Aaron Doran

Aaron Doran
Personal information
Full nameAaron Brian Doran Cogan[1]
Date of birth13 May 1991
Place of birthCharleville, County Cork, Ireland
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Number10
Youth career
2007–2008Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2008–2011Blackburn Rovers3(0)
2009→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)4(0)
2010→ Leyton Orient (loan)6(0)
2011→ Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan)14(3)
2011–Inverness Caledonian Thistle109(13)
National team‡
2011–2012Republic of Ireland U215(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 November 2013

Aaron Brian Doran Cogan (born 13 May 1991), known as Aaron Doran, is an Irish professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership club Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He previously played at Blackburn Rovers, from where he spent time on loan with Milton Keynes Dons and Leyton Orient. He has also represented the Republic of Ireland U21 team.

Career

Blackburn Rovers

Doran signed his first professional contract with Blackburn Rovers in May 2008. He was involved in 2008–09 pre-season matches against Macclesfield Town and NAC Breda, and was given the squad number 39 by manager Paul Ince. He made his first-team debut as a substitute for Aaron Mokoena against Liverpool on 11 April 2009.

In October 2009 he was signed by League One club Milton Keynes Dons on a month's loan deal,[2] and in February 2010, he signed for Leyton Orient on-loan for a month.[3] Doran made his debut for Orient in a 2–0 loss against Gillingham. Having played two games, he emphasized that he was keen to stay at the club for another month.[4] In a 2–0 win over Walsall on 13 March 2010, Doran set up a goal for Sean Thornton. On 29 March 2010, it was announced that Doran would return to Blackburn Rovers at the end of his loan.[5] His final appearance for Orient came during a 2–0 loss against Huddersfield Town.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce stated in October 2010 that he felt Doran had "gone backwards" since emerging as a "tremendous prospect",[6] though Allardyce also suggested, in the same interview, that the player still had time to develop. However, he chose not to select Doran for first-team squad involvement. After Allardyce was removed from his position by Rovers' new owners, Venkys, Steve Kean listed Doran as a substitute in his first game as Blackburn's new manager.[7]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

On 25 January 2011, Doran signed for Inverness Caledonian Thistle on-loan for the final six months of the 2010–11 SPL season.[8] Inverness manager, Terry Butcher, likened him to former Watford footballer Nigel Callaghan, suggesting that Doran was part of a wider re-emergence of technically gifted footballers at the top level of British football.[9] He made his debut the day after signing his loan deal, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Stuart Duff in a 2–0 defeat at home to Aberdeen.

On his first club start, Doran helped Inverness beat Morton 5–1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, making two 'assists'. His general performance was described as "impressive" in BBC Scotland's match report.

Doran scored his first goal for Inverness in a 3–3 draw against St. Mirren.[10] His second goal came during a 1–1 draw against Hearts in April 2011, and he also scored in the following game – a 3–0 win over St. Johnstone.

On 13 July 2011, it was announced that Doran had agreed a deal to join Inverness Caledonian Thistle permanently.[11] He played his first match as a signed player, coming on as a substitute, in the opening game of the 2011–12 season against Hibernian. Playing a game against Kilmarnock, Doran suffered a dislocated shoulder, ruling him out for three months.[12] On 28 December 2011, he was again injured, playing his first match back since his shoulder injury. He didn't play again until mid-April 2012, when he made his return in a 2–0 loss against Aberdeen. He did however, remain free from any further problems with his shoulder.

The following season, 2012–13, Doran set up a goal for Nick Ross in the opening game of the season in a 2–2 draw against St. Mirren. Two months later, on 5 October 2012, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3–1 win over Ross County, and in the next game, he contributed 'assists' for Billy McKay and Gary Warren during a 4–1 win over Dundee.

Doran was highly praised by manager Terry Butcher after the 3–0 defeat of Rangers on Halloween 2012, in the 2012–13 League Cup quarter-finals. "If you give Aaron Doran space he'll utilise it, he'll expose teams and expose space, he's a good passer and a good supplier. He doesn't score a lot but what he does do is create a lot."[13]

After a good November, which included wins against Kilmarnock, Celtic and Aberdeen, Doran, along with Butcher and McKay, won the SPL Monthly awards.[14] In mid-December, Doran announced he wanted to stay at the club and that he hoped Butcher would offer him a new contract.[15] In April, Butcher announced that Doran was close to signing a new contract, along with his colleague, David Raven.[16] At the end of the season, the speculation finally ended when Doran signed a new three-year contract with the club.[17]

The 2013–14 season started off very well for Doran when he scored and 'assisted' in the opening game of the season – a 3–0 win over St. Mirren.[18] He scored another in a 2–2 draw against Celtic a few weeks later.[19] Doran continued his goal scoring form, netting again in the League and also in the Scottish Cup.

He played in the final of the 2014 Scottish League Cup, where he came on as a substitute for James Vincent in the 63rd minute. Doran converted the fourth penalty in the shootout against Aberdeen, but Inverness CT lost 4–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw.[20]

Individual Awards

Player Award Month
Republic of Ireland Aaron Doran SPL Young Player of the Month[14] November 2012

References

  1. ↑ "Statistics" (PDF). Premier League. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  2. ↑ "Ince recruits Blackburn youngster". mkdons.com. 5 October 2009. Archived from the original on 9 October 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "Doran makes Orient move". Sky Sports. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Doran enjoying taste of Orient". Sky Sports. 4 March 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Rovers return for Doran". Sky Sports. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Allardyce says Doran has gone 'backwards'". lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "Blackburn 0 Stoke 2". rovers.co.uk. 26 December 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "Doran Heads North". rovers.co.uk. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  9. ↑ "Doran Will Thrive North of the Border". pressandjournal. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  10. ↑ "Two Assists for Doran on Debut". 5 February 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  11. ↑ "Doran signs permanent deal at Caley".
  12. ↑ "Inverness lose Aaron Doran for three months". BBC Sport. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  13. ↑ "Inverness: Terry Butcher delighted to reach League Cup semi-final". BBC Sport. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Inverness CT sweep Clydesdale SPL November awards". BBC Sport. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  15. ↑ "Doran wants stay at Caley Thistle". Inverness. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Inverness CT: Doran & Raven close to agreeing new deals". BBC Sport. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  17. ↑ "Aaron Doran pledges future to Inverness CT by signing three-year deal". STV.tv. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  18. ↑ "Inverness CT 3 St Mirren 0: James Vincent ready to replace Andrew Shinnie as second half goal blast buries Saints". Daily Record. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Celtic 2–2 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  20. ↑ Campbell, Andy (16 March 2014). "Aberdeen 0–0 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 May 2014.

External links