Roy McCormack may not be the first name that springs to mind when discussing Scottish football’s great strikers, but for those who followed Dumbarton through the 1970s, his name is etched into the annals of the club’s history with an air of reverence. More than just a goal-scorer, he embodied the grit, determination, and spirit that defined the Boghead Park men during a period of both struggle and occasional glory.
PART ONE
Dumbarton Football Club had been founded on the 23rd of December 1872, when the industrial town on the banks of the River Leven gave birth to one of the nation’s most storied clubs. Dumbarton quickly became a force to be reckoned with and the side went on to win the Scottish FA Cup in the 1882-83 season after defeating Vale of Leven by a 2-1 score in a replayed final at Hampden Park.
The Boghead Park outfit would also go on to win the very first Scottish League championship in the 1890–91 campaign – sharing it with Rangers – and then repeated the feat outright the following season. And even though they were no longer at the pinnacle of Scottish football when Roy McCormack arrived there as a raw 17-year old in 1966, they were still alive and kicking.
After making his debut in a 1-0 Scottish League win over Third Lanark at Cathkin Park on New Year´s Eve 1966, the precociously talented young forward proceeded to score six goals in 15 appearances in all competitions in the 1966-67 season and would find the back of the net with alarming regularity in the years to come.
In November 1968, Dumbarton appointed a new manager in the form of ex-Albion Rovers boss Jackie Stewart who would bring discipline and energy to the club. And as a result, the team began to play with greater purpose, and correspondingly, McCormack’s game reached another level.
By the time the 1970–71 League Cup rolled around, Dumbarton were a team on the rise. What’s more, they were in a mood to shock a few people. Drawn in Group 6 alongside Alloa Athletic, Brechin City, and Berwick Rangers, the Sons wasted no time making their intentions clear.
They kicked off on 8 August 1970 with a confident 3–1 away win at Alloa, McCormack’s sharpness around the box setting the tone. Four days later, Dumbarton drew 2–2 at home to Brechin, a reminder that nothing came easy in the Scottish game. However, that brief stumble only sharpened their edge. As a result, Stewart’s troops hit back with a comfortable 2–0 victory away to Berwick Rangers on 15 August, followed by a polished 3–1 triumph at Brechin just four days later.
By now, the Sons were purring. Boghead Park was bouncing. And correspondingly, McCormack’s partnership up front looked lethal. The home fans were treated to a goal feast as Dumbarton thumped Alloa 5–2 on 22 August, before sealing qualification with a hard-fought 3–2 win over Berwick Rangers on 26 August. Six games, five wins, and a draw — not bad for a team that wasn’t supposed to make it past the group stage.
Furthermore, their momentum carried them into the quarter-finals, where Partick Thistle awaited — a team that prided itself on flair and a touch of Glaswegian swagger. The first leg at Firhill finished 3–3, a tight and thrilling contest that saw McCormack and company match the Jags blow for blow. In particular, McCormack’s energy and link-up play unsettled the Thistle backline. Consequently, Dumbarton sensed an opportunity when the replay returned to Boghead.
On 23 September, under the dim floodlights and before a buzzing home crowd, the Sons did the unthinkable — they managed to defeat Partick Thistle by a 3–2 margin to reach the semi-finals of the national cup. It was, without exaggeration, one of the club’s finest nights.
Yet, waiting for them at Hampden Park was a challenge of a very different scale — Celtic, managed by the formidable Jock Stein and still one of Europe’s most feared sides. Nevertheless, Dumbarton were undaunted. They dug in, fought for every ball, and to the astonishment of many, held the mighty Hoops to a goalless draw after extra time on 7 October.
Thus came the replay five days later, again at Hampden. The Bhoys, stung by the scare, came out firing, but Dumbarton refused to wilt. What unfolded was a seven-goal thriller — Celtic 4, Dumbarton 3, after extra time once again. McCormack and his teammates left the pitch exhausted but proud, having pushed one of the greatest sides in Scottish football history to the absolute brink.
Then, in the 1971–72 campaign, Dumbarton clinched the Scottish Second Division title and were promoted along with second placed Arbroath.
PART TWO
The tone of Dumbarton’s pre-season in August 1971 was less promising than the year before, when they had stormed to the League Cup semi-finals. On 7 August, Boghead played host to newly promoted East Fife — and the Sons, perhaps still shaking off the rust of summer, were thumped 1–5. It was a harsh reminder that footballing optimism, like Scottish weather, can change without warning.
However, as often happens with good sides, adversity bred a quick response. A week later, Dumbarton kicked off their League Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Stirling Albion. Brian Gallagher found the net, offering a flicker of hope that the previous season’s semi-final run wasn’t just a one-off.
Moreover, Dumbarton travelled to Ochilview on 18 August and produced a spirited 3–2 win over Stenhousemuir. The goals came courtesy of Kenny Wilson, Peter Coleman, and, crucially, Roy McCormack — his first of the campaign and an early signal that he intended to play a bigger part in the scoring stakes. McCormack’s contribution was often subtle yet vital: not merely a scorer but a link man, drawing defenders out, feeding Wilson, and chasing every lost cause as if it were a World Cup final.
Nonetheless, the early optimism proved to be fleeting. Dumbarton’s League Cup momentum faltered alarmingly, losing four straight group matches. Queen of the South did the double, winning 1–0 and 3–1; Stenhousemuir turned the tables with a 2–1 victory; and Stirling Albion edged a 3–2 thriller. Thus, the promising start evaporated into elimination.
If Dumbarton’s League Cup exit stung, their league start did little to soothe the pain. On 4 September, they faced local rivals Clydebank, and though they led 2–1 at half-time thanks to goals from Wilson and McCormack, they somehow contrived to lose 3–2. It was the sort of defeat that drains the dressing room — so near, yet so far.
Yet football, ever the unpredictable beast, offers swift redemption. A midweek fixture against Hamilton Academical brought cheer, as Goodwin and Coleman struck in a 2–0 win. Still, consistency eluded them. A 3–1 loss at Stranraer and a 2–0 reverse at Stirling Albion sent spirits dipping again.
However, it was McCormack’s steady influence that often prevented the side from crumbling completely. While Wilson grabbed headlines with his growing goal tally, McCormack stitched the side together in midfield and attack, chasing, tackling, and crafting openings that few others noticed until the ball rippled the net.
A home tie against Forfar Athletic on 18 September looked like an easy win — Forfar hadn’t scored or earned a point all season — yet Dumbarton contrived to draw 2–2 despite leading at the break. Kenny Wilson and Johnny Graham scored, but the mood at Boghead was grim. It was a period of uncertainty, not disaster, but one where the Sons seemed to teeter between promise and panic.
And so, manager Jackie Stewart made a bold call. For the trip to Raith Rovers on 25 September, he dropped top scorer Kenny Wilson — a decision that caused more raised eyebrows than a referee’s whistle at Hampden. The result? A 6–1 hammering. Dumbarton were, quite simply, outclassed.
However, Stewart didn’t let the experiment linger. Kenny Wilson returned four days later against Hamilton, and the difference was electric. Dumbarton smashed the Accies 6–2 away, with Wilson and McCormack both scoring twice and Gallagher adding another brace. It was a chaotic, joyous match that reminded everyone that Dumbarton could score goals for fun — provided the chemistry was right.
Confidence breeds confidence. The Sons, finally finding rhythm, beat Brechin City 4–0 on 2 October, with Charlie Gallagher grabbing two. The following week, they went to Berwick Rangers, where McCormack struck a late equaliser to earn a 1–1 draw.
That goal — coming just three minutes from time — typified McCormack’s season: determined, timely, and full of heart. It wasn’t just the strike that mattered but the message it sent. Dumbarton wouldn’t lie down anymore.
Furthermore, they kept the momentum rolling with a 3–2 home win over Stenhousemuir and another 3–2 success at East Stirling on 23 October, Kenny Wilson again scoring twice. By the end of the month, Dumbarton were unbeaten in five, and although a 1–2 home loss to Arbroath on 30 October halted the run, the gap to leaders Cowdenbeath remained manageable.
If October brought steady improvement, November saw Dumbarton emerge as genuine promotion contenders. On 6 November, they faced Cowdenbeath at Central Park in a must-win match. The hosts, leaders of the Second Division, had been the model of consistency, but with two minutes left, Kenny Wilson fired home an 88th-minute winner. Dumbarton 1, Cowdenbeath 0 — and suddenly the title race had life again.
A week later, Wilson netted a hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Albion Rovers, and a further brace in a 4–2 triumph at Queen of the South. McCormack played his part, linking attacks and keeping Dumbarton’s forward play fluid, his positional intelligence helping Wilson find the space he thrived in.
In addition, a friendly against a Celtic XI ended in a 3–0 win, adding to the buoyant mood around Boghead. The only blemish came in the Stirlingshire Cup, where Alloa dumped them out on penalties. Still, by month’s end, Dumbarton sat sixth, six points adrift of Cowdenbeath but with two games in hand — and, crucially, belief flooding back into their veins.
The festive month brought both injuries and opportunity. Dumbarton fielded several reserves against Montrose on 4 December but still won 3–2, with Kenny Wilson, McCormack, and Gallagher all on target. It was another game that showcased McCormack’s knack for scoring when it mattered — his steady return adding a vital secondary source of goals behind Wilson’s avalanche.
A week later came a 1–0 victory over Queen’s Park at Hampden, followed by a spectacular 7–1 demolition of Alloa on 18 December. Wilson scored four times, but McCormack again played the link man to perfection, unselfishly setting up others and orchestrating attacks with quiet intelligence.
And then came Christmas Day at Love Street. St Mirren versus Dumbarton — a festive fixture that proved anything but serene. After a goalless first half, McCormack broke the deadlock, his strike neatly taken and full of composure. Although Dumbarton were twice in front, they were pegged back to 2–2, yet the point extended their unbeaten league run to seven and lifted them to fourth, six points behind Cowdenbeath with a game in hand.
Thus ended 1971 — not with fireworks, but with growing conviction that promotion, whispered about in September, was no longer fantasy.
PART THREE
The turn of the year began well enough with a 3–2 win at Clydebank on New Year’s Day, but a week later Stranraer spoiled the mood with a 4–2 win at Boghead. Still, Kenny Wilson’s goal in that match marked an extraordinary milestone — he had now scored in twelve consecutive league games.
The form dipped briefly, with a 1–1 draw at Forfar and a couple of postponements following heavy weather in January, but there was no panic. Dumbarton’s dressing room was built on character, and McCormack embodied that. He wasn’t the loudest presence, yet his reliability gave the side balance.
February brought fresh energy. The Scottish Cup third round saw Dumbarton sweep past Hamilton 3–1, Kenny Wilson netting twice more. A new signing, ex-Rangers winger Davy Wilson, added experience to the flanks, and the Sons responded with back-to-back league wins — 3–0 at Stenhousemuir and 4–0 at home to East Stirling.
However, the Scottish Cup run ended abruptly. Against Raith Rovers, Dumbarton fell 3–0 in a match that never quite clicked. The sting of that defeat was real, yet the league picture remained encouraging. Cowdenbeath’s lead had shrunk to seven points, and Dumbarton had four games in hand.
March began awkwardly. A trip to Gayfield saw Arbroath win 3–2, Dumbarton missing a penalty through Charlie Gallagher. Yet the setback merely hardened resolve.
A week later, Boghead hosted the biggest league game of the season so far: Dumbarton versus Cowdenbeath, the leaders. Kenny Wilson struck first, Cowden equalised, and then, as tension gripped the terraces, Roy McCormack smashed home the winner. Boghead erupted. It wasn’t just another goal; it was the lifeline that kept Dumbarton’s promotion dream alive.
The Sons followed up with a gritty 1–0 win over Albion Rovers — Jenkins scoring this time — and a 2–0 triumph over Queen of the South. McCormack’s fingerprints were on every phase of the play. By the month’s close, Dumbarton sat fifth, six points behind Cowdenbeath with four games still in hand. The chase was on.
No one at Boghead could have predicted how breathless April 1972 would become.
With no game on the first weekend, Dumbarton had time to regroup. Then, on 8 April, they travelled to Montrose — and it was McCormack’s day. He scored a superb hat-trick, his finishing crisp and his movement sharp, as Dumbarton edged a 3–2 win. That treble was the defining individual performance of his season — not only did it complete his own personal purple patch, but it reignited Dumbarton’s surge up the table.
Three days later came a 2–1 home win over Stirling Albion, followed by a 3–0 win over Queen’s Park. Suddenly, Dumbarton were not just in contention — they were in the promotion spots.
Moreover, the good times kept rolling. Raith Rovers were trounced 5–0 in midweek, Kenny Wilson scoring all five. Then came a 1–0 away win at Alloa and another victory — 2–1 over Brechin — that pushed Dumbarton right to the brink of glory.
It was relentless football, seven matches in just three weeks, each one played with increasing pressure, each one requiring McCormack and company to dig deeper than before. Fatigue might have claimed lesser sides, but Dumbarton thrived on the momentum.
Then came 29 April — the penultimate game. St Mirren at Boghead. A draw would all but guarantee promotion; a win could even clinch the title. Nine thousand fans packed into the ground, swaying, singing, praying. Charlie Gallagher’s penalty put Dumbarton ahead, but the Buddies hit back and, cruelly, snatched a 2–1 victory. The atmosphere afterward was a cocktail of pride and anguish.
Still, other results meant hope wasn’t lost. Arbroath led with 52 points (goal difference +30), Stirling Albion had 50 (+38), and Dumbarton were right behind with 50 (+36) — one game left.
The date is etched in Dumbarton folklore: 3 May 1972. Berwick Rangers the opponents. The stakes simple — a draw for promotion, a win for the championship and a return to the top flight for the first time in half a century.
And how the Sons rose to the occasion. In front of another bumper crowd, Dumbarton swept to a 4–2 victory, playing with both swagger and steel. Kenny Wilson, inevitably, scored his 43rd of the campaign; McCormack was in the thick of it again, tirelessly pressing, harrying, and linking attacks. Every run he made, every pass he shaped, was a testament to his consistency across a season that had tested every ounce of his endurance.
The final whistle blew, and Boghead exploded in joy. Dumbarton — champions of the Second Division. First Division football awaited. The wait, the grind, the heartbreaks — all were worth it.
PART FOUR
However, as a newly promoted side to the Scottish First Division, Dumbarton found the top-flight somewhat difficult to navigate. Between 1972 and 1975, the Boghead Park outfit finished 16th, 10th, and 14th in the 18-team League before the inevitable restructuring saw Division One reduced to just ten teams. Despite the club’s struggles, Roy McCormack remained a beacon of consistency, delivering goals and leading the line with a steadfast commitment that endeared him to the Dumbarton supporters.
However, fate was not always kind. In 1975, he suffered a broken leg, an injury that curtailed his time at Boghead Park and saw him miss out on even more opportunities to etch his name further into club history. Even so, his contributions up to that point had already secured his place as one of the club’s all-time greats.
After accumulating a highly respectable113 Scottish League goals in 246 games for Dumbarton over a ten-year spell, McCormack teamed up with Dundee in 1977. The move seemed, on paper at least, the perfect step up for a seasoned player entering the twilight of his career. Yet football has a cruel sense of timing, and McCormack’s spell at Dens Park proved frustratingly short. He only managed to make two Scotish League appearances for the Dark Blues and his time with the club ended before it had truly begun.
Nevertheless, opportunity knocked again soon after. McCormack signed for Airdrieonians, and though his stay at Broomfield Park was brief, it provided him with a chance to showcase his enduring professionalism. Yet, as fate would have it, his next move would prove far more satisfying — both personally and professionally.
In 1978, McCormack joined Billy Lamont’s East Stirlingshire, a side with ambition bubbling beneath its modest surface. The Shire, often seen as perennial strugglers, suddenly found themselves in contention for promotion from the Scottish Second Division during the 1979–80 season.
East Stirlingshire and Falkirk were neck and neck for much of the season, locked in a thrilling race for the title. Going into the final match, both sides were level on points, but Falkirk had the better goal difference. Thus, the Shire needed to better their rivals’ result to claim the championship. In a cruel twist, Falkirk won their fixture while East Stirlingshire could only draw. Consequently, Lamont’s men finished runners-up by a single point — heartbreakingly close to the title, yet jubilantly promoted to the Scottish First Division all the same.
By 1980, at the age of 31, McCormack finally decided to end his Scottish League career. His eventual departure to Australia came at the behest of an old friend, and while his time in football may not have concluded in the most glamorous of circumstances, his influence was undeniable.
Furthermore, his impact extended beyond the pitch itself, as he seamlessly transitioned from striker to scribe, swapping boots for the newsroom and taking up a role as a sub-editor at the Evening Times in 1988, where his meticulous nature and knowledge of the round ball game proved invaluable.
Roy McCormack´s deep-rooted passion for Scottish football in particular also saw him entrusted with compiling the revered Wee Red Book from 1991 onwards, a responsibility the former goal poacher carried with diligence and an encyclopaedic grasp of the sport’s facts.