Darren Dods

Darren Dods (born 7 June 1975) is a Scottish football player and coach. Dods played as a central defender for Hibernian, St Johnstone, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Dundee United, Falkirk, Forfar Athletic and Brechin City. He also represented Scotland at the under-21 and B international levels.

Darren Dods
Personal information
Full nameDarren Dods
Date of birth (1975-06-07) 7 June 1975 (age 49)
Place of birthEdinburgh, Scotland
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s)Defender
Team information
Current team
Cumbernauld Colts (Assistant Manager)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1992–1998Hibernian64(1)
1998–2004St Johnstone168(11)
2004–2007Inverness CT100(7)
2007–2011Dundee United82(3)
2011–2013Falkirk61(7)
2013–2015Forfar Athletic68(5)
2015–2018Brechin City22(2)
International career
1995–1996Scotland U215(0)
2007Scotland B1(0)
Managerial career
2015–2018Brechin City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Edinburgh-born Dods attended Broughton High School. He began his professional career with hometown club Hibernian in 1992, making over seventy first team appearances in a six-year spell. In 1998, Dods moved to St Johnstone where his performances earned him a four-year contract extension in December 2000.[1]

Inverness CT

When his contract expired in the Summer of 2004, he signed a contract at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and won the Caley Thistle fans' Player of the Year award in his first season.

In March 2006, shortly after Craig Brewster left Inverness to become Dundee United manager, Dods was rumoured to be a target for the Tayside club, although he still had over a year left on his contract.[2] In June, it was reported that Dods had failed to agree a new contract, with Brewster – who had failed in a bid to sign Inverness players Ian Black and David Proctor – still heavily linked with the player.[3] At the start of the 2006–07 season, Dods had a transfer request rejected by Inverness manager Charlie Christie[4] with Inverness subsequently rejecting bids from United of £10,000 and then £35,000 for the player.[5]

Dundee United

On 13 January 2007, it was announced Dods had signed a pre-contract agreement to join Dundee United in June 2007,[6] despite Craig Brewster having left the United manager position three months earlier. New manager Craig Levein said he was "pleased" regarding Dods' two-year deal.[7] On 22 June 2007, Dods formally joined the club, signing a two-year contract with Dundee United. In Dods' ninth game in October 2007, he scored his first goal for the club, heading the only goal in a 1–0 home win over Motherwell.

In November 2007, Dods won a cap for the Scotland B team.[8]

Falkirk

On 13 June 2011, Dods signed for Falkirk.[9] He scored his first goal against Brechin City in a Challenge Cup tie on 23 July 2011.[10] Dods scored the goal in April 2012 to win Falkirk their 4th Scottish Challenge Cup, scoring a header in the 2nd minute in a 1–0 victory over Hamilton at Livingston's Almondvale Stadium.[11] Dods signed a one-year contract extension to stay at Falkirk for the 2012/13 season. He missed a number of games at the start of the season due to a recurring injury, but by mid-September had settled back into his normal centre back role. Dods made 33 appearances in season 2012/13, scoring 5 goals, before leaving in the Summer of 2013. Despite being 37 and having begun his coaching badges, Dods said he still had an interest in the playing side of the game.

Forfar Athletic

On 7 July 2013, it was confirmed that Dods had signed for Forfar Athletic.[12]

Managerial career

Brechin City

In June 2015, following the departure of Ray McKinnon to Raith Rovers, Dods was appointed as player/manager of Brechin City in his first managerial role.[13][14] Dods' first season with the club saw the club remain rooted to the bottom of League One for the majority of the 2015–16 season, winning just 4 of their first twenty-six matches. However, a late burst of form saw the club win 8 of the final ten games, pushing the side clear of the relegation and play-off positions to finish the season in seventh. Dods' second season was in stark contrast to the first, with Brechin remaining in the top four for most of the season 2016–17. Finishing the season in fourth, the club then went on to win promotion to the Scottish Championship for the first time in 11 years, defeating Raith Rovers[15] and Alloa Athletic[16] in the Championship play-offs.

They were relegated straight back to League One as early as March with only four points on the board following defeat by Morton on 24 March 2018. The club finished the season without winning a league match, the first club to do so in 126 years.[17] Dods ended his playing career at the end of the 2017–18 season to focus solely on management. He was sacked by Brechin in October 2018.[18]

Career statistics

Player

As of match played 4 November 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueScottish CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hibernian1996–97[19]Premier Division1801010200
1997–98[20]2911020321
Total641205000711
St Johnstone1998–99[21]Premier League3424150433
1999–2000[22]22210002[a]0252
2000–01[23]3012010331
2001–02[24]3221021353
2002–03[25]First Division23320102[b]0283
2003–04[26]26100422[b]0323
Total167111011336019615
Inverness CT2004–05[27]Premier League2812000301
2005–06[28]3724020432
2006–07[29]3543010394
Total10079030001127
Dundee United2007–08[30]Premier League3313041402
2008–09[31]1911130232
2009–10[32]2714020331
2010–11[33]30001040
Total82381101001005
Falkirk2011–12[34]First Division34521503[b]2448
2012–13[35]27240101[b]0332
Total6176160427710
Forfar Athletic2013–14[36]League One332401000382
2014–15[37]35310104[c]0413
Total685502040795
Brechin City2015–16[38]League One21210001[b]0232
2016–17[39]1000000010
2017–18[40]Championship0000000000
Total222100010242
Career total5423440339414263543

Managerial record

As of match played 27 October 2018
TeamFromToRecord
GWDLWin %
Brechin City10 June 201530 October 2018143352385024.48

Honours and achievements

Player

Dundee United
Falkirk

Manager

Brechin City

See also

References