Billy Dodds

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Billy Dodds

Billy Dodds at the celebration of Queen of the South's
run to the 2008 Scottish Cup Final
Personal information
Full name William Dodds
Date of birth February 5, 1969 (1969-02-05) (age 39)
Place of birth    New Cumnock, Scotland
Playing position Striker (retired)
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1986–1989
1987
1989–1994
1994
1994–1998
1998–1999
1999–2003
2003–2006
2006
Chelsea
Partick Thistle (loan)
Dundee
St. Johnstone
Aberdeen
Dundee United
Rangers
Dundee United
Partick Thistle
Total
003 00(0)
030 00(9)
174 0(68)
020 00(6)
140 0(49)
045 0(25)
065 0(21)
068 0(14)
002 00(0)
547 (192)   
National team
1996–2001 Scotland 026 00(7)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

William "Billy" Dodds (born February 5, 1969) is a Scottish former professional footballer, currently working as strikers coach at Dumfries club Queen of the South. Doods also has media work as a pundit for BBC Scotland and a weekly column in the Scottish Sun tabloid newspaper.

He also has a keen interest in horse racing. His horse, Lampion du Bost (which he co-owns with former Rangers team mate Craig Moore), won its first race in the UK on 2007-11-25 in the "prestigious" Grand Sefton Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree, winning the pair "tens of thousands".[1]

Contents

[edit] Early career

Born in New Cumnock, Dodds first appeared on the books of English club Chelsea in 1986 but had his first taste of professional football in a successful loan period at Partick Thistle in 1987-88. After making only three appearances for the London club he was transferred to Dundee in 1989. It was during his time at Dens Park that Dodds became prolific, netting nearly 70 league goals in his 174 appearances, winning a Scottish First Division title in the 1991-92 season.

Dodds moved to St. Johnstone in January 1994 but moved to Aberdeen within six months. During his time at Pittodrie, he was part of the side that won the 1995-96 Scottish League Cup, scoring as The Dons beat his former club Dundee in the November 1995 final. Within a year, Dodds gained his first Scotland cap against Latvia, coming on as a 59th-minute substitute in the October 1996 World Cup Qualifier win in Riga.

Dodds remained at Aberdeen until September 1998, when he was used - along with £700,000 - in a swap deal to bring Robbie Winters to Pittodrie from Dundee United.[2]

[edit] Recognition

Dodds enjoyed something of a rebirth when Aberdeen offered him and cash for Winters. Restored to playing as a striker, Dodds' full debut for United saw a hat-trick against former club St. Johnstone, earning him instant hero status. During his time at Tannadice, he scored 25 goals in 45 league appearances. His form attracted the attentions of Scotland coach Craig Brown, who restored Dodds to the Scotland squad after a twelve month absence. During his time with United, he featured in ten competitive international matches, including the playoff matches against England, scoring four times.

It was in December 1999, less than fifteen months after joining United, that Dodds was signed for £1.3m by the then-manager of Rangers, Dick Advocaat. Dodds proved an instant success at Ibrox, scoring goals domestically and in European competition, and although later in his stay at Ibrox his first team opportunities dried up, Dodds proved a key member of the team that won The League Championship and Cup double in 2000 and Scottish Cup and League Cup double in 2002.

[edit] Final playing spell

In January 2003, frustrated by the lack of first team chances under new Rangers manager Alex McLeish, Dodds returned to Dundee United in another swap deal that saw Steven Thompson move in the opposite direction. On Dodds' second debut for United, wearing his familiar no.14 shirt, he scored the first equaliser in United's 2-2 draw at home to Kilmarnock.[3]

During 2005, Billy Dodds signed a new contract at Dundee United that would see him work with the-then manager Gordon Chisholm, as both player and first team coach. Dodds moved into midfield and later sweeper as his pace began to slow down, but as Chisholm steered Dundee United away from relegation, Dodds' vision and playmaking skills proved a valuable asset.

After only seven months in the job, Gordon Chisholm was sacked as manager of Dundee United on 10 January 2006. Billy Dodds took over as caretaker manager for one match, a 2-1 win against Falkirk in the Premier League. When Inverness CT Player/Manager Craig Brewster took over the side the following week, Dodds parted company with the club, signing for Second Division side Partick Thistle as a player on 20 January; however, he left after only three matches.

[edit] Coach

Gordon Chisholm appointed Billy Dodds as strikers coach at Queen of the South. With Dodds Queens made it to the 2007/08 Scottish cup final where they lost 3 - 2 despite a battling second half performance.

[edit] International goals

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 October 10, 1998 Tyencastle Park, Edinburgh Flag of Estonia Estonia 1-1 3-2 ECQG9
2 October 10, 1998 Tyencastle Park, Edinburgh Flag of Estonia Estonia 3-2 3-2 ECQG9
3 October 14, 1998 Pittodrie, Aberdeen Flag of the Faroe Islands Faroe Islands 2-0 2-1 ECQG9
4 September 4, 1999 Olimpijski Stadion, Sarajevo Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1 2-1 ECQG9
5 March 24, 2001 Hampden Park, Glasgow Flag of Belgium Belgium 1-0 2-2 WCQG6
6 March 24, 2001 Hampden Park, Glasgow Flag of Belgium Belgium 2-0 2-2 WCQG6
7 March 28, 2001 Hampden Park, Glasgow Flag of San Marino San Marino 3-0 4-0 WCQG6

[edit] Statistics

Correct as of 26 April 2008

Club Performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup Football League Cup Europe Total
Scotland League Scottish Cup Scottish League Cup Europe Total
1986-87 Chelsea English First Division 1 0 - - - 1 0
1987-88 Partick Thistle Scottish First Division 30 9 N/A N/A - 30 9
1988-89 Chelsea English First Division 2 0 - - - 2 0
1989-90 Dundee Scottish Premier Division 30 13 N/A N/A - 30 13
1990-91 Scottish First Division 37 15 N/A N/A - 37 15
1991-92 42 19 N/A N/A - 42 19
1992-93 Scottish Premier Division 41 16 - N/A N/A 41 16
1993-94 24 5 N/A N/A - 24 5
St Johnstone 20 6 - - - 20 6
1994-95 Aberdeen 35 15 N/A N/A - 35 15
1995-96 31 7 N/A N/A - 31 7
1996-97 31 14 2 1 2 4 - 35 20
1997-98 34 10 1 0 3 2 - 38 12
1998-99 Scottish Premier League 6 0 - 2 3 - 8 3
Dundee United 30 16 7 1 - - 37 17
1999-00 15 9 - 3 1 - 18 10
Rangers 18 10 3 5 - - 21 15
2000-01 30 9 1 0 2 1 8 3 41 13
2001-02 11 2 3 4 1 0 1 0 16 6
2002-03 6 0 - - - 6 0
Dundee United 14 2 1 0 1 0 - 16 2
2003-04 33 10 1 0 1 0 - 35 10
2004-05 21 2 - 4 0 - 25 2
2005-06 Partick Thistle Scottish Second Division 2 0 1 0 - - 3 0
Career Total 544 189 20 11 19 11 9 3 592 214

[edit] Honours

[edit] Dundee

1991-92

[edit] Aberdeen

1995-96

[edit] Rangers

1999-00
1999-00
2001-02

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bale, Karen. "Football Star's 66-1 Race Triumph", Daily Record, 2007-11-27. 
  2. ^ Dundee Utd's transfers in 1998/1999. Soccerbase.
  3. ^ "Dodds' return lifts Untied", BBC Sport website, 2003-01-02. 

[edit] External links