David Dodds (1989 to 1992)
An experienced striker who had made his name with Dundee United, Davie Dodds joined Rangers from Aberdeen in September 1989 for a fee of £100,000.
Well known to assistant manager Walter Smith from their time together at Tannadice, Dodds had proved to be an awkward opponent down through the years and was acquired in order to provide cover to Scotland's top pairing of Ally McCoist and Maurice Johnston following the departure of Kevin Drinkell.
A League Championship winner in 1983, David had also won the League Cup with United at the start of the decade and the success under Jim McLean had seen him earn two full caps for Scotland. He would score over 100 League goals in tangerine as McLean's side became a force to be reckoned with both at home and on the continent.
Following a short spell in Switzerland with Neuchatel Xamax, Dodds returned to Scotland in 1986, this time choosing the other half of Scotland's New Firm. His awkward style and use of elbows brought criticism from Rangers manager Graeme Souness when the sides clashed at Pittodrie in November 1986. It was a Dodds goal that separated the sides with David McPherson of Rangers being shown a red card. Dodds would also score twice in the 1988 League Cup Final at Hampden but, on that occasion, would finish on the losing side as Rangers made it three successive victories in that particular competition.
Davie's Rangers debut came on 30th September 1989 when he came off the bench as Rangers defeated Hearts 1-0 at Ibrox through a Maurice Johnston goal. Two days before Christmas, he would make another early substitute appearance versus St. Mirren at Ibrox, soon netting the only goal of the game. Davie followed this up with another Ibrox goal in the 3-0 win over Dundee and would repeat that feat when the sides drew at Dens Park in early March.
Rangers were presented with the League Championship trophy when Dunfermline Athletic visited Ibrox on 28th April 1990 in what was the penultimate league match of the season. Dodds would again come off the bench to score, this time in a 2-0 win. The other substitute that day was player / manager Graeme Souness, making his last competitive appearance after a long and distinguished career.
Davie's appearances in season 1990/91 became more sporadic and generally to cover emergencies. He found the net in his first run out, a 6-0 win over Valletta on a rain soaked night in Glasgow. This was Davie's 5th and final goal for the Club.
Having suffered three red cards the previous week in a Scottish Cup tie at the same venue, Rangers headed to Parkhead on 24th March 1991 with a side decimated by suspension and injury. So much so that Davie found himself back in the starting line up. It was an afternoon to forget with Dodds having to perform at centre half when Scott Nisbet became the latest Rangers player to be ordered off. It would prove to be Davie's final appearance.
On retiring, Davie was given a role within the backroom staff at Ibrox and would spend many years as first team coach under Walter Smith and Archie Knox as Rangers marched towards nine in a row. Under the trio, Rangers would enjoy enormous success from 1991 to 1997.
Somewhat surprisingly, Dodds left Ibrox in the summer of 1997 having witnessed his boyhood heroes clinch another title, this time back on his old stomping ground of Tannadice. Danish coach Tommy Moller Nielsen would replace Davie and there was a feeling that a more continental influence had possibly been preferred with performances in Europe continuing to disappoint.
It was not entirely clear if Davie's departure had been forced upon him or was, instead, as a consequence of changes within his personal life but his involvement in football came to a rather abrupt end.
by Rick Plews
