Phil SumblerIt seemed to go largely unnoticed in Swansea but this weekend saw Stephen Dobbie play his last game for Queen of the South. A player I will always credit as playing a huge part in our promotion season and it’s a thank you from us at Swansea for the memories.
Nobody who was at the Liberty the night we beat Nottingham Forest to reach Wembley or indeed those that were inside Wembley when we beat Reading will forget the goals that Dobbie scored at those two crucial matches but his influence was so much bigger.
It was madness the season before when he was loaned to Blackpool and helped them reach the Premier League but the following season he was kept at Swansea and played a big part in our promotion winning campaign which included five goals in the last five games of the season.
He fitted into the team perfectly at a time when Brendan Rodgers needed him and whilst he may only have managed 14 goals in his time at the club they were largely proved to be crucial ones for the club and for that we will always be grateful.
11 of those 14 goals were scored during the Championship season under Brendan Rodgers and Dobbie looks back on that season with fondness “The 2010-11 season was incredible for me and the club. It was probably my favourite season as a professional footballer.
“There was a lot of emotion around at the start of the campaign, with Besian (Idrizaj) having passed away (at the age of 22). Everyone at the club wanted to do well for him.
“Things all just seemed to click for us and the whole season was just brilliant. That’s not just because we got promoted, but also because of the football we played. It was a joy to be a part of it. It was obviously hugely special to get promoted by winning a match at Wembley and scoring.”
Dobbie was also a starter when the Swans took to the Premier League stage for the first time against Manchester City where he featured for 65 minutes before making way in our 4-0 defeat.
“I take a lot from playing matches in the Premier League,” says Dobbie. “I got to play against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal. I could only have dreamed of that when I was starting out as a young professional in Scotland,” Dobbie added.
Dobbie went onto play for Brighton, Crystal Palace, Blackpool, Fleetwood and Bolton after leaving the Liberty before spending the last five years of his career at Queen of South where he has earned legend status especially for his 43 goals in a season two seasons back which included an incredible 6 hat-tricks.
Tremendous reception this evening for Sir Stephen’s last game for @OfficialQosFC 💙💥🥲 pic.twitter.com/uNzYQZt93d
— QoS Tanner Fund (@QosFund) April 30, 2021
All at Planet Swans would like to wish Stephen Dobbie all the best for his retirement and a big thank you for the memories of days we will never forget.
Stephen hasn’t actually said he is retiring, just that he is leaving Queen of The South.