Evergreen Dobbie is the King of Queens
Dobbie reveals his debt of gratitude to old boss Williamson and Doonhamers
SO that’s one picture for Bobby Williamson, definitely. Maybe a second for Brendan Rodgers. All Stephen Dobbie has to remember, when transmitting photographic evidence of his continued dedication to the game, is which of his former gaffers will appreciate the addition of some fast food to the snapshot. Purely for comic value, of course.
The veteran creator and taker of chances, cradling the Ladbrokes Championship Player of the Month award for December, has worked for a few good managers in a career that has taken him from the Rangers youth system to — among many others — Hibernian, St Johnstone, Swansea, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Bolton and now a second spell at Queen of the South.
Along the way, he has battled self-confessed issues with ‘refuelling’, shaving a couple of stones off his previous fighting weight, been switched from an out-and-out poacher to a more all-round player — and earned a great deal of respect.
Naturally, he is quick to pay tribute to the guys who have helped him to steer a straight-ish course over the years.
And his thoughts obviously turn to Williamson, who recently revealed that he’s battling against cancer. ‘When I read about it, I got his number off Gerry McCabe and I’ve been in contact with Bobby,’ revealed the 35-year-old.
‘He’s just been explaining what he’s going through, sent me a few YouTube videos to help me understand it all. It’s very sad because Bobby was a big influence on me. He was the one who took me from Rangers to Hibs. I really hope he gets better soon.
‘He didn’t get the credit he deserved at Hibs. People forget how many kids we had in that Hibs team — and how many kids he brought through. And they’ve all gone on to have great careers.
‘There’s a photo of us playing against Rangers — and there must be about ten kids who have gone on to better things.
‘There was a group of five in a photo as well. Me, Derek Riordan, Tam McManus, Garry O’Connor and Broony (Scott Brown) — back when Broony was an attacker. He’s still an attacker. He attacks people and the ball now!
‘We also had Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson. Bobby doesn’t get the credit for all these players coming through. Coming from Rangers’ reserve team to the Hibs first team, getting to a final in that season, it was brilliant. ‘I’ll send Bobby a picture of this award with a wee message: “This is for you”. And I’ll put a Rustler’s sausage roll in the picture as well!’ Hold on a minute. A sausage roll? There’s a story there, definitely. Dobbie couldn’t help but laugh as, while describing his battle to get and stay trim, he was asked if Williamson had helped knock him into shape at Easter Road. He said: ‘To be fair, Bobby was even worse than me at that time! He was really good to me, though. And a real character, as well. ‘I was in the physio one day, injured and getting treatment. He came strolling in and asked me how the injury was going, all that usual thing. ‘But we had a microwave in the room for warming up the heat pads. And Bobby was putting in one of those Rustler’s sausage rolls! ‘So, when I was texting him the other day, we were having a laugh about that. He’s putting sauce on his sausage roll and I’m lying-there getting treatment — wanting a bit!’ If Williamson was a key influence, it would be hard to overstate the impact that Rodgers had on a player previously only concerned with goals, goals and more goals.
Dobbie explained: ‘When Brendan arrived at Swansea, he changed me from a No9 to a No 10.
‘I was in and out at Swansea as a striker. But he played me in the No10 role against Barnsley and I had a good game — and I’ve been in that role ever since.
‘You learn a lot about football when you sit down with Brendan Rodgers for an hour; he changed my outlook and what I did without the ball.
‘He showed me what it meant to work for the team, taught me to get enjoyment out of assists rather than the glory. I now try to teach the kids, especially the strikers, at Queen of the South.’
The fact Dobbie plays for the Championship side remains one of the more remarkable personnel situations in Scottish football.
There is no doubt that a player of his pedigree could play for a bigger club — and a much bigger pay packet — in a higher division.
Yet he felt duty-bound to return to the Doonhamers, owing them a debt of gratitude for rescuing him during a rocky patch much earlier in his career.
‘When I left Queen of the South, I always said I’d come back,’ said Dobbie, currently negotiating a contract extension. ‘When you get to a club you love playing for, and you have an affiliation with the fans, it brings out the best in you.
‘The season before I signed for Queens I was at Bolton under Lenny (Neil Lennon) and didn’t play as much as I wanted. It got to the point where I was sitting watching other people playing.
‘I just want to enjoy the last couple of years of my playing career and I always said I’d return to Queens, so the time was right.
‘I had a few offers down south and in the Scottish Premiership but I’m happy playing every week at my age and enjoying football.
‘I liked my time in England but, when you get to your mid-30s, you need to be happy — and that is above finances.’
For someone a little over halfway between 30 and 40, Dobbie is in more than decent nick. That hasn’t always been the case, as he freely admits.
‘When I was younger, I was a bit heavier and enjoyed things off the park more than I should have — but you learn,’ he said.
‘I just think it was laziness, really. Not having anything to do, I was in the house for 12 o’clock, one o’clock, bored.
‘Back then, the culture I grew up in was we went out on a Saturday night, all the time. And, if the game was off on a Saturday, we went out on the Friday!
‘When I came from Dumbarton to Queens the first time, Ian McCall stressed that this was my last chance, really. Luckily, I got my head down and worked.
‘To be honest, when I look back to when I was at my heaviest, I never really thought I was.
‘Because I was still playing, still putting in 90 minutes and still scoring goals.
‘It’s only when I look back now — and my kids say to me: “Dad, my God, how fat were you?”
‘Then I think to myself: “What was I doing?” But, back then, as long as I could play 90 minutes and I was still scoring goals, I felt it was good.’