The Interview - Ian Dobbins

Can you give us your career history?
I started off at Albion Rovers when I was 16, but ended up only playing one game for them.  Then I went to Hamilton Accies and was there for two seasons.  After that I was at Dumbarton for two seasons, then two at Arbroath.  Half a season at Montrose and now of course I'm at Stranraer.

What prompted the move to Stranraer after only six months at Montrose?
No other reason except for the travelling.  I found it horrendous, although I'd travelled to Arbroath for two years, we only had to come up to Perth on training nights and we had such a laugh in the car with Mark Peat, Marco and Willie Martin that the time passed really quickly anyway.  Montrose train at Links Park so that meant a lot more travelling.  On top of that I was doing a course and it was taking me 3 hours to get to Montrose because of the traffic.  There are boys  still doing that same journey and they seem to be able to handle it, but I just couldn't.  It got to the stage that I wasn't enjoying my football because of it.  I spoke to Jim Weir who was really decent about the whole thing and allowed me to join Stranraer in January after I had signed a pre-contract agreement with them, even though he didn't want to lose me.  People might think that Stranraer is still a bit of a journey, but we train ten minutes away from my house in Glasgow so I only have to travel on match days.

You will meet your old teammates from Montrose in the play-off semi-final.  How will you feel if they should progress to the final at the expense of Stranraer?
I'll be gutted.  To be honest it's written into my contract that I can't play against Montrose, and as the manager may want to play the boys who will play in the playoffs I might not play today against Arbroath.  If Stranraer don't make it to the finals then I will have played my last game of the season.  However, we have played Montrose five times this season, we've won three and they have won two, so we have a very good chance of winning.

You had a really good relationship with the Arbroath fans, some of whom hero worshipped you, then that all changed when you went to Montrose.  How did that feel?
To be honest I knew there would be a bit of stick coming my way, but the first game at Links Park still took me by surprise a bit.  Having played for Arbroath I understood the rivalry between the two teams.  I loved my two years at Arbroath, everyone at the club was really good to me, including John McGlashan when the whole Australia thing happened and I came back, he took me back and played me again, another manager might not have done that.  However I never wanted to leave, and made that perfectly clear to all concerned at the time. I know people think that I was offered lots more money and that I just went out and grabbed it, but it wasn't like that.  I did get a wee bit more but that was irrelevant and I never asked Arbroath to match it.  I just think that I've heard it all before and know that it's coming so it doesn't bother me at all now.

You came to Gayfield as a defender, but ended up playing a lot in midfield.  Where do you prefer to play?
Definitely defence.  I see myself as a defender.  I think John played me there because Robbie Raeside and Jamie Bishop were doing so well at the back and we were a bit short of midfielders, then we were winning and so he didn't change it.  I think at Montrose I probably played about half the games in defence and half in the midfield, but at Stranraer I am a defender and that's where I'm happiest.

You've worked under a fair few managers.  Which style do you prefer, hairdryer or man manager?
I prefer the man manager definitely.  Don't get me wrong I think there is a time and a place for the hairdryer treatment, but if it happens all the time then I think players just switch off.  I think an arm round the shoulder, a bit of praise, encouragement and constructive criticism works better.  I think the days of the old fashioned manager using the hairdryer treatment are long gone at this level.

Finally, who, in your opinion, has been the best player in the third division this year?
I think I'd have to say one of my team mates at Stranraer, Andy Gibson.  Although I've never played directly opposite him as he's usually on the right side of the midfield, I think he is up there with the best in this division and could play at a higher level.  I also think John Baird is first class.  Although East Fife have run away with the league, I don't really think they have any stand out individuals, I think they have worked really hard and gelled as a team.

 

Karen Fleming