Derek Dougan
Posted on: Mon 25 Jun 2007
One of the most colourful and controversial figures in soccer, Derek Dougan quickly became the idol of the terraces when he was transferred from Leicester City to Molineux in March, 1967. His cause was greatly assisted when he notched a hat-trick on his home debut against Hull City - the game was broadcast later that evening on a Match of the Day programme that, in those days, featured just two matches.
However, when he returned to the club as chief executive under the controversial reign of the Bhatti brothers, the fortunes of Wolves spiralled out of control and Dougan appeared to lose favour with the public of the town.
He was born in Belfast in 1938, and played briefly in the Irish League with Distillery before joining Portsmouth in 1957. At the time he had won international caps at Schoolboy, Youth and Amateur levels as a wing half or central defender. But he was converted at Pompey to a role he loved and one that he prospered in over his 18 years of English football - that of centre forward.
His first season at Fratton Park saw him scoring nine goals in 33 First Division games. In March 1959, Dougan was transferred to Blackburn and a little over a year later, with Rovers through to the FA Cup Final where they met Wolves, Dougan handed in a transfer request on the day of the match. He was still included in a side that lost 3-0 to Wanderers at a windswept Wembley.
He did eventually get the move he craved for when a £15,000 fee took him to Aston Villa in August, 1961. Two years later he was on his travels again, this time to Peterborough before yet another move, to Leicester in May, 1965. After two years at Filbert Street Ronnie Allen paid City £50,000 to bring him to Molineux and put the icing on Wolves' promotion challenge. And Dougan did just that finding the target nine times in just 11 outings as the team finished as runners-up to Coventry City.
For the first two seasons following Wolves' return to the First Division, he finished as top scorer with 17 goals and 14 goals respectively. But his most prolific season came in 1971/72 when the nine goals he scored made him Wolves' top scorer in European competitions. He was to add three more in later years. It was in that 71/72 season, one where he finished with a total of 24 goals in all competitions, that he forged a partnership with John Richards. It was a partnership that became one of the most feared in the country. Wolves were close to glory on several occasions in the early 70s. But their only successes, and the only rewards that Dougan gleaned from his eight years at Molineux, was from the triumphs in the 1971 Texaco Cup and the 1974 League Cup.
At the end of the 1974/75 campaign, Dougan announced his retirement from the playing side of the game and he donned gold and black for the final time when he came on as a substitute when Leeds provided the opposition for the season's climax. Over 34,000 supporters were inside Molineux to bid their hero farewell. He was awarded a testimonial in the October of that year and later had a spell as manager of non-League Kettering Town before his ill fated return to Molineux.
He played a total of 43 times and scored eight times for Northern Ireland and in his record for Wolves was 123 goals from 323 appearances. He scored hat-tricks for the club in the League, League Cup and UEFA Cup and netted twice at Highbury against Arsenal in the 1973 third and fourth place play-off.
However, when he returned to the club as chief executive under the controversial reign of the Bhatti brothers, the fortunes of Wolves spiralled out of control and Dougan appeared to lose favour with the public of the town.
He was born in Belfast in 1938, and played briefly in the Irish League with Distillery before joining Portsmouth in 1957. At the time he had won international caps at Schoolboy, Youth and Amateur levels as a wing half or central defender. But he was converted at Pompey to a role he loved and one that he prospered in over his 18 years of English football - that of centre forward.
His first season at Fratton Park saw him scoring nine goals in 33 First Division games. In March 1959, Dougan was transferred to Blackburn and a little over a year later, with Rovers through to the FA Cup Final where they met Wolves, Dougan handed in a transfer request on the day of the match. He was still included in a side that lost 3-0 to Wanderers at a windswept Wembley.
He did eventually get the move he craved for when a £15,000 fee took him to Aston Villa in August, 1961. Two years later he was on his travels again, this time to Peterborough before yet another move, to Leicester in May, 1965. After two years at Filbert Street Ronnie Allen paid City £50,000 to bring him to Molineux and put the icing on Wolves' promotion challenge. And Dougan did just that finding the target nine times in just 11 outings as the team finished as runners-up to Coventry City.
For the first two seasons following Wolves' return to the First Division, he finished as top scorer with 17 goals and 14 goals respectively. But his most prolific season came in 1971/72 when the nine goals he scored made him Wolves' top scorer in European competitions. He was to add three more in later years. It was in that 71/72 season, one where he finished with a total of 24 goals in all competitions, that he forged a partnership with John Richards. It was a partnership that became one of the most feared in the country. Wolves were close to glory on several occasions in the early 70s. But their only successes, and the only rewards that Dougan gleaned from his eight years at Molineux, was from the triumphs in the 1971 Texaco Cup and the 1974 League Cup.
At the end of the 1974/75 campaign, Dougan announced his retirement from the playing side of the game and he donned gold and black for the final time when he came on as a substitute when Leeds provided the opposition for the season's climax. Over 34,000 supporters were inside Molineux to bid their hero farewell. He was awarded a testimonial in the October of that year and later had a spell as manager of non-League Kettering Town before his ill fated return to Molineux.
He played a total of 43 times and scored eight times for Northern Ireland and in his record for Wolves was 123 goals from 323 appearances. He scored hat-tricks for the club in the League, League Cup and UEFA Cup and netted twice at Highbury against Arsenal in the 1973 third and fourth place play-off.
Derek Dougan died after suffering a heart attack, at the age of 69, in June, 2007.
WOLVES PLAYING CAREER 1967-1975
League Appearances 244(14) Goals 95
FA Cup Appearances 12(0) Goals 4
League Cup Appearances 22 Goals 7
European Games Appearances 18(0) Goals 12
Other Appearances 11 (2) Goals 5
TOTAL APPEARANCES 307(16) GOALS 123
WOLVES PLAYING CAREER 1967-1975
League Appearances 244(14) Goals 95
FA Cup Appearances 12(0) Goals 4
League Cup Appearances 22 Goals 7
European Games Appearances 18(0) Goals 12
Other Appearances 11 (2) Goals 5
TOTAL APPEARANCES 307(16) GOALS 123
Advertisement
