Aaron Doran


Aaron Brian Doran Cogan, known as Aaron Doran, is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger who plays and coaches for side Strathspey Thistle. He previously played at Blackburn Rovers, from where he spent time on loan with Milton Keynes Dons and Leyton Orient before joining Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2011 where he would remain there until his departure in 2024. He has also represented the Republic of Ireland U21 team.

Club career

Blackburn Rovers

Born in Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland, Doran started his football career at Crumlin United before he moved to Blackburn Rovers at sixteen years old. Doran progressed through the club’s youth system for a year. He signed his first professional contract with Blackburn Rovers in May 2008.
Doran was involved in 2008–09 pre-season’s matches against Macclesfield Town and NAC Breda, and was given the squad number 39 by manager Paul Ince. On 29 January 2009, he signed a new long–term contract with Blackburn Rovers. Doran made his first-team debut as a substitute for Aaron Mokoena against Liverpool on 11 April 2009. He later made two more appearances for the club later in the 2008–09 season. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Doran won Blackburn Rovers’ Young Player of the Year.
At the start of the 2010–11 season, Doran suffered ankle injury. However, Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce stated in October 2010 that he felt Doran had "gone backwards" since emerging as a "tremendous prospect", 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.

Loan Spells from Milton Keynes Dons

On 5 October 2009, Doran was signed by League One club Milton Keynes Dons on a month's loan deal. On his debut for MK Dons, he scored his first professional goal against Southend United in a Football League Trophy tie, winning 2–0. Doran made four appearances for the club before returning to his parent club.
On 22 February 2010, Doran signed for Leyton Orient on-loan for a month. He made his debut for the club the next day, starting a match and played 83 minutes, in a 1–1 draw against Gillingham. Having played two games for Leyton Orient so far, Doran emphasized that he was keen to stay at the club for another month. Doran then set up a goal for Sean Thornton, in a 2–0 win over Walsall on 13 March 2010. A week later on 20 March 2010, he made his final appearance for the club, coming in a 2–0 loss against Huddersfield Town. On 29 March 2010, it was announced that Doran would return to Blackburn Rovers at the end of his loan.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan)

In the winter transfer window of 2011, Doran was expected to be loaned out to get first team football. On 25 January 2011, he signed for Inverness Caledonian Thistle on-loan for the final six months of the 2010–11 SPL season. 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.
He made his debut for the club the next day, 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 Caledonian Thistle 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. On 12 February 2011, he scored his first goal for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, in a 3–3 draw against St Mirren. His second goal came during a 1–1 draw against Hearts on 16 April 2011, followed up scoring in the next game – a 3–0 win over St Johnstone on 25 April 2011. On 4 May 2011, Doran set up a goal for Grant Munro, in a 3–2 win against Celtic. Having been a first team regular while on loan at the club, he ended his 2010–11 season, making fourteen appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (permanent transfer)

On 13 July 2011, it was announced that Doran had agreed a deal to join Inverness Caledonian Thistle permanently. He previously his desire to leave Blackburn Rovers if not guaranteed first team football and would prefer not to play for the club’s reserve.

2011–12 season

Doran’s first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came against Hibernian, coming on as a 58th-minute substitute, in a 1–0 loss on 30 July 2011. However, in a match against Kilmarnock on 28 August 2011, Doran suffered a dislocated shoulder in the 89th minute and was substituted, as Inverness Caledonian Thistle won 2–1. After the match, it was announced that he would be out for three months. By December, Doran was making a recovery from his shoulder injury and returned to training.
On 28 December 2011, he made his return from injury, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute, in a 1–0 win against Hibernian. However, Doran’s return was short–lived when he suffered a knee injury that saw him out for three months. On 21 April 2012, Doran returned from injury, starting the whole game, in a loss against Aberdeen. At the end of the 2011–12 season, he made thirteen appearances in all competitions.

2012–13 season

In the opening game of the 2012–13 season, Doran set up a goal for Nick Ross, in a 2–2 draw against St Mirren. Since the start of the 2012–13 season, he established himself in the first team, playing in the midfield position.
On 5 October 2012, Doran played his first Highland derby match against Ross County, starting the whole game and scored in a 3–1 win. In a follow–up match against Dundee, he set up two goals for Billy McKay and Gary Warren, in a 4–1 win. Doran started the match against Rangers in the quarter-finals of the 2012–13 Scottish League Cup and set up the opening goal of the game, in a 3–0 win. After the match, he was highly praised by manager Terry Butcher, saying: "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." After a good November, which included wins against Kilmarnock, Celtic and Aberdeen, Doran won the Scottish Premier League’s Young Player of the Month for November. Between 27 November 2012 and 26 December 2012, he set up six goals in five league matches, including twice against Aberdeen. On 11 December 2012, Doran made his 50th appearance for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, in a 2–1 win against Ross County in the fourth-round replay of the Scottish Cup and helped the club go through to the next round.
During the same month, he announced his desire to stay at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and hope to be offered a new contract by manager Butcher. On 9 February 2013, Doran played as a striker for the first time and set up one of the club’s only goal of the game, in a 3–1 loss against Celtic. On 5 April 2013, Butcher announced that Doran was close to signing a new contract with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, along with his colleague, David Raven. On 21 April 2013, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 4–1 loss against Celtic. On 11 May 2013, Doran scored his third goal of the season, in a 2–1 loss against Dundee United. However, on the last game of the season, he was unable to help the club qualify for the UEFA Europa League after losing 1–0 against local rivals, Ross County on the last game of the season. At the end of the 2012–13 season, Doran made forty–five appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.
After a much speculation over his future, it was announced on 28 May 2013 that Doran signed a new three-year contract with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

2013–14 season

In the opening game of the 2013–14 season, Doran started off very well he scored and set up one of the goals, in a 3–0 win over St Mirren. Three weeks later on 24 August 2013, Doran scored his second goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against Celtic. Since the start of the 2013–14 season, he continued to establish himself in the first team, playing in the midfield position.
On 2 November 2013, Doran scored third goal of the season, in a 2–1 win against Kilmarnock. On 30 November 2013, he scored and set up one of the goals, in a 4–0 win against Greenock Morton in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup. On 1 January 2014, Doran scored his fourth goal of the season, in a 2–1 loss against local rivals, Ross County. He then scored two goals in both matches against Stranraer in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup, as Inverness Caledonian Thistle won 2–0 in the replay. On 25 February 2014, Doran set up two goals, in a 3–0 win against local rivals, Ross County. However, he suffered a thigh injury that saw him out for one match.
On 12 March 2014, Doran made his return to the starting line–up, playing 78 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against Hibernian. He played in the Scottish League Cup Final against Aberdeen, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for James Vincent and converted the fourth penalty in the shootout, as the club lost 4–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. After the match, Doran said he was disappointed to not start the match, due to John Hughes "accommodating the stifling strategy", but acknowledged the defeat. However, in a follow–up match against Motherwell on 19 March 2014, Draper suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted at half-time, as Inverness Caledonian Thistle loss 2–0.
After the match, he was out for four matches with the injury. But he returned to the starting line–up against local rivals, Ross County on 4 April 2014 and played a vital role in match by scoring the opening goal of the game before setting a goal for Billy Mckay, in a 2–1 win. At the end of the 2013–14 season, Doran made forty–one appearances and scoring eight goals in all competitions.