red cards | Yellow cards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | MF | Ryan Blair | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Cammy Clark | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | DF | Mark Durnan | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | MF | James Hilton | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | MF | Finlay Gray | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | Panagiotis Grivas | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | GK | Brett Long | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Aron Lynas | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Craig McGuffie | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Michael Miller | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | FW | Joel Mumbongo | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Mouhamed Niang | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 19 | GK | Paddy O'Neil | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Kalvin Orsi | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | DF | Carlo Pignatiello | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | Michael Ruth | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | FW | Jacob Shields | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Matthew Shiels | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Tony Wallace | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | MF | David Wilson | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Greig Young | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Club captainVice-captainThird-captain