Kris Doolan

Kris Doolan
Personal information
Date of birth11 December 1986
Place of birthIrvine, Scotland
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Partick Thistle
Number9
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2003–2007Kello Rovers
2007–2009Auchinleck Talbot
2009–Partick Thistle176(66)
2010→ Clyde (loan)9(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:23, 14 March 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).

Kris Doolan (born 11 December 1986 in Irvine, North Ayrshire) is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Partick Thistle as a striker in the Scottish Premiership. He has previously played in the Scottish junior leagues for Kello Rovers and Auchinleck Talbot as well as a short time spent on loan at Thistle's former rivals Clyde. Doolan has also represented Scotland at junior level for the 2008 Junior International Quadrangular Tournament held on the Isle of Man.

Early career

Born in Irvine, he began his career by playing in the Junior leagues, first with a two-year stint at Kello Rovers, before moving on to Auchinleck Talbot. He had a successful time at Beechwood Park for the junior club, and eventually went on trial for Scottish First Division club Partick Thistle. Following a successful trial, Doolan was signed by Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall on an 18-month deal from Auchinleck on 9 January 2009.[1][2]

Club career

He made his debut on 10 January 2009, in a 3–0 defeat against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a Scottish Cup tie.[3] His first goal for the club came on 24 January 2009, against Queen of the South.[4]

Doolan was loaned out on 5 February 2010, to big rivals Clyde to help them try and avoid relegation to the Third Division.[5] After returning to Firhill, Doolan struggled to cement his place in the starting eleven. However he subsequently scored a spectacular 92nd minute goal on the final day of the 2009–10 season against Queen of the South to give The Jags a 1–0 victory.[6] Doolan was Thistle's top scorer in the 2010–11 season with 18 goals.[7]

During the 2012–13 season Doolan was named as Scottish Football League Player of the Month for March 2013.[8] On 7 April 2013, he scored in the last seconds of extra-time against Queen of the South in the 2013 Scottish Challenge Cup Final to make it 1–1 and take the match to penalties. Doolan scored with his kick, however Partick Thistle were defeated 6–5.[9] Doolan's goals helped Thistle secure the 2012–13 Scottish First Division title and subsequent promotion to the new Scottish Premiership.

Having gained promotion, Doolan signed a new two-year contract on 21 May 2013.[10] Doolan scored his first top flight goal for Thistle in their 3–1 away victory against Ross County at the Global Energy Stadium. Following a poor run of results for Thistle, striker Lyle Taylor was brought in on loan from Sheffield United in the January transfer window. Goals from Doolan and Taylor eventually helped Thistle secure their place in the Scottish Premiership for the 2014–15 season.

On 24 May 2014, Doolan extended his contract with Partick Thistle by another two years, keeping him at the club until May 2016.[11]

Doolan scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season in a 1–0 Scottish League Cup away win to Greenock Morton in the on 26 August 2014. As of the 18th of October 2014 Doolan has played 203 games and has scored 70 goals in all competitions for Partick Thistle.[12] On 21 January 2015, Doolan scored four goals against Hamilton Academical at Firhill, making him the first Thistle player to score four goals in a top-flight match since George Shaw in 1992, and the first footballer to score a perfect hat-trick in the Scottish Premiership since its formation in 2013.[13]

International career

Doolan's form at Auchinleck Talbot was recognised by the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA) with his selection for the Umbro Quadrangular Tournament in 2008. He appeared in all three matches at the tournament and tallied one goal against Northern Ireland in a 4–3 victory.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "One in One Out". PTFC.co.uk. 9 January 2009.
  2. ↑ "Broken foot KO's Jags Maxy for eight weeks". Evening Times. 9 January 2009.
  3. ↑ "INVERNESS CT 3 PARTICK THISTLE 0". Partick Thistle F.C. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 2 PARTICK THISTLE 2". Partick Thistle F.C. 24 January 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Clyde land Jags frontman Kris Doolan on loan". Daily Record. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Brown, Sandra (30 April 2010). "Partick Thistle 1–0 Queen of the South". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Kris Doolan". Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  8. ↑ "Partick Thistle: Kris Doolan nets March player of the month award". BBC Sport. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  9. ↑ Miller, Stevie (7 April 2013). "Queen of the South 1–1 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Partick Thistle: Kris Doolan & Ross Forbes sign new deals". BBC Sport. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "DOOLAN COMMITS UNTIL 2016". Partick Thistle F.C. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  12. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28846770
  13. ↑ "Doolan Delighted with Four Goal Display". www.ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle F.C. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  14. ↑ Junior Scotland Representative Squad Non League Scotland

External links