Facing the unlucky ballot of two away trips to newly relegated Dundee, as well what proved to be the division's top two teams, St Mirren and Clydebank, provided an immediate disadvantage.
On this occasion the transfer of future £1m player Ian Wallace to Coventry City immediately following a 3–3 home draw with Celtic in the season-opening League Cup sections proved a disruptive loss as only a single win was gained from the first 6 league games.
In the League Cup, another tough qualifying group, which included two of the top-four Premier Division clubs, Celtic (again) and Dundee United, was to prove to be too much of a hurdle to progress to the knock-out stages.
Win Draw Loss [2] Graeme Sinclair was selected to play for Scotland Under23s in a match against England Under23s on April 27, 1977.
In the Scottish Second XI Cup, Dumbarton lost to Queen of the South in the second round, on penalties, after a 2–2 draw.