Could This Be The End For Two Scottish Clubs?

The relative riches of the Premiership, and regular home fixtures with the likes of Celtic and Rangers, must seem a universe away. And yet, they each have histories on which to hang their metaphoric bunnets.

Yes, ICT has only just celebrated its 30-year anniversary, but in that time the Highlands club have won a Scottish Cup (2014-15) and were runners-up in the 2022-23 Scottish Cup and 2013-14 League Cup.

They also famously produced the Sun headline “Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious” in 2003 after upsetting the Hoops 3-1 at Celtic Park in a Scottish Cup tie.

Dumbarton, meanwhile, have a much longer history (dating back to 1872) and actually won Division One (forerunner to the Championship) in 1971-72. Former Celts Bertie Auld and Sean Fallon also managed the Sons in the 1980s.

Now, relegation to League 2, the bottom of the SFA’s professional footballing pyramid, seems likely for these two “storied” (perhaps a stretch) clubs. With the mandatory 15-point deductions, ICT sit on 4 points (10 points from safety) and Dumbarton are on 0.

They have 22 fixtures to get themselves out of the relegation playoff positions, but with limited resources (even by Scotland League One standards) a recovery would be a miracle.

Performances would need to be, dare we say it, super. And unlike Barcelona, neither ICT nor Dumbarton have a “global brand” to fall back on.