Dumbarton striker Jim Lister is playing the best football of his career after finally making it as a First Division player aged 31. After a career in the Junior ranks and playing with teams that finished in the bottom half of the Second and Third Divisions, Lister is now relishing life at a higher level.
The Sons may still have to win a League game following promotion via the Play-Offs at the end of last season however, Lister has shone as he has adapted to life in the First Division and played a huge role as they picked up their first point in last Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Hamilton Academical.
Lister reckons that a change in how he fuels his engine has helped him reach the peak of his powers as he explained: “I knew I had to be fitter than ever when I signed for Dumbarton especially as they were going to be playing in the First Division. I had a bit of a dilemma about how I was going to achieve that as between working full-time, domestic life and travelling from my home at Carronshore, I would not have a lot of spare time to work on my fitness on my own.
“I had to do something different and I decided to change my diet and out went McDonalds, crisps and chocolates and now I make myself healthy sandwiches every day.”
Lister added: “Our Assistant Manager, Jack Ross, was a senior full-time professional for a long time and is heavily involved with PFA Scotland. He tells everyone what he would do when he was playing and also that the PFA have a lot of material on the well being of players.
“You cannot just cut everything out from day one so it has been a gradual thing and I am feeling that I am in the best shape of my career now.”
Ross’ help has been influential with the Sons' forward saying: “Jack is learning his off the field trade just now and he is an extremely good coach and I reckon he will go far in the game.”
The striker played with Camelon Juniors before having a brief spell at Berwick Rangers in season 2008/09 and when the Manager that took him there, Allan McGonigal, left after just a few months, Lister quickly followed by joining Bathgate Thistle.
The frontman stayed there until Alloa Athletic gave him a second chance in the senior ranks in the summer of 2010 although it was to turn into a season of frustration for both him and the Recreation Park side.
Lister said: “I only scored once for Berwick but I scored over 10 at Alloa but most of them came after coming off the bench. I felt that I never really got a chance to show what I could do and then of course, we were relegated via the Play-Offs to complete a disappointing time.”
The next move to Brechin City again failed to cement Lister as a SFL dangerman as he explained: “I went there and picked up a groin injury that eventually needed surgery. I only scored four goals for them and we never put in the promotion push that was expected of us.”
Despite his poor run of luck in the SFL, Dumbarton boss Alan Adamson liked what he had seen and talked to Lister about joining the Sons with the striker saying: “We started talking when Dumbarton were playing in the Play-Offs. I had agreed verbally to join them although none of us knew what division they would be in.
"I watched the games against Airdrie on BBC ALBA in the Play-Off Final and was rooting for Dumbarton even though I was apprehensive about stepping up to the First Division.
“They did really well in those two games. I am delighted they made it and I am delighted that I am here and I think the form I am showing is the best of my career. I am going into every game confident that I will score and feeling that I can contribute to the team for the full game.”
Lister added: “The Manager was very positive about me joining in the summer and it was good to feel wanted. I was sure I would be given a chance early on and it is now up to me to take it.”
The striker took the chance saying: “I scored once in a pre-season friendly against my old club Brechin, scored twice against Albion Rovers and also against Clydebank Juniors so the start of the season could not come quick enough.”
Lister’s first official goal came in the opening round of The Scottish Communities League Cup when Albion Rovers were beaten 2-0 with a further goal coming against Airdrie United in the opening League game of the First Division season.
The Second Round of The Scottish Communities League Cup also brought a goal although Livingston eventually knocked Dumbarton out 3-2 after extra-time with Lister’s goal account being further boosted by a hat-trick against Stirling Albion in a Stirlingshire cup tie before his header against Hamilton Academical as he gave their defence a really uncomfortable afternoon in last Saturday’s 3-3 draw.
Lister was asked if that made it four for the season and he bristled saying: “No, I am a striker so I make it 10 for the season.”
It should have been more than 10 all the same with Lister saying: “I am still not totally satisfied with the amount of chances I have taken as I think in every game so far, there have been one or two half chances I could have scored with. Against Hamilton, I hit the post with a header that I perhaps should have netted with but I suppose the important thing is not to get overly concerned because when another chance came 10 minutes later, I scored that one.”
Another goalscorer against the Accies was club captain Bryan Prunty and Lister has nothing but praise for his one time team-mate at Alloa saying: “Bryan is a really good guy and despite being younger than me, he is a lot more experienced in football than I am. He is great to play alongside and hopefully, we can build a strong partnership by playing regularly at Dumbarton.”
One of the happiest sights at a game last weekend was Prunty netting to put Dumbarton 3-1 ahead against the Accies and running to the touchline where he embraced his son, who was a ballboy, before lifting him high in the air with Lister saying: “That was a great sight and his big cheesy grin after he scores is something everyone at the club loves.”
The match ended in a cruel way for Dumbarton with on-loan Celtic youngster James Keatings stabbing home with two minutes left and before Keatings netted again in the fifth minute of added on time with Dumbarton convinced goalkeeper Stephen Grindlay had been fouled in the build-up.
Lister said: “That was a sore one to take. I have lost in Cup Finals before and that was worse than that and it almost felt as bad as being relegated with Alloa. During that time with Alloa, we lost a game to Airdrie 3-2 when they scored two goals late on and this felt the same even though it was still a draw.
“We were looking comfortable and it would have been our first League win, moved us off the bottom of the table and sent Hamilton there, so it was a really disappointing way for a game to end.”
The Sons will head to Livingston this Saturday on the trail of that first win and a move up the table and they have nothing to fear according to Lister who said: “We did really well there in The Scottish Communities League Cup when it was 1-1 after 90 minutes. I opened the scoring that night but we had other chances as well and we eventually lost 3-2 in extra-time. We can go to West Lothian and be confident.”
Manager Adamson has praised Lister for giving First Division football a go for the first time in his career saying: “Jim has been terrific all season and I am glad that he was brave enough to give the First Division a go. He has previously only played in the Juniors and in the Second and Third Divisions and when I spoke to him in the summer, he felt that he was maybe too old to play in the First Division at this stage of his career.
“He thought about it and was then brave enough to put that to one side and said he would try it. He has been tremendous for us in every game so far and against Hamilton, he was rag-dolling defenders all afternoon and he scored a deserved goal after earlier hitting the post.”
The Bet Butler Stadium boss added: “We will win a game soon and Jim will have played a big part in it I am sure of that.”
.png){kind=logo}
