Derek Dougan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Derek Dougan

Dougan as a Wolverhampton Wanderers player
Personal information
Full name	Alexander Derek Dougan
Date of birth	(1938-01-20)20 January 1938
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of death	24 June 2007(2007-06-24) (aged 69)
Place of death	Wolverhampton, England
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
1951–1953	Cregagh Boys
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1953–1957	Distillery	76	(17)
1957–1959	Portsmouth	33	(9)
1959–1961	Blackburn Rovers	59	(26)
1961–1963	Aston Villa	51	(19)
1963–1965	Peterborough United	77	(38)
1965–1967	Leicester City	68	(35)
1967–1975	Wolverhampton Wanderers	258	(95)
1967	→ Los Angeles Wolves (loan)	11	(3)
1969	→ Kansas City Spurs (loan)	6	(4)
1975–1977	Kettering Town
Total		639	(246)
National team
1952	Northern Ireland Schoolboys	3	(0)
	Northern Ireland Youth
1956	Northern Ireland Amateurs	2	(0)
1957–1959	Northern Ireland B	2	(3)
1958–1973	Northern Ireland	43	(8)
Teams managed
1975–1977	Kettering Town (player-manager)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Alexander Derek Dougan (born January 20, 1938 – died June 24, 2007) was a famous Northern Ireland footballer. He was also known as "The Doog". Derek played as a forward and was known for his strength and physical style. He played for Northern Ireland at different youth levels before joining the senior team. He earned 43 caps (played 43 games) for his country over 15 years, scoring eight goals. He even played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

Derek Dougan had a long career in football. He played for many clubs in England, including Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he became a club legend. After retiring as a player, he became a manager and even the chairman of a football club. He was also a well-known football expert on TV and a writer. Dougan was a strong voice for players' rights, helping to improve their conditions in the sport.

Club Career Highlights

Early Days at Distillery

Derek Dougan was born in Belfast on January 20, 1938. He grew up loving football and spent many hours playing in the street. His family was not wealthy, but Derek was determined to make a career in football. He started playing amateur football for Cregagh Boys before joining Distillery in 1953.

He made his first team debut in 1955. His manager, Maurice Tadman, saw that Derek's height made him great at heading the ball. Derek helped Distillery win the Irish Cup in 1956. Even though he worked at a shipbuilding company part-time, he dreamed of playing in the English Football League.

Moving to Portsmouth

In August 1957, Derek joined Portsmouth for £4,000. Portsmouth was in the top division of English football at the time. He made his debut and even scored his first goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Unfortunately, he missed much of his second season due to an ankle injury.

Time at Blackburn Rovers

Derek moved to Blackburn Rovers in March 1959 for £15,000. He scored in his very first game for the club. In the 1959–60 season, he scored four goals in one game against West Ham United! Blackburn Rovers reached the 1960 FA Cup Final that year. Derek scored the winning goal in the semi-finals. However, he found his time at Blackburn difficult and even asked to leave the club the day before the final. Blackburn lost the final 3–0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Playing for Aston Villa

In July 1961, Aston Villa signed Derek for £15,000. He was brought in to replace another player who had moved to Italy. Early in his time at Villa, Derek was involved in a car accident that left him with a broken arm and head injuries. He recovered after three months and scored 12 goals in his first season. He continued to score goals despite another injury in his second season.

Joining Peterborough United

Derek then moved to Peterborough United in the Third Division in 1963 for £21,000. He later said this was a mistake for a First Division player. However, the club's physiotherapist helped fix an ankle injury that had bothered him for five years. He scored 20 goals in his first season. In the 1964–65 season, he scored seven goals in their FA Cup run, including one against top-flight team Arsenal.

Leicester City Years

Derek returned to the First Division in May 1965, joining Leicester City for £26,000. He was a key striker for the team, scoring 19 goals in his first season. He continued his good form in his second season, scoring 21 goals. Despite his success, his independent personality sometimes caused issues with the manager, Matt Gillies.

Legend at Wolverhampton Wanderers

In March 1967, Derek joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for £50,000. He quickly made an impact, scoring a hat-trick in his home debut. He helped Wolves get promoted to the First Division that season.

He also spent two summers playing in the United States for Wolves' sister teams:

• The Los Angeles Wolves in 1967, where he helped them win the West Division title.
• The Kansas City Spurs in 1969, where they won the NASL International Cup.

Back in England, Derek became a vital player for Wolves. He formed a fantastic partnership with fellow forward John Richards. This partnership helped Wolves become one of the top teams in the early 1970s. Derek scored many goals, and the team reached the UEFA Cup final in 1972, where they narrowly lost to Tottenham Hotspur.

Wolves also won the Texaco Cup in 1970. In 1974, Derek helped Wolves win the League Cup, beating Manchester City 2–1 in the final. This was the club's first major trophy in 14 years. Derek retired from playing in 1975 after struggling with injuries. He scored 279 goals in 661 league and cup games over 18 seasons.

Player-Manager at Kettering Town

After retiring as a player, Derek became the player-manager at Kettering Town in 1975. He made history by arranging the first shirt sponsorship deal in English football with Kettering Tyres. The Football Association (FA) initially opposed this, but later allowed small logos. Derek helped the team finish third in their league and reach the Third Round of the FA Cup. He left the club in 1977.

International Career

Derek Dougan played for Northern Ireland at various levels, including schoolboy and youth teams. He made his senior international debut in 1958 during the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He played 43 times for Northern Ireland over 15 years, scoring eight goals. He even captained the team in 1971.

Derek was a big supporter of having an All-Ireland soccer team. In 1973, he helped organize an exhibition match between a "Shamrock Rovers XI" (which was an All-Ireland team) and Brazil. He scored a goal in that game.

Style of Play

Derek Dougan was a strong and competitive centre-forward. He used his speed, strength, and awareness to score goals and create chances for his teammates. He was especially good at heading the ball. Defenders found it tough to play against him because of his physical presence.

Media Career

Derek was also well-known outside of football. In 1967, he appeared on a TV show called Quizball. He even released his own song, "A Goal for Dougie," in 1968. He published his first autobiography, Attack!, in 1969.

In the 1970s, he became a popular football expert on TV. He was part of ITV's coverage for the 1970 FIFA World Cup and the 1974 FIFA World Cup. He also hosted a radio show about football. He published another autobiography, The Sash He Never Wore, in 1972, and a novel called The Footballer in 1974.

Football Administration

Leading the PFA

Derek Dougan became the chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) in 1970. The PFA is like a union for professional footballers. He believed that players should have more control over their careers. He worked hard to improve players' rights.

He helped start the first PFA player awards in 1974, which included awards like PFA Players' Player of the Year. He also pushed for players to have more freedom to move between clubs when their contracts ended. This was a big step towards what is now known as the Bosman ruling.

Chairman of Wolves

In 1982, Derek led a group that saved Wolverhampton Wanderers from financial trouble. He became the club's chairman. Under his leadership, Wolves won promotion back to the First Division in 1983. However, the club faced more financial difficulties, and Derek resigned in 1985.

Later Life

In his later years, Derek Dougan continued to be an opinionated and passionate person. He was involved in charity events and helped retired footballers. He had two sons, Alexander and Nicholas.

Derek Dougan passed away on June 24, 2007, at the age of 69. His funeral was a big event, with many mourners. He was inducted into the Wolverhampton Wanderers Hall of Fame in 2010, recognizing his great contributions to the club.

Career Statistics

Club

Source:

International

Honours

Distillery

• Irish Cup: 1955–56

Blackburn Rovers

• FA Cup runner-up: 1959–60

Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Football League Cup: 1973–74
• Texaco Cup: 1970–71
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 1971–72
• Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1966–67

Los Angeles Wolves

• United Soccer Association: 1967

Kansas City Spurs

• NASL International Cup: 1969

Images for kids

• 

  Derek Dougan with the historic Kettering Tyres shirt