His talent as a coach was first spotted by Northern Ireland’s greatest ever goalscorer. And when he ever needs advice, he’s got Brendan Rodgers’ number on speed dial.
So in terms of his aspirations to become a top manager, Stephen Dobbie is off to a pretty decent start. When the Scot decided to hang up his boots in May he already knew he wanted to be a gaffer. On a training pitch in Fleetwood one day, legendary former striker David Healy sparked something in him. And the fire has been burning ever since.
Dobbie is Under-23s coach at Blackpool, a club that have become close to his heart. In Scotland he’s synonymous with Queen of the South, where he spent seven years of his career, scored a barrel-load of goals and became a Doonhamers cult hero. But incredibly the former Swansea and Crystal Palace striker had THREE loan spells at Bloomfield Road.
