Stephen Dobbie
Stephen Dobbie is a Scottish former professional footballer. He is currently first-team coach of Blackpool.
He started his career in the 2002–03 season at Rangers, followed by spells at Hibernian and St Johnstone. His career was revived by a loan spell at Dumbarton in 2006, and he then scored 55 goals in 105 appearances for Queen of the South in his first spell at Palmerston Park, playing in the club's first-ever appearance in the Scottish Cup final in 2008.
Dobbie moved to Swansea City in 2009. The following year, he was loaned to Blackpool, with whom he won promotion to the Premier League via the 2010 play-offs. He achieved the same feat with Swansea, winning promotion to the Premier League via the 2011 play-offs. Dobbie was again loaned to Blackpool in 2012, and played in a third successive play-off final, this time as a runner-up. In 2012, he signed for Brighton & Hove Albion, before joining Crystal Palace, initially on loan, where he helped the Eagles to win promotion in 2013 to the Premier League.
Dobbie had a third spell on loan at Blackpool, and also played for Fleetwood Town and Bolton Wanderers, before returning to Scotland in August 2016 to sign for Queen of the South for a second spell. With the Doonhamers he scored a further 111 goals in 178 appearances. Overall, Dobbie scored 166 goals in 283 appearances. Dobbie is Queen of the South's second-highest goalscorer of all time and the club's record scorer for a single season. In 2021, after his release by Queen of the South, he made his return to Lancashire, signing for AFC Fylde in the National League North.
Club career
Early career
Dobbie was with Hearts at age group level before moving to Rangers when he was twelve years old. At Rangers, he did not break into the first-team squad, despite being a prolific goalscorer in the reserves. In 2002, he was sent out on loan to Australian National Soccer League club Northern Spirit, scoring three goals in three league matches in the 2002–03 season. He was then transferred to Hibernian in 2003, having made no league appearances for the Ibrox club.Hibernian
Dobbie debuted for the Hibees on 9 August 2003 as an 85th-minute substitute in a 2–1 win over Dundee United at Tannadice. After five substitute appearances, he had his first start on 23 September 2003, scoring a hat-trick in a 9–0 win over Montrose in the second round of the 2003–04 Scottish League Cup. His league debut arrived four days later in a 2–1 defeat to Celtic at Easter Road and scored his first league goal on 7 December 2003 in a 3–1 defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie Stadium.On 5 February 2004, in the semi-final of that season's Scottish League Cup at Hampden Park against Rangers, Dobbie scored the equalising goal in the 79th minute. The match ended 1–1 after extra time, and Hibs won 4–3 on penalties. Despite this, Dobbie failed to win a regular place in the Hibernian first team as Garry O'Connor and Derek Riordan were preferred to him. He was a 70th-minute substitute in the 2004 Scottish League Cup Final defeat by Livingston; Hibs lost 2–0.
Dobbie made a total of 33 appearances, scoring six goals that season. On 3 July 2004, he made his European debut in the second round of the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup, as a 76th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with Lithuanian A Lyga club Vėtra at Easter Road. Dobbie then started the 2004–05 season with Hibernian, with seven league appearances and five cup appearances.
St Johnstone
A lack of opportunities at Hibernian under the management of Tony Mowbray meant that Dobbie was sent out on loan to Scottish First Division club St Johnstone on 26 January 2005. He debuted on 19 March 2005, as a 57th-minute substitute in a 2–0 defeat to Ross County at McDiarmid Park.He scored his first goal for Saints in a 4–0 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on 16 April 2005. He had eight appearances for the club that season, scoring two goals. The transfer to the Perth club was made permanent in the 2005 close season, with Dobbie making 27 appearances and scoring five goals in the 2005–06 season.
Dumbarton
Dobbie struggled to hold down a regular place in the first team, and the following season he was loaned out to Scottish Third Division club Dumbarton, where he found some form, scoring ten goals in seventeen league matches. Dobbie debuted on 19 August 2006 in a single-goal defeat to Queen's Park at Hampden Park.His first goal arrived in his second match for the club in a 3–1 defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the Caledonian Stadium in the second round of the Scottish League Cup. Dobbie had 18 appearances on loan at the Sons, scoring eleven goals.
Queen of the South (first spell)
Dobbie's form at Dumbarton was noticed by Scottish First Division club Queen of the South, who signed him permanently from St Johnstone on 5 January 2007. Dobbie debuted the following day in a 1–1 draw at Dundee in the third round of the 2006–07 Scottish Cup at Dens Park. In the replay, a 3–3 draw at Palmerston ten days later, Dobbie scored his first two goals for the Dumfries club. Queens went on to win the tie 4–2 on penalties. After scoring another brace in a 4–3 home league win over Partick Thistle on 27 January 2007, Dobbie scored once again in the 2–0 fourth round win over Cowdenbeath in the Scottish Cup. Dobbie then grabbed a third brace on 17 February 2007 in a 3–0 win over Airdrie United at the Excelsior Stadium. Dobbie then played in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup as Queens were defeated 2–1 by his former club Hibernian. Dobbie scored 12 goals in 21 appearances that season.On 19 January 2008, Dobbie scored his first hat-trick for Queen of the South against Greenock Morton in a 3–0 league win at Cappielow. The goals were scored in the 65th, 73rd and 84th minutes.
With Gordon Chisholm appointed manager for the 2007–08 season, Dobbie and Queens embarked on a club history-making Scottish Cup adventure. Dobbie scored a brace in the third round as Queens defeated Peterhead 5–0 at the Balmoor Stadium on 24 November 2007. Dobbie scored another goal in the fourth round 4–0 home win over Linlithgow Rose on 12 January 2008. Queens then defeated Greenock Morton 2–0 in the fifth round on 2 February 2008 at Cappielow.
Dobbie's opening goal in a 2–0 home win of the quarter-final match versus Dundee on 8 March 2008 at Palmerston helped Queens to their first Scottish Cup semi final since 1950. Queens second goal was scored by Ryan McCann with a notably long range shot from 84 yards. Queens then progressed to their first-ever Scottish Cup Final by defeating Aberdeen 4–3 in the semi-final on 12 April 2008. Dobbie started the semi-final at Hampden Park but had to be substituted as half-time approached due to an injury. Despite early second half goals by Steve Tosh and Jim Thomson, Queens were defeated 3–2 by Rangers in the final on 24 May 2008, with Dobbie being substituted in the 82nd minute. Dobbie was Queens' top goalscorer for the 2007–08 season, with 20 goals in a total of 44 games, as the club finished fourth in the First Division.
Dobbie played in Queens 2008–09 UEFA Cup campaign in August 2008, when they lost 4–2 over two legs to Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjælland in the second qualifying round. Despite being the most prolific goalscorer for the Dumfries club since Andy Thomson in the early 1990s, Chisholm elected to leave Dobbie out of the starting line-up for both matches, preferring Stewart Kean.
During the 2008–09 season, Dobbie scored 23 goals in 40 matches, including four in one match in a 7–1 home league win over Clyde on 25 April 2009, with all four goals arriving during a 13-minute spell during the second half, for his second Queens hat-trick. Dobbie won the First Division Player of the Month award for April 2009.
On 6 May 2009, Queens announced Dobbie was moving to Wales to play for Championship club Swansea City. Dobbie said of the move: "I'm sad to leave Queen of the South as I felt I'd struck up a good bond with the fans these past two and a half years. However, it's an offer I just couldn't refuse! I'd like to say a big thank-you to the manager, the players and coaching staff at Palmerston and I'll never forget my time there. If I'm not playing any week don't be surprised to see me in the stand watching Queens in action. Good luck to you all." Dobbie was the first player to transfer between the two clubs since Tommy Lang in 1938.
Swansea City
On 7 May 2009, Swansea City confirmed that they had agreed personal terms with Dobbie and that he would be moving to the South Wales club, subject to a medical at the Liberty Stadium. On 22 May 2009, Dobbie passed his medical and signed a three-year deal on a free transfer. On 11 August 2009, Dobbie's first two goals for the Swans arrived in a 3–0 win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the first round of the 2009–10 League Cup. On 25 August 2009, Dobbie's third goal arrived in the next round of the League Cup in a 2–1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United. Dobbie had scored three goals in six matches for the Swans and he lost his first-team place due to picking up an injury and played only two more matches in 2009.Blackpool (first loan spell)
On 1 February 2010, Dobbie signed on loan for Blackpool until the end of the 2009–10 season with a view to a permanent move after this loan spell.On 3 February 2010, Dobbie scored his first goal for the Seasiders on his debut in a 3–2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at Bloomfield Road. On 6 February 2010 in his first full appearance, Dobbie scored in the 89th minute in a 2–1 home defeat to Leicester City. Dobbie scored a crucial goal in the play-off semi-final versus Nottingham Forest and this earned the Tangerines a place in the Wembley final. Dobbie was a second-half substitute in the 3–2 play-off final win versus Cardiff City.
Return to Swansea City
After his loan spell with Blackpool, Dobbie returned to Swansea City. After Paulo Sousa departed the club to join Leicester City as their new manager, the new Swans manager Brendan Rodgers started playing Dobbie in the first team. With Craig Beattie and Gorka Pintado out injured long term, leaving only Shefki Kuqi to compete with Dobbie for the lone striker role, he was heavily relied on to score goals.Dobbie scored in a 4–0 home win versus Preston North End on 14 August 2010, his first goal in a year for the Swans and he dedicated his strike to Besian Idrizaj. The following month, Dobbie scored in the 13th minute, to place the Swans 1–0 ahead versus Leeds United but Swansea ended up losing the game 2–1. After Shefki Kuqi was loaned out to Derby County, Dobbie was the only fit and available striker at the Liberty Stadium, whilst Rodgers looked elsewhere for a striker on loan. West Ham striker Frank Nouble arrived at Swansea on a three-month loan deal, as competition for Dobbie up front. Dobbie was dropped to the substitutes bench and was later used and scored to give the Swans a 2–0 lead. On 28 September 2010, his next goal arrived away at Watford that merited the Swans a 3–2 victory.
From October 2010 until January 2011, Dobbie was only used as a substitute and failed to score any goals as he was replaced by Middlesbrough loan signing Marvin Emnes and a returning Craig Beattie. Dobbie was getting fewer chances in the first team when Jermaine Easter joined for a month on loan from Milton Keynes Dons. On 28 December 2010, in a home match versus Barnsley, Dobbie was given a rare starting place, alongside Jermaine Easter. Easter scored the only goal of the match and Dobbie impressed in what seemed to be an attacking midfield role.
After Luke Moore was signed from West Bromwich Albion, Dobbie continued to be an unused substitute. On 22 February 2011, away to Coventry City, Dobbie appeared from the substitute's bench to score the only goal in a 1–0 victory. This was Dobbie's first goal in five months. On 8 March 2011, Dobbie opened the scoring with an early goal at home to Watford, as the match finished in a 1–1 draw. Dobbie scored three goals in the last two games of the season that helped the Swans finish third in the division.
During the first leg of the semi-final play-off match away to Nottingham Forest, left back Neil Taylor was sent off after only one minute of play. Rodgers substituted Dobbie immediately after the sending off that enabled the Swans to have another defender on the pitch. Dobbie scored the second goal in the home leg versus Nottm Forest that helped secure Swansea a place in the final with a 3–1 aggregate win.
Dobbie then played in the play-off final at Wembley, a second successive appearance in the final for Dobbie, as the Swans won 4–2 versus Reading. Dobbie scored the third goal and also set Scott Sinclair up for his goal. Swansea City were the first Welsh club to play in the Premier League since its formation in 1992.
After the Swans were promoted to the Premier League, Dobbie made his league debut for the club in a 4–0 defeat versus Manchester City. Dobbie had seven appearances in the Premier League without scoring a goal. Dobbie twisted his left ankle under a challenge from Kyle Naughton and suffered an injury. Dobbie's injury kept him out of action for a week until he returned to action versus Manchester United. After eight appearances in the Premier League, Dobbie found himself down the pecking order behind strikers Danny Graham, Leroy Lita, Luke Moore and new signing Rory Donnelly. Finding his first-team appearances limited, manager Brendan Rodgers allowed Dobbie to leave on loan after his former club Blackpool had enquired about his availability. Birmingham City also enquired on his availability, although lack of finances meant that the club could only get Dobbie on loan with a view to a permanent deal at the end of his loan spell. However, neither the Blues nor the Seasiders signed him on loan before the close of the transfer window on 31 January 2012. After failing to find a loan deal in the January transfer window, Rodgers understood Dobbie's frustration at his lack of first-team opportunities, although he did not allow Dobbie to leave the club on loan, as he could be required to play in the first team if other players were out injured.