Robert Douglas (footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Rab Douglas


fullname = Robert James Douglas
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1972|4|24
cityofbirth = Lanark
countryofbirth = Scotland
height = height|meters=1.95
currentclub = Dundee
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1993-1997 1997-2000 2000-2005 2005-2008 2007 2007-2008 2008 2008-
clubs = Livingston
Dundee
Celtic
Leicester City
→ Millwall (loan)
→ Wycombe Wanderers (loan)
→ fc|Plymouth Argyle (loan)
Dundee
caps(goals) = 001 (0)
119 (0)
108 (0)
032 (0)
007 (0)
003 (0)
001 (0)
009 (0)
nationalyears = 2002-2005
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 019 (0)
pcupdate = 02:37, 5 October 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 19:20, 31 December 2007 (UTC)

Robert James "Rab" Douglas (born 24 April 1972 in Lanark) is a Scottish footballer currently playing for Dundee having been released by fc|Leicester City. He is a goalkeeper and is also a former Scotland international. As a boy, Douglas was a Motherwell supporter.

Career

Celtic

Douglas, formerly of Dundee F.C., joined Celtic F.C. in 2000, going on to gain over 100 appearances for the club, and was a key part of the team that reached the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. He was also considered a key player in Celtic's Scottish Premier League domestic title wins in 2000/01 and 2001/02.

However, during the 2004/2005 seasons he faced stiff competition from youngster David Marshall and Magnus Hedman and at the end of the season was told by Celtic's then manager, Martin O'Neill, that he would not be first choice for next season. Douglas decided that he wanted to test himself in England, rather than sit on the bench, and joined Leicester City on a free transfer.

Leicester and beyond

His future at the Walkers Stadium was under threat after being replaced late in the 2005/06 season by Paul Henderson and promising performances by former youth academy goalkeeper Conrad Logan. Therefore, on 7 June 2007, Douglas was placed on the transfer list alongside Mark de Vries and Alan Maybury. [ [http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1033713,00.html Duo listed] ] Douglas was handed a trial spell at Motherwell on 21 August, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/6956437.stm Keeper Douglas starts Well trial] , BBC Sport, 2007-08-21] but was unable to agree a deal with the club. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/6970957.stm Motherwell lose Douglas] ]

On 14 September, Douglas joined Millwall on an emergency 4 week loan, [ [http://www.millwallfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10367~1112559,00.html Preston blow] 2007-09-14] making his debut in a 2-1 defeat to Walsall on 15 September. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/6984944.stm Millwall 1-2 Walsall] , BBC Sport, 2007-09-15] On 23 October, he joined Wycombe Wanderers on a 3 month loan deal, making three appearances. [ [http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1149806,00.html Douglas is a Chairboy] ]

On 14 March 2008, Douglas joined Plymouth Argyle on a week's emergency loan as cover for the suspended Luke McCormick,cite news| title=Douglas Joins Pilgrims| url=http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1265410,00.html| publisher=LCFC.com|date=2008-03-14] making his only appearance in a 2-1 away win over Bristol City on 15 March 2008.cite news | title = Bristol City 1-2 Plymouth | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7285108.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 2008-03-15 | accessdate = 2008-10-05] On 15 May, he was released by Leicester as his contract was close to expiring and was not going to be renewed by the club.cite news
title = Foxes Release 6
url = http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1312976,00.html
publisher = LCFC.com
date = 2008-05-15
accessdate = 2008-05-15]

International

Douglas was a regular for Scotland from 2002. However, after a 6-0 loss to Holland in Amsterdam, in a 2003 playoff for qualification to Euro 2004, Douglas lost his position as first team goalkeeper.

It was a night from which his Scotland career never really recovered and he played just once more under Berti Vogts, against Wales, in a 4-0 defeat. He was recalled to the Scotland squad in 2005 under manager Walter Smith where he played against Italy in a 2006 World Cup qualifier, but was taken off injured in the 38th minute.

His last appearance for Scotland was a friendly match in August 2005, where he came on as a second half substitute in a 2-2 draw against Austria. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/4134446.stm Austria 2-2 Scotland] , BBC Sport, 2005-08-17]

Honours

;Livingston
*Winner
**Scottish Division 3: 1995-96;Dundee
*
**Scottish Division 1: 1997-98;Celtic
*Winner
**Scottish Premier League: 2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04
**Scottish Cup: 2000-01, 2003-04, 2004-05
*Runner-up
**UEFA Cup: 2002-03
**Scottish League Cup: 2002-03
**Scottish Cup: 2001-02

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=11653|name=Robert Douglas