- Davie Dodds
-
Davie Dodds Personal information Full name David Dodds Date of birth 23 September 1958 Place of birth Dundee, Scotland Playing position Striker Youth career 1967–1971 Celtic Boys Club 1971–1975 Dundee United Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1975–1986 Dundee United 243 (102) 1977–1978 →Arbroath (loan) 6 (1) 1986 Neuchâtel Xamax 1986–1989 Aberdeen 73 (17) 1989–1992 Rangers 17 (4) National team 1983 Scotland 2 (1) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).David Dodds (born 23 September 1958) is a former Scottish football player who played for Dundee United, Aberdeen and Rangers in the 1980s. During his playing career, he scored over 100 League goals, and earned two Scotland caps.
Contents
Early life and career
Dodds was born and brought up in Dundee and started his playing career at Celtic Boys Club, aged 9.[1] However, at the age of 14 he signed schoolboy forms with local club Dundee United. Developing into a promising striker, he turned professional with United in 1975, but was initially part-time while also serving an apprenticeship as a painter and decorator. He made his first team debut for United against Arbroath in 1976, but it would take several years for Dodds to fully establish himself as a first team regular. During the 1977-78 season, he played several games for Arbroath on loan, and shortly afterwards he signed a full time contract with Dundee United.
Playing career
Dundee United
Dundee United at this time were developing into one of the strongest sides in Scotland. Despite playing in some of the earlier rounds, Dodds missed out on the Scottish League Cup final in 1979 when the club lifted their first ever major trophy, but the following year he was part of the side that defeated city rivals Dundee in the final to retain the cup. He scored United's first goal in a 3-0 victory at Dundee's Dens Park ground.
By this time Dodds was featuring regularly in the side and forming a profitable attacking partnership, as a "target man" alongside the diminutive Paul Sturrock. In 1982-83 they were part of the United side that lifted the Scottish League title for the first, and to date only, time, with Dodds contributing 22 goals. The following season saw Dodds star in the club's run to the European Cup semi-finals and score on his international debut against Uruguay.
Despite this run of success, Dodds was becoming unsettled at Dundee United. Despite the efforts of manager Jim McLean to keep the player at Tannadice, he left the club at the end of his contract in 1986.
Later career
In 1986, Davie Dodds joined Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax, whom he had played against for Dundee United in the previous season's UEFA Cup campaign. United received a fee of £180,000. However, personal problems led to the player seeking a move back to Scotland within months, and he was soon signed for Aberdeen by Alex Ferguson. As he moved into his thirties, he was featuring in the Dons' first team only infrequently, but then he was signed for Rangers, reigning Scottish champions and Dodds' boyhood favourites. The move was surprising given that Rangers manager Graeme Souness had previously likened Dodds to a basketball player when he played against them for Aberdeen.
Having been brought to Ibrox primarily as squad cover, Dodds played only a small number of first team matches, sometimes filling in in defence or midfield, before retiring from playing in 1991. He was appointed to Rangers' coaching staff (as first team coach) and continued to be employed there until 1997. After parting company with the club he decided not to seek further employment in football coaching, but returned to his family's decorating business. Dodds has been voted as number one in the Ave-it.net website list of top twenty ugly footballers.
Honours
- Dundee United
- Scottish League Premier Division: 1982-83
- Scottish League Cup: 1980-81
- Scottish Cup runners up 1981-82, 1984–85
References
- ^ EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY: former Rangers star Davie Dodds takes a trip down his memory lane, Evening Times, 17 January 2003, Accessed 24 August 2006
External links
Categories:- 1958 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Dundee
- Association football forwards
- Scottish footballers
- Dundee United F.C. players
- Aberdeen F.C. players
- Rangers F.C. players
- Scotland international footballers
- Scottish Football League players
- Scottish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
- Rangers F.C. non-playing staff
- Arbroath F.C. players
- Neuchâtel Xamax players
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
