Publisher's Synopsis
Derek 'The Doog' Dougan, king of the footballing one-liner, was perhaps the most flamboyant, argumentative and controversial cult hero in the game's long and lurid history. As a player he submitted a transfer request on the morning of an FA Cup final, played in the 1958 World Cup, picked up a record suspension for swearing at a linesman, shaved his hair off 'to feel fresh', formed part of the famed ITV 1970 World Cup panel which invented football punditry, and smashed in goal after arrogant goal for Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Peterborough, Leicester City, Wolves and Northern Ireland, inspiring the earliest known instances of football-related graffiti as his name was daubed across walls in each of those cities in recognition of his status as the crowd's rebellious hero.At Wolves, following a hat-trick on his debut, he formed a lethal partnership with Dave Wagstaffe and John Richards, although his abrasive character saw him fall out irreparably with Richards and numerous other high profile football figures. After such a career filled with panache and incident, Dougan could not hide his light under a bushel and he continued to pioneer new ground for former footballers. He discovered a political calling, attempting to form a united Irish football team to play Brazil in 1973 at the height of the Troubles. He also stood as a political candidate in his home constituency of East Belfast and represented UKIP on the BBC's Question Time.He was Chairman of the PFA, appointing long-serving Chief Executive Gordon Taylor to his post, and then became the Chief Executive of Wolves himself under the controversial regime of the Bhatti brothers, which almost saw the famous club go out of existence. Add in a colourful love life, the scandal of disappearing charity money, being asked to be a pall-bearer at George Best's funeral, violent assault, glorious goalscoring ability and a maniacal temper and you have the quandary which was The Doog.Coming within months of his early death, this biography, written by two of the journalists who knew him best throughout his tumultuous life, David Harrison of the News of the World and Steve Gordos of the Wolverhampton Express and Star, delves into the murky, entertaining and incredible world of The Doog by talking to many of those who witnessed each turbulent step, including John Richards, Pat Jennings, Gordon Taylor, Doug Ellis, Dave Whelan, Tim Flowers, Sammy McIlroy, Bobby Gould, Mike Bailey, Ray Crawford, Dave Wagstaffe, and features a hunt for an exclusive interview with the Bhatti brothers. With a foreword by former Northern Ireland team-mate and current Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill.
