What a strip off!

Blimey, Dumbarton's new Surridge strips have been ripped off before they have even made their way into the Club shop. Showing, no doubt, what a hot property the Mighty DFC are these days, as they prepare to take the Scottish League Third Division by storm in a few weeks time... including new boys Annan Athletic (a warm welcome lads - just to remind you of the etiquette... that's be three points a game to us, please.)

Surridge have been in touch to alert everyone that strips bearing the Sons' crest (illustrated) which recently appeared on "a well known internet auction site" (*cough*) are in fact stolen goods. The tops appeared on the site for sale earlier this week and attracted a number of bids. However the goods, which have not been listed on the company's website yet, came from a batch of strips that were stolen en-route to Glasgow, reports Alan Findlay on the DFC news page.

A spokesman from Surridge said : "The strips should not have ended up on the internet and it would be an offence to buy one of the stolen tops. The Dumbarton strips were part of a larger batch including other Scottish teams products which were stolen prior to arrival at Surridge and that the police are undertaking an investigation."

Incidentally, Annan are another team playing in yellow (or gold, you might say) and black. Indeed, their strip is very similar to a Dumbarton one of the 1960s, immortalised in the Subbuteo team that many of us still cherish in our attics...
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Football is harsh

The BBC's Phil McNulty, echoing Pat Nevin, has today's news from Chelsea well summed up: "It is a sign of the cut-throat nature of the modern game that a decent, dignified man [Avram Grant] is sacked three days after missing out on club football's biggest honour by the width of a post and on the Premier League title on the last day of the season." Next up, it'll probably be Gus Hiddink at Stamford Bridge, then.

Meanwhile, well done to Queen of the South for a superb performance in the Scottish Cup Final. After a disappointing first half, and back at 2-2, they might just have snatched it from Rangers. But it was not to be. Congratulations to Hull City, too, for nabbing next season's automatic relegation place in the English Premier League.

Life is harsh. Football no less, especially in the upper eschelons.
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Fickle fortune's finger

The very best of luck to Queen of the South at Hampden Park this afternoon. Apart from the blue half of Glasgow, just about everyone else in the world wants the Doonhamer's to pull off a shock Scottish Cup win against Rangers. Several fleeting ex-Dumbarton men are now at QoS, so that's me settled. Burns' bidding aside, it's a massive mount to climb. The 'Gers have had two major trophies clawed away from their grasp over the past ten days, so they will be in no mood to concede to First Division opposition, however brave. Queen of the South, for their part, haven't played a competitive match for a month now. Rested they might be, but a cup final is no sinecure.
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One for Tommy

A very good performance from Aberdeen merited a 2-0 win over hapless Rangers at Pittodrie and meant that, in the event, Celtic's result was academic. They'd have won the title for Tommy Burns anyway, but snatched the win against Dundee United (pictured) anyway, to turn Tannadice sea green. Mark de Vries missed a great opportunity to spoil the Celtic script for United. But here were two determined games that did the SPL proud, with the evening being marred only by Nacho Novo's red card for an ugly and inexplicable challenge on Stuart Duff -- a misdemeanour made worse by defiantly kissing the badge and giving a victory salute to the fans.
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Going to the wire

Thankfully I'm staying in a household with Setanta tonight, so I will be able to see the climax of the Scottish Premier League season - Celtic away to Dundee United and Rangers to Aberdeen, both needing victory and the other to fail to grab the title. Personally, I hope that United and the Dons win the day and leave the big boys/bhoys red faced. With a larger than usual audience watching, it would be good if people saw that the SPL had a bit more to it than the Old Firm, dominant as they are. Supporters and onlookers alike will also be mindful of the sad loss of Tommy Burns (pictured) , one of the greats of the Scottish game, whose funeral took place a couple of days ago. Back in 1981, I recall, he won Celtic the title at Tannadice. It will be interesting to see if history echoes to that one.
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For the love of the game

Interesting Times article on ex-Sons loan player Stephen Dobbie, who will appear for Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday 24 May, hoping to upset the Rangers applecart still further this season. He says he has fond (as well as less enticing) memories of his time at Dumbarton -- and might even return one day.

Dobbie is a footballer who lost his way; who went from rubbing shoulders with Barry Ferguson at training, to playing in front of 500 souls for Dumbarton in the Irn-Bru Scottish League third division. Now his stock is rising again, just like Queen of the South, and he is the perfect symbol for the first division side to prove that by upsetting the odds and leading them to their first significant honour in their 89-year history.

“I realised a lot of things about myself when I was at Dumbarton,” Dobbie, who has scored 24 goals in just 51 appearances for Queen of the South since joining them from St Johnstone in January 2007, said. “I went there on loan because I had been out with an injury at St Johnstone and needed games to get fit. Gerry McCabe had just taken over as manager of Dumbarton and he was the assistant manager when I had been at Hibernian.

“I really enjoyed my time at Dumbarton and maybe I’ll go back when I’m older, but I remember going to places like Stenhousemuir on a Wednesday night and thinking, no disrespect to Stenhousemuir, that I should be playing at a higher stage than this. Gerry was also on at me, saying that I should not be at that level.

“It taught me, however, that full-time footballers are lucky. At Dumbarton, I was sharing a dressing-room with part-time guys who turned up for training from their work on a building site. They are doing that for the love of the game and I took it all for granted.
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Hoping it's a victory for Scotland...

Rangers' appearance in the UEFA Cup Final this evening, I mean. There are a number of concerns about this match, and not all of them are to do with the football. It would be a great shame if the sectarian bigots among the 'Gers support and some racists and ultra-nationalists in the Zenit St Petersburg camp stole the show. Both clubs are on warnings about the behaviour of their followers. Then there's the issue of the large army of travelling fans who haven't get tickets to the City of Manchester Stadium, because a combination of the relative smallness of the venue and the number of seats gobbled up by the corporates means that the allocation to Rangers, in particular, was way, way below the demand. So far the two sets of supporters are mingling OK. But it could be touch and go.

Above all, it would be good to get a decent game of football. Zenit are clear favourites and the 'Gers have scored only 5 goals in 8 matches to get to this Final. They have seen off superior teams like Fiorentina and Sporting Lisbon through a combination of sound tactics, grit and determination - with more than the odd flash of skill, to be sure. But I fear tonight could be another story. Zenit took apart both Beyer Leverkusen and (much more impressively) Bayern Munich. The real danger man is Pavel Pogrebnyak - but he's out, I gather. Though I wouldn't normally be cheering the Blues (I agree with Kenny), it would nevertheless be a great night for Scottish football and for the deserving Walter Smith if they could pull off a win. Provided it's done in the right spirit.

[Pic: (c) BBC]
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Tight at the top

Yes, I know, I shouldn't really... being a 'real football' aficionado, the lure of the Big Four in England should be kept at bay. But I will shortly be down the pub watching the travails of Manchester United and Chelsea. Since Munich and '68 were among my earliest major football impressions, I want United to win the Champions League. But it would be quite satisfying if Chelsea pipped them for the Premiership, not least because I told my friend Jim Smith that they were still in with a shot weeks ago, and he dismissed the idea. {He was right. But only just}

Talking of the millionaire set, Rangers gained a mightily undeserved win over Dundee United yesterday, much as I shall be rooting for them in the UEFA Cup final against Zenit (managed by ex-'Gers boss Dick Advocaat) on Wednesday - my goodness, they're even showing it (a match featuring a Scottish team!) on telly down here in England. There's a refreshing change. Even if it is ITV, and something called "contractual obligation".

But I digress. I share Lorraine Kelly's phone-in outrage at the penalty and offside decisions going against Dundee United. Let's hope Hibs get a better rub of the green, so to speak, against Celtic. It's 0-0 on 13 minutes, as I write.

Now, back to fitba'-type football. Congrats to Dumbarton's U-15s. I'd rather be watching them. Honest.
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Saints go marching out

One of the first games I ever watched Dumbarton play involved us getting unceremoniously dumped by St Johnstone - 16 August 1980, 0-3 at Boghead Park, if you must so. Even so, I surely wanted the Saints to overturn Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final at the weekend. They must be gutted going out on penalties. St Johnstone put up a good fight on a poor pitch against a changed but determined 'Gers and almost grabbed it near the end of extra time. It would have been extraordinary to have two First Division teams in the Final at Hampden. As it is, one half of the Old Firm will be taking on Queen of the South and are they are naturally odds on to grab the Cup.

With the Blues certain to claim a Champions League place, most likely by winning the League title whatever happens against Celtic on Sunday, the Doonhamers will now follow in the controversial footsteps of Gretna by being a club from outside the top flight representing Scotland in the UEFA Cup next season. I understand why the SFA want to put a stop to this kind of thing. They think it is a further disincentive to other SPL sides who already know they cannot finish top. But it gives both the Cup and the aspirations of lower league sides and their supporters (like me) something to dream about. QOS deserve their day in the sun. I hope UEFA go on resisting the continual fiscal drift of the game towards the 'haves'.
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Doonhamer heaven

Congratulations to Scottish First Division mid-tablers Queen of the South, who got to the Scottish Cup Final for the first time in their history this afternoon, with a hard fought and historic 4-3 win over SPLers Aberdeen. Incredibly, the Doonhamers could be in Europe next season, if Rangers overcome Partick Thistle and St Johnstone, as expected, and win the League. If they don't, another piece of history will occur: a Final with no-one from the top flight in it. Either way, that's got to be good for the game north of the border.

As it happens, there are a number of Dumbarton connections with Queens. Back in July 2007 we lost keeper Stephen Grindlay to them, but he has been kept out of the team by Hearts on-loan Scottish under-21 international Jamie MacDonald. Equally important for us was sorely missed striker Stephen Dobbie (pictured), who made 17 appearances for the mighty DFC in 2006-7, netting 10 goals. He went off in the Aberdeen semi just before half-time.

Then there's forward Robert Campbell. Finally, midfielder Neil Scally also turned out for the Sons, but suffered a serious knee ligament injury against Dunfermline at East End Park in December 2007 and has been out for the season.
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Well done, 'Gers

I don't profess to be a big fan of the Old Firm, given their effective stranglehold on the game in Scotland - which is not without its benefits, but overall sucks resources, fans and hubristic attention in hugely disproportionate quantities. That is the way of the modern, corporately-driven football world. However, it would be churlish not to congratulate Rangers on their fantastic UEFA Cup quarter final achievement in beating Sporting Lisbon away from home by two great goals. I only caught the highlights, but it looked to be a solid, professional performance, even if Sporting were not exactly on song (especially defensively) and Fiorentina in the semis will be a different prospect altogether.

The 'Gers are still outsiders for the trophy, albeit with odds cut to 13-2, but it seems that their fans (who remain haughty, even if they do play in the SPL and are seen as minor in European terms) have suddenly decided that the UEFA Cup is not a 'diddy competition' after all. Quel surprise. Good luck to 'em, anyway. Not that there is much interest down south, where "Britishness" amounts to "are there any English teams in it? No? Oh well, switch over then..."
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Renaissance men?

The overall health of Scottish football is a difficult thing to judge. It depends where you (and your team) sit. It depends what your comparators are. National team, SPL, League, non-league and the huge gaps within and between them all defy easy summary. The obvious bad news story at the moment is Gretna, a salutary reminder about putting all your eggs in someone else's financial basket. They'll survive this season now, thanks to help from those who have an interest in their preservation (if not from friends). But the future is bleak and there are harsh lessons to be learned. Elsewhere, teams struggle against the daily realities of dosh, dole and doldrums. There are positive signs as well though, without a doubt.

It will be interesting to see how Scotland fare against Croatia at Hampden on Wednesday, after the visitors are given a heroes' welcome (for about five minutes) for having dumped England out of the 2008 European Championships. If Fabio Capello's men fail to make a dent at the Stade de France on the same evening, the rejoicing north of the border will be even louder. We beat Les bleus twice, remember? But the real cheer, for me, came with domestic results that saw the Old Firm rocked. The success of Aberdeen against Celtic in the Scottish Cup, and the even more remarkable draw - so nearly a win - that First Division Partick Thistle pulled off against Rangers in the same competition are well worth celebrating. If only Dundee United could have taken the League Cup. So near but so far.

Of course the gulfs remain. Some 20 points between the third placed SPL side and the Glasgow giants, even more in money terms. The odds are so unevenly stacked, it's laughable. FIFA's boss has said that the Bhoys and the Gers should not cross the border to take on the English. He's right. For the time being. We're damned with them, damned without them. But how long national borders will survive the onslaught of the wheelers and dealers is yet to be seen.

Incidentally, the priest at St Augustine's in Dumbarton is a Thistle fan. I'll have a word with him about that after cheering on the Sons next Saturday...

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A night to celebrate

Goodness, Dumbarton not only took three points off Stenhousemuir with a 1-0 win at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium tonight, but, Denise Currie tells me in her text from the scene of the triumph, "shock... Sons... played well!" Things really are looking up, which is a good job, given my programme note (which will follow tomorrow). For me that's the really great news of the evening. But I was also delighted that Aberdeen bundled Scottish Cup holders Celtic out of the tournament thanks to Darren Mackie's second-half strike. I like to think that my earlier prediction of a Bhouys win in the light of their last-gasp equaliser at Pittodrie was the decisive factor. The Curse of Barrow working in reverse. Yeah, right. [Pic: (c) BBC]

Overall, it's been a good week or so. Rangers are the only remaining British team left in the EUFA Cup, though it has to be admitted that Werder Bremen were robbed. I was listening to the radio commentary, and it was as one-sided an encounter as you could imagine, with the Gers 2-0 home leg enough to take the tie 2-1 on aggregate, thanks to the Werder keeper's two howlers at Ibrox. Commiserations to Dundee United, however. I'd hoped against hope that they might take the Scottish League Cup off Rangers, but it was not to be. The Tangerines' chairman Eddie Thompson (profiled in the excellent When Saturday Comes magazine this month) has inoperable cancer. He's a good guy and it would lovely for his beloved DUFC to have picked up some silverware, but I'm sure they still did him proud.

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Awful news from Fir Park

I was just about to update this site when I caught the tragic news that Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell, a 35-year-old midfielder, has died after collapsing towards the end of his side's 5-3 Scottish Premier League victory against Dundee United. The BBC's live online commentary for today's Arsenal -v- Everton match was interrupted with the terrible news of O'Donnell's death, and the response of was heartening. It hardly counts as a cliche to say that such numbing events put the game's passion into real perspective, since we are truly at a loss if we cannot see this. Everyone connected to the game will be sending out thoughts and prayers for Phil's family and those who were close to him. [Tributes here. Support CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young]