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Michael Dobson (footballer)

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For other people with the same name, see Michael Dobson.

Michael Dobson
Dobson while with Walsall in 2007.
Personal information
Full name Michael William Dobson[1]
Date of birth (1981-04-09) 9 April 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Isleworth, England
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Full back, midfielder
Youth career
1990–1999 Brentford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2006 Brentford 177 (3)
2006 → Reading (loan) 1 (0)
2006–2008 Walsall 63 (4)
Total 241 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael William Dobson (born 9 April 1981) is an English former professional footballer, who made over 170 appearances in the Football League for Brentford as a full back. He also played League football for Walsall and Reading and was nicknamed "Dobbo".[3]

Career

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Brentford

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Youth years (1990–2000)

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Born in Isleworth, London, Dobson began his career as a forward in the youth system at Brentford at the age of 9 and also played for Sunday club West Middlesex Colts.[4][5] He signed a scholarship deal with Brentford at the end of the 1996–97 season and was named as an unused substitute on one occasion during 1998–99.[5][6] Dobson signed his first professional contract at the end of the 1998–99 season, but was called onto the substitutes' bench just once during 1999–00.[3][6]

Breakthrough (2000–2002)

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Dobson finally made his senior debut as a 71st-minute substitute for Andy Scott during a 0–0 Second Division draw with Swansea City on 19 August 2000.[7] Due to the continued absence of injured right back Danny Boxall,[5] Dobson made his first start for the Bees in a 4–1 Football League Trophy first round victory over Oxford United on 5 December and thereafter became a regular starter in the team at full back on either flank.[3] He starred in Brentford's run to the 2001 Football League Trophy Final and scored Brentford's goals in the 2–1 Southern Area Final first leg win over Southend United and opened the scoring versus Port Vale in the final at the Millennium Stadium,[7] but the match ended in a 2–1 defeat for the Bees.[8] As a reward for his progress, Dobson signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract on 23 March 2001 and he finished the 2000–01 season with 34 appearances and three goals.[7][9]

Under new manager Steve Coppell, Dobson was Brentford's regular right back during the 2001–02 season,[10] in which the club narrowly missed out on automatic promotion,[11] before advancing to the 2002 Second Division play-off final, which ended in a 2–0 defeat to Stoke City.[8] Despite being plagued by pelvic bruising during the season, which required painkillers,[12] Dobson made 46 appearances and scored one goal, which came in a 3–2 FA Cup second round defeat to Scunthorpe United on 8 December 2001.[10]

Captain (2002–2004)

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After the play-off final defeat at the end of the 2001–02 season, financial concerns led new manager Wally Downes to reduce the size of the Brentford squad and at the age of 21, Dobson was named as the new team captain.[3] During the 2002–03 season, Dobson was an ever-present in league matches and made 54 appearances and scored one goal.[13] He made more assists than any other Brentford player, with seven.[14] Dobson signed a new three-year contract in July 2003.[15] The Bees' slump continued into the 2003–04 season and Dobson's form suffered due to a niggling back injury,[3][16] but the appointment of Martin Allen as manager in March 2004 reinvigorated the team and the club narrowly pulled off "The Great Escape" from relegation to the Third Division.[17][18] He made 46 appearances and scored one goal during the 2003–04 season.[19]

Injury-affected final seasons (2004–2006)

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Dobson began the 2004–05 season as the Bees' regular starting right back,[20] but a torn cartilage suffered in September 2004 saw him lose his place to stand-in right back Kevin O'Connor and the captaincy to midfielder Stewart Talbot.[3][21][22] He won back his place upon his return in January 2005, but began to drift out of the starting lineup in February and a broken arm suffered in a match versus Stockport County on 2 April ended his season.[23][24] He made 23 appearances and scored one goal during 2004–05.[20] Dobson appeared sparingly as a midfielder during the early months of the 2005–06 season and later admitted in 2019 that he and manager Martin Allen "didn't see eye-to-eye".[3][8][25] On 24 November 2005, he departed to join high-flying Championship club Reading on loan for the remainder of the campaign.[26] The move which generated funds to extend the loan of Darren Pratley, who had usurped Dobson in the midfield pecking order.[27]

Dobson reunited with his former Brentford management team of Steve Coppell and Wally Downes at Reading,[28] but his only appearance for the Royals came as a 53rd-minute substitute for Steve Sidwell in a 3–1 victory over Stoke City on 17 April 2006.[26] Reading celebrated promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season, though Dobson did not receive a Championship-winners' medal.[29]

Dobson was released by Brentford at the end of the 2005–06 season and ended his career with the club on 211 appearances and seven goals.[8][30]

Walsall

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On 7 June 2006, Dobson signed a two-year contract with newly-relegated League Two club Walsall on a free transfer.[31] He was immediately named captain by manager Richard Money.[32] Despite being "frequently the target of criticism",[33] Dobson had a memorable 2006–07 season, making 42 appearances, scoring three goals and winning the first silverware of his career when the Saddlers clinched the League Two title,[34] which secured an immediate return to League One.[35] A less successful 2007–08 season followed, with Dobson losing his midfield place and suffering from persistent knee issues.[8][36] He was released in May 2008 and finished his two-season spell with at Bescot Stadium with 68 appearances and four goals.[2][37] Dobson parted the club with the words "there were a lot of things going on behind closed doors that players weren't happy about and I wasn't really enjoying my football".[38]

Retirement

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After receiving advice from two specialists, recurring knee problems forced Dobson into retirement during the 2008 off-season.[8]

Personal life

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Dobson is the son of former footballer George Dobson and is the younger brother of football coach Richard Dobson.[5] He attended The Heathland School and as of 2019 was living in Banbury.[5][8] Dobson currently runs his own business called Flexercise, which specialises in personal training and sports massaging therapy.[39]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1998–99[40] Third Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1999–2000[41] Second Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2000–01[7] Second Division 26 0 0 0 1 0 7[a] 3 34 3
2001–02[10] Second Division 39 0 2 1 2 0 3[b] 0 46 1
2002–03[13] Second Division 46 1 4 0 2 0 2[a] 0 54 1
2003–04[19] Second Division 42 1 1 0 1 0 2[a] 0 46 1
2004–05[20] League One 18 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 23 1
2005–06[42] League One 6 0 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 8 0
Total 177 3 12 1 7 0 15 3 211 7
Reading (loan) 2005–06[42] Championship 1 0 — — — 1 0
Walsall 2006–07[34] League Two 39 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 42 3
2007–08[43] League One 24 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 26 1
Total 63 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 68 4
Career total 241 7 15 1 9 0 15 3 280 11
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in Second Division play-offs

Honours

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Brentford

Walsall

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Michael Dobson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b Michael Dobson at Soccerbase
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. ^ "Michael Dobson". Brentford Football Club Online. Archived from the original on 22 June 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e "This Week's Featured Player: Michael Dobson". Archived from the original on 11 August 2002. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. pp. 484–485. ISBN 9781906796723.
  7. ^ a b c d "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Long, Dan. "📄 Friday Feature: Michael Dobson". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Dobbo Completes Signing". Brentford Football Club Online. Archived from the original on 1 May 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  10. ^ a b c "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  11. ^ "Brentford results for the 2001–2002 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Michael Dobson "We Need Eleven Skippers Out There"". brentfordfc.co.uk. 12 August 2002. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  14. ^ "Club Statistics | Assists". brentfordfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Fullarton and Marshall go – but Hunt made new offer". This Is Local London. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Contracts will not be renewed". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  17. ^ "Allen on a mission to plan the great escape". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  18. ^ "Brentford results for the 2003–2004 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  19. ^ a b "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  20. ^ a b c "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  21. ^ "Fitzgerald & Dobson set for moves". 23 November 2005. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  22. ^ "Dobson justifies Allen's gamble". This Is Local London. 21 January 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  23. ^ "Michael Dobson Player Profile". ESPN FC. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  24. ^ "Brentford suffer Dobson blow". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  25. ^ "Michael Dobson Player Profile". ESPN FC. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Dobson loan extension set to be the Royals' only deadline signing today". readingfc.co.uk. 31 January 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Pratley key to cup success". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  28. ^ "Brentford's Michael Dobson signs two-month loan deal with Royals". readingfc.co.uk. 24 November 2005. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  29. ^ "Reading Home Page for the 2005–2006 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  30. ^ "Dobbo Moves On". brentfordfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  31. ^ "Saddlers Secure Third Summer Signing". saddlers.co.uk. 7 June 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  32. ^ "Mooney named Walsall captain". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  33. ^ "Dobson unfazed by fans' criticism". 11 April 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  34. ^ a b c "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  35. ^ "Walsall Complete History". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  36. ^ Halford, Brian (7 March 2008). "Michael Dobson admits his Walsall days are numbered". birminghammail. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  37. ^ "Saddlers Announce Departures". saddlers.co.uk. 7 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  38. ^ "Dobson's final blast". Express & Star. Archived from the original on 7 July 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  39. ^ "Personal Training Banbury". Flexercise. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  40. ^ "Games played by Michael Dobson in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  41. ^ "Games played by Michael Dobson in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  42. ^ a b "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  43. ^ "Games played by Michael Dobson in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  44. ^ "Vale vault Brentford to lift Vans trophy". BBC Sport. 22 April 2001. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  45. ^ Wallace, Sam (12 April 2001). "Brentford sponsor accused of racism". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
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