Dumbarton - Strathclyde Homes Stadium

1^st January 2003

Dumbarton 2-1 Airdrie United

In 2000 Dumbarton left Boghead Park, their home of 121 years to move to a newly built stadium on the banks of the River Clyde, in the shadow of Dumbarton Rock – that impressive volcanic plug atop of which sits Dumbarton Castle.  

In an ideal world the club would have christened their new home simply “The Rock”, making it probably the best named football ground in the world.  Regretfully, financial realities intruded and the cumbersomely named Strathclyde Homes Stadium was born.

The ground is remarkably similar to East Fife’s New Bayview, even down to the seating colour scheme and the industrial monstrosity opposite the only stand.  Although, to be fair, since my visits, the demolition men have been busy at both sites.

The Rock (2003)

The Rock (2017)

The main entrance.(2003)

The main entrance (2017)



A view of the stand from outside.

Same view in 2017

This match, a New Year “Derby” with Airdrie United turned out to be middling run-of-the mill affair, with a number of combatants performing as if they had enjoyed bringing in the New Year a bit too heartily.  The one outstanding exception was Dumbarton’s Nigerian trialist Emeka OBIDILE, whose pace and speed of thought often left even his own team-mates trailing in his wake.  

He opened the scoring in the 19^th minute, as he sprinted away from the lumbering Airdrie defence to convert a knock-on from Paddy Flannery.  Just before the break, the Nigerian was at it again, this time his fleet-footedness setting up John DILLON with a tap-in.  Airdrie United plodded away throughout the second-half, but rarely looked like getting back into the match, although Jerome VAREILLE did grab a last-minute consolation.

Obidile’s display had been worth the admission money on its own, and I thought “Wow.  Here is a guy on the way up!”  But it just goes to show you how much I know – after 20 appearances and 3 goals for Dumbarton, he walked out on the club; his next port of call being English non-league side Buckingham Town.  

  

Dumbarton.........or is it East Fife?

...and in 2017

Panorama of Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton (2003)

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Come April 2017, the ground is now named The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium: Dumbarton 0-2 Dunfermline Athletic.

Dumbarton FC's Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium from Dumbarton Rock.

Paying a fiver gets one access to Dumbarton Castle, where one can clamber to
the summit of the rock for stunning views of not only the football ground, but the surrounding countryside.
This pic shows the River Leven to the left, with the River Clyde
(looking upstream towards Glasgow) on the right.