Martin Dobson Appointed Everton Development Co-Ordinator
Since leaving Turf Moor in 2011, Martin Dobson has scouted for Leicester City and has also been a match day host at Goodison Park for Everton at home fixtures. However this week the seventy year old has replaced Joe Royle as the new Professional Development Co-ordinator until the end of the season.
Royle stood down in December from the role which is responsible for checking on the form of all the players they have out on loan, which currently includes Joe Williams (Barnsley), Antonee Robinson and Harry Charsley (Bolton), Matthew Pennington (Leeds), Mo Besic (Middlesbrough), Tyias Browning and Brendan Galloway (Sunderland), Kieran Dowell (Nottingham Forest), Callum Connolly (Ipswich), Louis Gray (Carlisle) and Boris Mathis (Northampton).
Dobbo played for Everton from August 1974 until the end of the 1978/79 season, during which time he made 230 appearances and scored 40 goals. His transfer from Burnley in 1974 was a British record cash transfer at the time of around £300,000, roughly the cost of building the Bob Lord Stand. At the time, Dobbo he had just established himself in the England squad.
He’d captained us to the Second Division title in 1972/73 and on his return to Turf Moor after almost five years with the Toffees he led us to another title, this time the Third Division in the 1981/82 season. He left Burnley to become player/manager at Bury in March 1984.
In January 2010, Dobson was appointed joint caretaker manager of the Clarets with Terry Pashley, after Owen Coyle left the club for Bolton Wanderers. However he never managed a game due to the rapid appointment of Brian Laws, who added Dobson to his coaching staff in the short-term, before he returned to his role of Director of Youth at Burnley.
Dobson left his post as Director of Youth Development at Burnley in October 2011 after his contract was not renewed by manager Eddie Howe, instead he appointed his reserve team manager Jason Blake, from former club Bournemouth as academy manager.