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Positive progress in first campaign for Dumbarton FC Ladies squad

Dumbarton FC launch first ever women's team in July 2024
-Credit: (Image: Lennox Herald)


Steady progress is the name of the game for Dumbarton’s all-new women’s side.

History was made earlier this year when the club announced that they would be fielding a female side for the first time in the club’s 152- year history.

Last season the team played under the name of Dumbarton United in the SWFL West where they finished seventh in a fiercely competitive division.

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Coach Gerry Gallacher, who takes the team along with Kenny McInnes, told the Lennox his side were adapting well to the challenge, with many playing women’s football for the first time.

Gerry said: “The girls are adapting really well, and we’ve always encouraged the girls to play at an age up so to speak, so the next step would be women’s football from an early age and they’ve been coping well.”

“We’re very pleased with their progress overall, we always try to stay positive but as coaches we have a plan in mind, a three-year plan.

“It’s about individual development, team development, club development and working in partnership with Dumbarton Football Club and I’m very positive we’ll go where we want to go.”

Gerry believes the name change has helped to give the squad a further boost.

He continued: “We’re not promoting the name change to the outside world, but certainly the local girls, families and communities they know we’ve changed over to Dumbarton Football Club and the prestige that the move brings with it has added a certain level of professionalism in the dressing room there’s no doubt about that.

“It’s fundamental for the development of women’s football in the Dumbarton area whether they are involved with the local professional club, it increases the profile.

“The first season is more of a transition, getting players aware of the challenges ahead, the other clubs that are out there get the experiences under their belt and take into the seasons ahead that’s where we are just now.

“Steady progress every year is what we’re interested in, player development progress, club development progress, profile progress it’s all going the right way.”