Paul Dobson
Paul Dobson should not really be a cult hero to me, but he was. He was the first player I really wanted to get a run of games, who did not. Back then, I didn’t know he’d scored the goal which sent us out of the league and his listing on Wikipedia claims fans were not happy when he did sign for us. I’ve looked back over some old Deranged Ferrets and it seems he was actually fairly popular here, with a decent record of scoring goals in a team that struggled.
It’s well-known that he p[layed for Torquay on that fateful day in May 1987, scoring the goal which sent us down. In January 1991, Steve Thompson signed him for the Imps and he immediately scored on his debut, securing us a 2-1 win. He failed to score in eight more matches and couldn’t buy a start after that.
The following season he netted on the opening day of the season as we won at Cardiff, played twice more in the league as we drew two blanks and was dropped, although he did score in our 4-3 League Cup win against Chester, which we lost on away goals. When he was called back into action a couple of games later, he scored but we lost to Chesterfield. One start and no goals later he was dropped again, only to come off the bench much later in the season to score as we beat Doncaster (2-0) and Gillingham (1-0). He scored five times in 21 matches, only 13 of which were starts.
However, he became a symbol for distrust of management amongst some sections and for me, as an impressionable youngster, it was easy to like him. He did seem to score whenever he came on and it wasn’t helped by me being at the Doncaster and Gillingham games, meaning whenever I watched, he scored. It didn’t matter, he was shipped off at the end of the season and I seem to recall an Echo article in which Thommo described his signing as a mistake. Not for me, at the time he was a cult hero never given a fair crack of the whip.
Paul Dobson was a hero of mine too and, like you, I was unaware of his ‘history’ when he signed for us. I thought he was a cracking player and he was not utilised as well as he should have been and should have had a great career with us. He was one of those striker signings who really excited me upon arrival… and there hasn’t been many of them over the years.
good article. i think you must be 15 years behind me – i’m 46
Bressington, Hobson, James. Mcginley for me.
Tony James is the only player i’ve ever seen and thought immediadley and every time he should be playing way above this league.
Just to clarify these are not my full heroes, they’re the sort of cult player I loved but who never reached the heights I felt they should.
Malcolm Dunkley (88-89 I think?) – 2 goal debut including a long-range screamer, and then never heard of again
Didn’t he score in his next game too? I’m sure he did.