The 16 teams in the Third Round Draw of this season’s Scottish Communities League Cup were paired together in eight ties by the Scottish Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson, MSP, and former Scotland striker, Billy Dodds.
Dodds, who started his career at Chelsea before donning the colours of Partick Thistle, Dundee, St. Johnstone, Aberdeen, Dundee United and Rangers was delighted to be getting his picture taken with the famous three handled trophy as it brought back memories of silverware success during his playing days.
The first great memory came almost 16 years ago when Dodds was a Coca-Cola Cup winner as he explained: “Back in November 1995, I was a winner with Aberdeen in this competition and it was great because I scored in every game in the cup run apart from one. We beat St. Mirren at Pittodrie and I scored and although we then beat Falkirk 4-1, I never scored in that one. I did hit the net against Motherwell at Fir Park and then scored twice against Rangers in the Semi-Final and then once against Dundee in the Cup Final with both of these games being at Hampden.
“The Cup Final was a great occasion although I am sure Aberdeen fans remember the Semi-Final against Rangers just as fondly when we won 2-1. They had a team of stars including Paul Gascoigne but Eoin Jess outshone them all when he did his wee piece of keepie-uppie on the wing when we were winning.”
It was a case of belief seeing the Dons through as Dodds explained: “We went into that game not sure if we could win but we believed that we could do well. I got the two goals in the second half that had us two ahead and it was then a case of hanging on.”
As all good strikers do, Dodds remembers his goals well saying: “I was forced wide for the first one but as Andy Goram came out, I managed to slip it away from him and the second was a header at the back post.
“I had been left unmarked and Stephen Glass sent over a great cross. Oleg Salenko pulled a goal back and that made it a really long end to the game. At the final whistle, the Aberdeen fans were going mental as not only were the club in the Cup Final, they had beaten a strong Rangers team on the way.”
Roy Aitken’s side took on First Division Dundee in the Cup Final and they handled the expectation of a cup success well with Dodds saying: “We went to Hampden as favourites against Dundee and we got a great backing. The whole place seemed to be red and white which was a magnificent site. There was pressure on us to win the game especially as Dundee were in the First Division at the time.
“We won 2-0 but to be fair, Dundee did not do themselves justice on the day. I got the first goal when the ball ricocheted off their goalkeeper and I was left with a shooting chance. Jim Duffy tried to block me on the goalline but being the greedy guy I was, I made sure I netted from five yards out before running away and milking the celebration.”
Dodds strike partner on the day got into the act in the second half with the now 42-year-old saying: “Big Duncan Shearer added the second to ensure that we won.”
The champagne and the Coca-Cola that flowed to mark the Pittodrie club’s success that day has not been tasted since and Dodds can understand the fans’ frustrations saying: “It was Aberdeen’s last major honour and that is a surprise. The Aberdeen fans are realistic and do not expect to be winning the League but they do expect the club to do well in cup competitions.
“By that, I do not even mean them to be winning cup competitions but getting to Cup Finals and they have not done enough of that. They have blown it against Queen of the South in a Scottish Cup Semi-Final and then of course, there was a defeat to Queen’s Park in the early rounds of this competition.”
Dodds added: “That was a really bad result and then there was also a Scottish Cup Quarter Final against Dunfermline which they lost in a penalty shoot-out at Pittodrie when the Pars were in the First Division. They were all decent opportunities to get to a Cup Final or even to get a run going.”
Dodds got used to cup runs during his own career as he said: “My first Cup Final was a great one as it was for Dundee against Ayr United in the first ever Challenge Cup competition in season 1990/91. I got a hat-trick as Dundee won 3-2 after extra-time. That was a great game and I have actually won in every Cup Final I have played in since."
As well as the Aberdeen Coca-Cola Cup success, Dodds picked up a League Cup winners' medal when the tournament was sponsored by CIS Insurance and he was part of the Rangers team that defeated Ayr United 4-0.
The New Cumnock born forward also picked up another medal during his Ibrox days when they defeated his previous Aberdeen side by the same scoreline in the Scottish Cup Final back in May 2000. That game was as good as ended when the Dons' goalkeeper, Jim Leighton, was injured in the opening exchanges and Robbie Winters, who recently signed for Third Division Alloa Athletic, went in goal.
Dodds said: “Cup Finals were good to me as I played in four and won four. People tell you how bad it is to be a loser in a Cup Final and thankfully, I never experienced that as a player.”
Showpiece occasions may have been good to Dodds however, the earlier rounds were not always as enjoyable as he said: “I might have enjoyed Cup Final success but I have experienced shocks. I was in the Aberdeen side that lost 2-0 to Stenhousemuir at their place. That was a nightmare and I still have terrible flashbacks of 40-year-old George McGeachie running away from me.”
Dodds showed that he was not too bad a loser saying: “That is one of those days that showed you the magic of cup football, shocks make it exciting.”
If his old Aberdeen side are not careful in this round of The Scottish Communities League Cup, they could face another shock with Dodds saying: “They have a potential banana skin of a tie with East Fife. I know my big mate Jim McIntyre is still suffering after his side lost to John Robertson’s men at New Bayview.
“That was another great result for cup football with a Second Division side beating a team from the SPL 2-1. Mind you, East Fife went out and lost their next game 6-0 at home to Dumbarton which would have surprised John Robertson as he would have been looking for them to build on that result.”
Dodds may well have enjoyed pulling the balls out of the hat however, he is honest enough to advise that he would much rather have been on the other end of the Draw...........waiting to hear who his side had drawn. Gordon Chisholm and Dodds were the management team at Dundee until last October when the club went into Administration and his experience there again showed him the fickle nature of football.
He said: “I would much rather be in the game in an official capacity. Your playing days are your best days and then you have coaching and then there is media work. I enjoy all three but if I had a preference, I would put them in that order.
“Last season started really well at Dundee and we won our first two cup ties and a potentially tricky League match against Queen of the South and then we went to Stenhousemuir in an ALBA Challenge Cup tie.
“We got battered 4-1 and that is cup football for you. I may have won four winners' medals from Cup Finals but I have been done in by Stenhousemuir twice now!”
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