Take a look at these historical league tables (top four only) which show when Cowdenbeath FC has won the Scottish Second Division.

Scottish League Division Two 1913-14

1 Cowdenbeath P 22 pts 31
2 Albion Rovers P 22 pts 27
3 Dundee Hibernian P 22 pts 26
4 Dunfermline Ath P 22 pts 26

In those days promotion wasn’t automatic so Cowdenbeath were in Division Two the next year. Cowdenbeath were one of three teams on equal points at the top.

Scottish League Division Two 1914-15

1 Leith Athletic P 26 pts 37
2 St Bernards P 26 pts 37
3 Cowdenbeath P 26 pts 37
4 East Stirlingshire P 26 pts 31

A three-way play-off decided the league winners. Cowdenbeath defeated Leith Athletic at East End Park and St. Bernards at Easter Road to take the title.

Scottish League Division Two 1938-39

1 Cowdenbeath P 34 pts 60
2 Alloa Athletic P 34 pts 48
3 East Fife P 34 pts 48
4 Airdrieonians P 34 pts 47

Cowdenbeath’s only other Championship was in Div 3 in 2006. Their other promotions came as runners-up, through play-offs or as a result of another club’s financial problems leading to a readjustment in the leagues.

So does anyone spot something here?

Well, I notice that every time Cowdenbeath have been Champions of a Division 2 in Scotland the UK has been involved in a major (world) war the next September.

Now take a gander at the present position in the SFL Div 2 (as of 7/2/12) :-

1 Cowdenbeath P 20 pts 41
2 Arbroath P 20 pts 39
3 Stenhousemuir P 20 pts 31
4 Dumbarton P 19 pts 28

Gulp!

Come on Arbroath!!! (And the Sons, obviously.)

SFL Div 2, New Bayview Stadium, 26/12/11 (not.)

I had intended to go to this but high winds intervened.

At least, thanks to the internet, I learned about it before I set out. The last two times we’ve had a game postponed at Methil I’d got to the ground – and listened to the football programmes on the radio on the way; without a peep from them about any postponement.

I might not be able to make the rearranged fixture whenever it takes place. I don’t suppose the crowd will be as large as today’s could have been either. A holiday afternoon in balmy temperatures will always beat a freezing cold winter’s evening; which it almost certainly will be.

It seems ages since I’ve seen a game.

A slightly shorter version of this post appeared as “Dumbarton FC, The Sons of the Rock” in The Bayview, Official East Fife Matchday Magazine, Issue 5, Saturday 27th August 2011.

Just what collection of players to wear their team’s colours fans will look back on with fondness must to a large extent depend on their age. Though someone of my years and long experience of following Dumbarton might say we rather lucked into it, young(ish) Dumbarton supporters will no doubt regard the promotion winning team of 2008-9 – none of whom now remain at the club only two short years later – with a rosy glow; albeit forever tinged with sadness at the tragic death of captain Gordon Lennon only a few weeks after lifting the trophy. And that side does have to its credit not only a 3rd Division championship but the longest consecutive playing time without conceding a goal in the club’s history; over 350 mins.

But no-one alive will remember what must be Dumbarton’s greatest achievements; a single Scottish Cup (in 1883) – a time when we were in the forefront of tactical innovation in using the 2-3-5 formation – and twice winning the top division, in 1891 (shared) and 1892.

In my memory Dumbarton have won promotion a total of six times – a seventh lies in the distant mists of 1913 when we were elected upwards – from sixth position! (In those days promotion wasn’t automatic. A Second Division Championship in 1911 still saw us in Division 2 for 1911-12.)

My father’s generation had much less to celebrate. It was fifty long years from relegation in 1922 till the Sons finally lifted themselves back into the top Division, with only the (Festival of Britain) St Mungo Quaich win of 1951 to lighten the darkness. There was, though, a tendency to romanticise the nearly men of the mid to late 1950s; a team that flirted with promotion but always fell short. It featured Tim Whalen and Hughie Gallacher (the club’s all time record scorer with 205 goals overall) whose stays overlapped with those of the long-standing full back partnership of Tommy Govan and Andy Jardine (250 and 299 appearances respectively, according to a website I consulted, most of them together.) I actually remember seeing those guys play but it was the fact that Hughie Gallacher took over in goal one game – no substitutes at all, never mind goalies, in those days – that really sticks in my mind. He was pretty good at stopping them as I recall, but we still lost that game.

One of the promotions was the elevation to the Premier Division in 1984, an adventure that lasted only the one season. A final taste of the elite alas, as we have never made it back. That team featured Bolton manager (and ex-Son) Owen Coyle’s two brothers in its midfield and leant heavily on the goals of Kenny Ashwood.

The Second Division winners of 1991-2, when Charlie Gibson and John McQuade starred, scored the single best Dumbarton team goal I can remember. Cowdenbeath had just equalised in a crucial top of the table clash at Boghead. From the kick-off the ball circulated round the team in a great passing move before, over a minute later, and without an opposition player touching the ball, John McQuade planted it in the net. Promotion was secured on the penultimate day of the season as Cowdenbeath and Alloa, the other contenders, both one point behind, only had each other to play. The Championship was duly sealed in a draw with Arbroath.

League reconstruction (as in 1922!) saw us demoted for 1994-5, placed in the new third tier. With Murdo McLeod as manager the side needed to win at Stirling – who themselves only needed to draw with us – in the last game to be promoted as runners-up. A 2-0 win sent Dumbarton fans into delirium. What happened in the next three seasons, though, was dire. Two successive relegations, including a period of over a year when we did not win a single game, ended up with us bottom of the whole pile in 1998. The following four seemingly endless years of Division 3 football saw our tenure at Boghead, at the time the longest occupancy of a single site in British football, come to an end. In this forum, though, I’d better not dwell on the result of the final game there.

Another runners-up promotion swiftly arrived in 2002. The prolific if frustrating Paddy Flannery (77 goals for the club in 175 games) was the spearhead of that side, with the less heralded Andy Brown a willing side-kick. The promotion hero, though, was goalkeeper John Wight who saved a penalty in the last minute of the last game to make sure we could not be overtaken.

For me, though, the one that sends the memory banks into raptures is 1972. That year it all came together. The club’s centenary season, 50 years since top flight football, the town’s 900th anniversary of Royal Burgh status. Kenny Wilson had an astonishing 38 goals in 36 league games, some of them in vital 1-0 wins. Mid-season he made it onto the scoresheet in a record twelve consecutive matches, and he scored all five in a 5-0 rout of Raith Rovers. And that 38 doesn’t include the free-kicks and penalties he won for Charlie Gallagher to bang in. But big Roy McCormack scored the peach. At Love Street on Christmas Day 1971 he walloped a volley from out near the touchline about fifteen yards into St Mirren’s half. It flew over the keeper’s head, hit the stanchion full on and bounced out beyond the penalty spot. It was astounding. The ref thought it had hit the bar but the linesman gave it. Roy thumped two others not quite so good in the games either side against Alloa the previous week and Clydebank the next. Sweet, sweet.

Other highlights are Jumbo Muir’s waltz all the way from our penalty area through half of the Clyde team at Shawfield before finally putting the ball in the net, Lee Sharp’s belter at Almondvale in 1996, the 5-2 win at Tynecastle in 1982* against a Hearts side desperate for promotion (we were up the park three times in the second half and scored each one) and the 0-0 draw in 1970 in the League Cup semi-final against the Celtic team that made the European Cup Final that season. The replay was 2-2, then in extra time a (Lou Macari?) cross was flagged by the linesman as out of play until Wilson headed it in. The flag mysteriously went down. (Bitter? Me? No. It’s only been forty one years.) We did have a bit of revenge. Celtic had scored another and started to play keep-ball. When we got it back we played keep-ball too. Except we suddenly switched to a quick passing move up the left, put in a great cross and scored. In subsequent seasons we had 3-3 and 2-2 draws at Parkhead in the league. After our second equaliser in the latter of those the ref was looking round desperately for someone to give him a reason to chalk it off. The linesman didn’t help that time.

Yet the real emotion wasn’t for these or any promotion. Somehow the crucial last day relegation avoiders in 1973, 4-1 against Dundee Utd, and 2003, 4-1 again, Raith the victims, have meant much, much more. Perhaps it’s the release of the fear that makes sure it’s so. The hope fulfilled. We non-glory hunters who follow lower league sides don’t get that very often.

Addendum:-
*It seems I have misremembered this game slightly. Big Rab’s blog a week or so ago featured a newspaper clipping which says we were 2-1 down at half time that day. So we were up the park not 3, but 4 times in the second half; and scored each one. Even better.

In his afterword to the article the programme editor says that in addition to being a long-term Sons fan, “Jack Deighton lives in Kirkcaldy and has taught in Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline. Jack knows all about pain.”

SFL Div 2, New Bayview Stadium, 27/8/11.

We don’t get days like this very often. Utter dreamland.

At half time it was 4-0 going on a basketball score. Dumbarton were totally dominant. I don’t know what the corner count was but we were in double figures. Whether East Fife were suffering from their exertions against Dunfermline in midweek is problematic (and they also lost a midfielder early on due to a reckless challenge on his part) but they were never at the races here.

The first came from the selfless Pat Walker chasing down a hopelessly lost cause and forcing a corner which was pushed out on the opposite side for another. The Fife defence switched off, Mark Gilhaney took it short to Martin McBride who curled it deliciously into the far corner of the net. The next followed a flick on by Pat Walker from another corner, the ball broke to Prunty. 2-0. The third (from another corner?) was another case of the ball falling to Prunty. The fourth was headered by Jamie Lyden from yet another corner – from the right this time. It squirmed under the keeper, the only one of the six he was at fault for.

I cannot remember when the last time was we were 4-0 up away from home at half time. Neither could the rest of the – actually rather disbelieving, though delirious – Sons fans around me. It may never have happened before.

Then came something else I’ve not seen before. Training apparatus was set out in the interval and the team came out early to do a session.

There was a small flurry by the Fife on the restart but it didn’t come to much. Apart from a little understandable looseness at times given the huge lead we had, normal service was resumed thereafter and again we carved the E Fife defence apart at will. Over elaboration, by Mark Gilhaney in particular, meant no more goals for a while. Then Jamie Lyden came into contact with an opponent in our box. It was soft – though I’d have screamed for it at the other end – and the ref may have felt sorry for the Fife. But so abject were they Jamie Ewings saved the penalty.

Prunty finally got his hat-trick before adding a fourth after a great pass from sub Kieran Brannan following a fine run.

This is probably the first time since the mid 1950s a Son has scored four in an away match. In that famous game – Arbroath 5 Dumbarton 4 – Hughie Gallacher scored all four of ours while Dave Easson got all of Arbroath’s.

It may seem strange that, despite his four goals, Bryan Prunty isn’t my man of the match. But Pat Walker deserves it for his tireless running and getting battered by the defence every time he challenged for a high ball. Prunty actually had quite a few more chances which he hit straight at the keeper.

But overall the whole team was a success – no exceptions. With better final balls and less elaboration we might have had a rugby score.

Jamie Lyden is enough to make you forget Nicky Devlin, plus Jamie has goals in him. Jamie Ewings had only one hairy moment when he played the ball just a little too far round the charging attacker on a back pass but he managed to get rid of it quickly enough.

After our somewhat shaky start the boys should not lack confidence now.

I’ve been a bit knackered this week. I started back at work, which is always a shock to the system. That tree I mentioned three years ago – I’ve been blogging for three years? – is looking a bit peaky; but perhaps it always does. Time for reading has fallen drastically.

But I’ve been busy on another count. The man in charge of the East Fife programme has asked me to write an article to appear in the issue for our game there next Saturday (27^th Aug) which got me irrationally excited.

I’ve splurged out 1203 words and I’ll need to cut it for publication. So that’s my weekend gone.

(Well I may go to Brechin today but the prospects aren’t good.)

SFL Div 2, The Rock, 19/3/11

Matches between the Sons and the Fife are never dull it seems. That makes it 11-10 to us over this season’ s four games.

A good win, this.

I believe it’s the first time this season we’ve gone behind and subsequently won the game.

The three points give us a bit of daylight over Stenny (and Alloa.) Peterhead need to turn things round. At the minute they look in a bad way.

SFL Div 2, Glebe Park, 1/3/11

Three (count them; three!) equalisers. When was the last time we did that? And against a top two team away.

I “watched” the game on the BBC website and teletext. Every time they scored I thought, “That’s it,” then cheered up considerably when we got back in it.

I think it’s the first time this season we have gone behind and not eventually lost the game. Progress.

But Stenny and E Fife both won so it’s tight again at the bottom. Alloa and Airdrie Utd might be in the mix too.

All to play for.

SFL Div 2, New Bayview, 15/02/11

Well. Seventh!

East Fife ought to have scored three times over in the first five minutes but we came into it and scored a well worked goal from Pat Walker after great work down the right from Gilhaney and Geggan. We had two dodgy offsides given against us but may have benefited from that as our second looked as if an early pass was to an offside player but play carried on and a great ball across was swept in by Gilhaney.

East Fife had fallen out of things but got back into the game just before half time and nearly got an equaliser. All we Sons fans were gloomy about the second half.

But Andy Geggan scored from another well worked move pretty quickly after the restart (scorer announced as Andy “Greggan” followed immediately by a sarcastic chorus of, “Ther’s only one Andy Greggan,” from the Sons fans) and we played quite sweetly from then on and could have added more with a bit of composure in the final pass or shot. Ryan McStay had a brilliant game in midfield.

To be fair to Stephen Grindlay (posts passim) he spared us a worrying final five minutes by making a great save from the penalty the Fife were awarded – the only real threat they posed second half.

The referee gave some baffling decisions and failed to be consistent in doling out yellow cards, giving one E Fife player a caution for handball but not another for an even more deliberate instance but for which he did award the free kick.

One amazing stat I heard from behind me. Of all Alloa’s points before last night only one had been gained on grass. The rest were on their plastic or that of Stenny or Airdrie Utd.

Ten points from the last twelve and three away wins on the bounce is certainly an improvement and the boys looked settled, always a good thing. These have mostly been games against those around/near us. Only two more of those to go before we are up against top half opposition. A better side than E Fife would have seen us off in that early phase. No room for optimism yet.

SFL Div 2, The Rock, 12/02/11

I switched on the radio with about twenty minutes to go and heard about two minutes later it was 1-0. I thought, “It’s not enough,” and spent the next fifteen minutes waiting for the inevitable. Which came to pass.

The simple truth is we need to score two to have a hope of winning.

We’ve now lost a total of three points in the last minute at home to Stenny and Airdrie United and, more importantly, given them two and one respectively. These could be crucial come season’s end.

Time for concentration guys. For the whole ninety minutes please.

So it’s off to Methil on Tuesday with them having come off a good (must?) win.

Last season nothwithstanding, Bayview, New or otherwise, has never been a happy hunting ground for us. Plus they thumped us there earlier this season.

I’m not expecting any more miracles like we got in our previous two away games.

SFL Div 2, Recreation Park, 05/02/11

I witnessed a few minor miracles yesterday.

I saw Dumbarton score three goals in an away game. We doubled our away goals tally in the one game (for the second time in a row – though last game at Airdrie we actually tripled it, from one to three – only six now required in the next to keep that sequence up,) we won two games in a row for the first time this season, moved up two places in the league table…….. and Stephen Grindlay caught a cross under some pressure. To be fair to Stephen he kept us level with a very good save when it was 0-0.

Alloa had the better of the first half hour or so, though we had one half chance which Pat Walker could only snatch at, then we scored a breakaway goal from one of their corners, all our players that were involved made correct decisions in the build up; a rare occurence.

Mark Gilhaney played well on the right wing, curbing his tendency to stray up blind alleys, and it was his cross that Jon McShane swept in for the second with a good finish. I then remarked to onebrow, “we’d got our two.” We always concede. I didn’t think then that we’d be pegged back so quickly.

Their first was a consequence of Andy Geggan, who had a good game overall, trying to be too clever in midfield and giving the ball away. It was played up and Ben Gordon unnecessarily put his hand on the forward challenging for the ball to give away the free kick. Straight in the back of the net. I don’t think Grindlay could have done much to prevent it. Their second was the result of a good cross and a very well placed header. I was too far away to say whether Grindlay ought to have come for the cross or not.

Earlier in the season we would not have been two up and if we had been we would certainly have crumbled at the equaliser.

Yesterday we didn’t. Ryan McStay, who more or less ran the midfield all game, took a great free kick into the bottom corner. It was a case of holding out for the win then, taking the ball to the corner flag and so on.

I was impressed with McShane and Walker up front, they can hold on to the ball and play others in. They even tried to make space for themselsves at throw-ins. (Don’t the know this activity is against the decades honoured Dumbarton players’ code of conduct?)

Obviously away wins are also like buses. You wait all season for one then two come along at once.

So we reach the heady heights of eighth.

Don’t get too excited. Both Stenny and East Fife have games in hand.

[Edited to add: About a minute before the final whistle one of Alloa's defenders swore directly at the ref's assistant after a decision had gone against him. Despite the fact that said assistant was between the player and me, and I heard it, no action was taken - even though I went on to remind the linesman (it was a man) that foul and abusive language to an official is a sending off offence.

OK, I was winding him up a bit but I do think that officials ought not to be sworn at by players (I know it's not an ideal world.) Acceptance of such abuse from players is, however, the beginning of a slippery slope.]