Davie Dodds

Scottish footballer

For other people with the same name, see David Dodds (disambiguation).

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (September 2010)

|

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.
Find sources: "Davie Dodds" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

Davie DoddsPersonal information

Date of birth|  (1958-09-23) 23 September 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth|  Dundee, Scotland
Position(s)|  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|  1|  (0)
1986–1989|  Aberdeen|  72|  (17)
1989–1991|  Rangers|  17|  (4)
Total|  |  339|  (124)
International career
1978|  Scotland U21[1]|  1|  (0)
1983|  Scotland|  2|  (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Dodds (born 23 September 1958) is a Scottish former footballer who played for Dundee United, Aberdeen and Rangers in the 1980s. With United, he was a Scottish League champion in 1983 and was in their winning 1980 Scottish League Cup final-winning team, scoring in the match. During his playing career he scored over 100 League goals. He earned two Scotland caps.

## Early life and career

[edit]

Dodds was born and brought up in Dundee and lived close to the city's two football stadia, regularly attending both Dundee United and Dundee fixtures.[2] He started his playing career at Celtic Boys Club, aged 9, where he was played at left-back.[3][2] 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, his father's occupation.[2]

## Club career

[edit]

### Dundee United

[edit]

Dodds left Hillside Boys Club in December 1972 and signed a S form with Dundee United. He began playing for the reserves in a short period of time and, in 1975, acquired a professional deal with United.[4] He made his first team debut for United against Arbroath in August 1976, scoring twice in a 3–1 victory, but it took several years for him to fully establish himself as a first team regular. During the 1977–78 season, he played several games for Arbroath on loan.[2][4][5]

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.[2]

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.[2] In 1982–83 they were part of the United side that lifted the Scottish League title for the first time,[6] with Dodds contributing 22 goals. The following season saw Dodds star in the club's run to the European Cup semi-finals.[2] He would also finish on the losing side in two Scottish Cup finals with United, in 1981 and 1985.[7]

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.[4]

### Later career

[edit]

In summer 1986, Dodds joined Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax,[8] 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 (his wife's postnatal depression)[2] led to the player seeking a move back to Scotland within months, and he was brought to Aberdeen by Alex Ferguson,[8] although within weeks the manager who signed him had moved on.[2] Dodds' most significant contribution during his spell at Pittodrie was finding the net twice in the 1988 Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park, but opponents Rangers pulled ahead in the final minutes to win the contest 3–2.[9][10]

As he moved into his thirties, he was featuring in the Dons' first team only infrequently, but in late 1989 he was then signed for Rangers,[11] reigning Scottish champions and Dodds' boyhood favourites.[2] 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.[citation needed] Having been brought to Ibrox primarily as squad cover, Dodds played only a small number of first team matches, sometimes filling in within the defence or midfield, before retiring from playing in 1991. Rangers retained his registration, and due to injuries and foreign player restrictions he was named among the substitutes for a UEFA Champions League match at home to Olympique Marseille in November 1992.[12]

## International career

[edit]

Dodds scored on his international debut for Scotland in a 2–0 win over Uruguay in September 1983.[13]

## Coaching career

[edit]

After retiring as a player, Dodds was appointed to Rangers' coaching staff – as first team coach – and continued to be employed there until 1997, being part of the backroom staff under manager Walter Smith, his former teammate at Dundee United, during many of the club's successes in the period (six league titles, three Scottish Cups and five League Cups). After parting company with the club he decided not to seek further employment in football coaching.

## Career statistics

[edit]

### Club

[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[14][15][16][17][18] Club  | Seasons  | League  | National cup  | League cup  | Europe  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division  | Apps  | Goals  | Apps  | Goals  | Apps  | Goals  | Apps  | Goals  | Apps  | Goals
Dundee United | 1975–76 | Scottish Premier Division | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
1976–77 | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 4  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 4  | 2
1977–78 | 10  | 1  | 1  | 0  | 1  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 12  | 2
1978–79 | 27  | 10  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2  | 0  | 30  | 10
1979–80 | 21  | 6  | 1  | 0  | 4  | 2  | 4  | 0  | 30  | 8
1980–81 | 24  | 14  | 7  | 5  | 7  | 2  | 2  | 2  | 40  | 23
1981–82 | 35  | 14  | 5  | 2  | 9  | 3  | 8  | 3  | 57  | 22
1982–83 | 36  | 22  | 1  | 0  | 10  | 5  | 8  | 1  | 55  | 28
1983–84 | 33  | 15  | 4  | 1  | 9  | 7  | 8  | 3  | 54  | 26
1984–85 | 26  | 8  | 6  | 4  | 4  | 3  | 4  | 1  | 40  | 16
1985–86 | 31  | 12  | 5  | 0  | 5  | 0  | 4  | 1  | 45  | 13
Total  | 243  | 102  | 31  | 12  | 53  | 25  | 40  | 11  | 367  | 150
Arbroath (loan)  | 1977–78 | Scottish First Division | 6  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 6  | 1
Neuchâtel Xamax | 1986–87 | Swiss Super League | 1  | 0  | –  | –  | –  | 1+  | 0+
Aberdeen | 1986–87 | Scottish Premier Division  | 25  | 4  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 28  | 4
1987–88 | 23  | 9  | 5  | 4  | 2  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 30  | 15
1988–89 | 23  | 4  | 4  | 0  | 5  | 3  | 2  | 0  | 34  | 7
1989–90 | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2  | 0
Total  | 72  | 17  | 12  | 4  | 8  | 5  | 2  | 0  | 94  | 26
Rangers | 1989–90 | Scottish Premier Division  | 14  | 4  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 15  | 4
1990–91 | 3  | 0  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2  | 1  | 6  | 1
1991–92 | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
1992–93 | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
Total  | 17  | 4  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2  | 1  | 21  | 5
Career total  | 339  | 124  | 45  | 16  | 61  | 30  | 44  | 12  | 489  | 182

### International

[edit]

Appearances and goals by national team and year[19] National team  | Year  | Apps  | Goals

|
|
|

Scotland | 1983  | 2  | 1
Total  | 2  | 1

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dodds goal

List of international goals scored by Davie Dodds  No.  | Date  | Venue  | Opponent  | Score  | Result  | Competition

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | 21 September 1983  | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  | Uruguay | 2–0  | 2–0  | Friendly

## Honours

[edit]

Dundee United

* Scottish Premier Division: 1982–83
* Scottish League Cup: 1980–81
* Runners-up 1984–85
* Scottish Cup: Runners-up 1980–81, 1984–85

Aberdeen

* Scottish League Cup: Runners-up 1988–89

Rangers

* Scottish Premier Division: 1989–90

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Scotland U21profile". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Interview: United legend Davie Dodds on his hoodoo over Dundee". The Scotsman. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
3. ^ EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY: former Rangers star Davie Dodds takes a trip down his memory lane[dead link] Evening Times, 17 January 2003; Accessed 24 August 2006
4. ^ a b c "Davie Dodds – Player Profile". DUFC Archive. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
5. ^ Poole, Mark (2020). Dundee United On This Day. Worthing: Pitch Publishing. p. 122\. ISBN 9781785316180.
6. ^ The rise and fall of Jim McLean Archived 5 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine BBC Sport, 15 October 2000
7. ^ Davidson, Alan (18 May 1985). "Final touch from Frank". Evening Times Saturday Sport. pp. 1 & 3. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
8. ^ a b Scots across the Channel Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Independent, 1 January 1995
9. ^ "NOW YOU KNOW: Ally McCoist double helped Rangers defeat Aberdeen 3-2 in 1998 League Cup Final". Evening Times. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
10. ^ "Aberdeen 2-3 Rangers". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
11. ^ Aberdeen v Rangers Connections Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine RedWeb (Aberdeen FC), 21 January 2009
12. ^ "Fortune favours the young braves of Rangers". The Herald. 25 November 1992. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
13. ^ Perfect start to Scots build-up Glasgow Herald (Google News), 22 September 1983
14. ^ "Davie Dodds | Player Statistics | Dundee United (Arab Archive)". arabarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
15. ^ "Davie Dodds | Player Statistics | Arbroath (Arbroath Archive)". arbroatharchive.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
16. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Davie Dodds". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
17. ^ "Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust – Player Profile". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
18. ^ "Rangers Player Davie Dodds Details". fitbastats.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
19. ^ "Davie Dodds | Scotland | Scottish FA". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Davie Dodds at the Scottish Football Association
* Profile at AFC Heritage Trust

* v
* t
* e

Dundee United F.C. - Hall of Fame inductees

2008|

* Briggs
* Døssing
* Gillespie
* Hegarty
* Malpas
* Narey
* Smith

2009|

* Bannon
* Coyle
* McAlpine
* McKay
* R. Milne
* Rolland

2010|

* Bowman
* Clark
* Dodds
* Fraser
* Hainey
* Mitchell
* Sturrock

2011|

* Cameron
* Holt
* Hutchison
* Kopel
* Pedersen
* Wing

2012|

* Irvine
* Kirkwood
* A. Milne
* Olofsson
* Thomson
* Welsh

2013|

* Fleming
* Hart
* Mackay
* Main
* Persson
* J. Reilly

2014|

* Gallacher
* McKinlay
* Millar
* Payne
* Pettigrew
* Wilkie

2015|

* Dailly
* McInally
* McLean
* Paatelainen
* P. Reilly
* Stark

2016|

* Davie
* Dillon
* Gough
* Kerr
* McLaren
* Quinn

2017|

* Phillip
* Redford
* Van de Kamp
* Wilson

2019|

* Brewster
* Brownlie
* Golac
* Neilson

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template