Amongst those joining up were goalkeeper John Taylor from Queen's Park, and full backs Peter McQuade and Don Watt from East Fife and Celtic respectively.
On 25 August Dumbarton played the return League Cup tie against Hibernian at Boghead, crushing the Easter Road side 4-1[9][10] and leaving the door still open for qualification to the next round.
Dumbarton were missing John Cushley and Brian Heron, and the previous season's Scottish Cup winning side easily brushed the Sons aside 6–0.
[17][18] Roy McCormack joined Cushley and Heron on the injury list when Ayr United came to Boghead for the league fixture on 15 September and in a disappointing game the home side lost 2–0.
[27][28] The following weekend it was Aberdeen who came to Dumbarton in the league and after a closely contested game it was the visitors who left with the points after a Drew Jarvie goal was enough to complete a 1–0 win.
A week later the Sons travelled to Shawfield in the league to play Clyde and in a fast flowing attacking game Dumbarton achieved a comfortable 3–0 win.
[39][40] The following weekend saw Celtic visit a muddy Boghead and while silky football was little in evidence, goals from Kenny Dalglish and Bobby Lennox were enough for the visitors to see off the Sons.
[45][46] On 29 December Dumbarton were on the road again this time to Tannadice to face off against Dundee United and in a superb display topped off by four goals from teenager Andy Gray, the home team devastated the Sons by 6–0.
The first game of 1974 brought winless Falkirk to Boghead, but it was to be Dumbarton who would suffer their fifth straight defeat with the Bairns breaking their duck in handsome fashion, 5–1.
[49][50] On 5 January Dumbarton visited Somerset Park to play Ayr United and the plan to stem the leaky defence appeared to work as a Ross Mathie goal was sufficient to take both points.
However a freak goal by Colin McAdam where a free kick taken 5 yards inside his own half bounced on the penalty spot and over the goalkeeper followed by a Willie Wallace strike changed the whole complexion of the game.
After a free week Dumbarton travelled to Pittodrie to play Aberdeen in the league, While the game ended in a 3–0 defeat it was overshadowed by bad injuries to two players.
During the game Dons young striker Bobby Street broke his leg and Sons goalkeeper Lawrie Williams suffered a fractured cheekbone.
[61][62] The following weekend Hearts arrived on league business and while the playing surface continued to cause problems the visitors managed to leave with both points after a 1–0 win.
The Boghead surface continued to cause problems as Clyde arrived to play their league fixture on 9 March but it was the visitors who adapted quicker to the conditions and went into an early lead.
[67][68] In midweek, Dumbarton took a rest from league business to visit Firs Park in a Stirlingshire Cup semi final tie against East Stirling – only progressing on penalties after struggling to a 2–2 draw.
On 13 April the Sons arrived at East End Park to play fellow strugglers Dunfermline, and despite taking an early 2–0 lead it was the Fifers who came back to snatch a 3–2 win.
[83][84] Four days later Dumbarton took on Stirling Albion at Boghead in the final of the Stirlingshire Cup, with the home side just failing to retain the trophy after losing a penalty shoot-out following a 2–2 draw.
For the first time, Dumbarton entered the Scottish Reserve League Cup, and after qualifying from their section with 4 wins and a draw from 6 games, they eventually lost out to Partick Thistle in a two-legged semi final.