Davie Dodds
Encyclopedia
David Dodds 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.
and started his playing career at Celtic Boys Club
, aged 9. 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.
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.
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.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who played for Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
, Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
and Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in the 1980s. During his playing career, he scored over 100 League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
goals, and earned two Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
caps.
Early life and career
Dodds was born and brought up in DundeeDundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
and started his playing career at Celtic Boys Club
Celtic Boys Club
-External links:*...
, aged 9. However, at the age of 14 he signed schoolboy forms with local club Dundee United. Developing into a promising striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, he turned professional with United in 1975, but was initially part-time while also serving an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
as a painter and decorator
Painter and decorator
A house painter and decorator is a tradesman responsible for the painting and decorating of buildings, and is also known as a decorator or house painter...
. He made his first team debut for United against Arbroath
Arbroath F.C.
Arbroath F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. They were founded in 1878 and currently play their home matches at Gayfield, Arbroath, Angus. They play in maroon strips, and are nicknamed "The Red Lichties" due to the red light that used to guide...
in 1976, but it would take several years for Dodds to fully establish himself as a first team regular. During the 1977-78 season
1977-78 in Scottish football
The 1977–78 season was the 81st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: RangersRelegated: Ayr United, Clydebank-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Morton, Hearts...
, he played several games for Arbroath on loan, and shortly afterwards he signed a full time contract with Dundee United.
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 CupScottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
final in 1979
1979-80 in Scottish football
The 1979–80 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: AberdeenRelegated: Dundee, Hibernian-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Hearts, Airdrieonians...
when the club lifted their first ever major trophy, but the following year he was part of the side that defeated city rivals Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in the final to retain the cup. He scored United's first goal in a 3-0 victory at Dundee's Dens Park
Dens Park
Dens Park is a football stadium located on Dens Road in Dundee, Scotland. The stadium is the home of Dundee F.C. and has a capacity of 12,085...
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
Paul Sturrock
Paul Whitehead Sturrock is a Scottish football manager who, since July 2010, is the manager of Southend United. Until this appointment, Sturrock had most recently been at English League 1 club Plymouth Argyle in a business support role, having been relieved of his managerial duties, until he quit...
. In 1982-83
1982-83 in Scottish football
The 1982–83 season was the 86th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:In a tightly fought contest Dundee United win their first and only title this season. The league remains undecided until the last day of the season with Aberdeen, Celtic and Dundee United in contention...
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
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
semi-finals and score on his international debut against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
.
Despite this run of success, Dodds was becoming unsettled at Dundee United. Despite the efforts of manager Jim McLean
Jim McLean
James Yuill McLean is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best known for his 22-year spell as manager of Dundee United; the longest-serving and most successful manager in the club's history, he led them to three major honours and established them as a force in European competitions...
to keep the player at Tannadice
Tannadice Park
Tannadice Park, usually referred to as Tannadice, is a football stadium located on Tannadice Street in the Scottish city of Dundee. The stadium is home of Dundee United F.C. and has a capacity of 14,209.-Early days :...
, he left the club at the end of his contract in 1986.
Later career
In 1986, Davie Dodds joined SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
club Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club is a Swiss football club, based in Neuchâtel. It was created in 1970 through a merger between FC Cantonal and FC Xamax . The club plays in red shirts, black shorts and red socks and are currently in the Axpo Super League, the highest Swiss football league. They play...
, whom he had played against for Dundee United in the previous season's UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
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
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
. 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
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
had previously likened Dodds to a basketball player when he played against them for Aberdeen.
Having been brought to Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
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 DivisionScottish Football League Premier DivisionThe Scottish Football League Premier Division was, from 1975 until 1998, the top division of the Scottish Football League and the entire Scottish football league system...
: 1982-831982-83 in Scottish footballThe 1982–83 season was the 86th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:In a tightly fought contest Dundee United win their first and only title this season. The league remains undecided until the last day of the season with Aberdeen, Celtic and Dundee United in contention... - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: 1980-811980-81 in Scottish footballThe 1980-81 season was the 84th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: CelticRelegated: Kilmarnock, Hearts-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Hibernian, Dundee... - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
runners up 1981-82, 1984–85