Josh Doherty is a Northern Irish professional footballer currently playing for South Shields.

Josh Doherty
Doherty playing for Crawley Town in September 2019
Personal information
Full name Josh Doherty[1]
Date of birth (1996-03-15) 15 March 1996 (age 28)[2]
Place of birth Newtownards, Northern Ireland
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
South Shields
Youth career
0000–2012 Ards
2012–2014 Watford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Watford 1 (0)
2016–2017 Leyton Orient 0 (0)
2016Altrincham (loan) 3 (0)
2017 Ards 8 (0)
2017–2021 Crawley Town 79 (0)
2021Colchester United (loan) 5 (0)
2021 Barnet 3 (0)
2022 Portadown 15 (0)
2022- South Shields 0 (0)
International career
2011–2013 Northern Ireland U17 8 (1)
2013–2014 Northern Ireland U19 6 (1)
2014–2017 Northern Ireland U21 6 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:08, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10:47, 12 November 2017 (UTC)

Doherty started his senior career at Watford before joining Leyton Orient in 2016. After a loan spell at Altrincham, he left by mutual consent in January 2017 and joined Ards. He joined EFL League Two club Crawley Town in September 2017 and made 94 appearances in four years at the club before being released in summer 2021, having spent the second half of the 2020–21 season on loan at Colchester United. He signed for Barnet in July 2021. He has also played for Northern Ireland at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels.

Early life edit

Doherty was born in Newtownards, Northern Ireland.[2][3]

Club career edit

Early career edit

After playing youth football for Ards,[4] Doherty signed a two-year scholarship with Watford in April 2012.[5] Doherty made his debut on 3 May 2014, coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute in the 4–1 defeat against Huddersfield Town.[6] On 14 May 2014, Doherty signed his first professional contract after completing his scholarship.[7] However, his first team chances was soon limited, as well as, the club's reserve no longer available.[8] On 3 June 2016, it was announced that Doherty would leave Watford upon his contract expiry.[9]

Leyton Orient and return to Ards edit

On 6 June 2016, Doherty joined League Two side Leyton Orient on a one-year deal.[10] On 13 September, Doherty joined National League North side Altrincham on a month's loan.[11] By mutual consent he left Orient on 3 January 2017. Orient went on to be relegated to the national league at the end of the 2016/17 season. Doherty returned to his home club Ards. [12]

After leaving Leyton Orient, Doherty returned to Northern Ireland to sign for hometown club Ards on a short-term deal.[13] A month later, he made his debut during their 3–0 away victory over Portadown, featuring for 64 minutes before being replaced by David McCullough.[14] Doherty went onto feature seven more times before leaving at the end of his contract in June 2017.

Crawley Town edit

On 5 September 2017, it was announced that Doherty had joined League Two side Crawley Town.[15] Four days later, he made his debut during Crawley's 3–1 away defeat against Colchester United, replacing Mark Randall in the 64th minute.[16] In Crawley's following fixture, against Stevenage, Doherty was rewarded with his first start under manager, Harry Kewell and went onto feature for 60 minutes in the 1–1 draw.[17] On 2 May 2018, after an impressive debut season, Doherty was rewarded with a new two-year deal running until 2020.[18] Doherty made 18 appearances across the 2018–19 season, whilst he made 31 appearances for the club during 2019–20.[19] In June 2020, Doherty signed a one-year contract extension with the club.[20]

Doherty joined Colchester United on loan until the end of the season on 1 February 2021.[21] Doherty made 5 appearances on loan at the club but was released by Crawley Town upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.[22]

Barnet edit

On 2 July 2021, Doherty signed for National League club Barnet on an initial one-year deal under new manager Harry Kewell. [23] Doherty was sent off on his debut against Notts County and two games later was sent off again against Grimsby Town.

South Shields edit

Doherty returned to his native Northern Ireland in January 2022 for a short stint with NIFL Premiership club Portadown,[24] helping the club in their battle to stay in the NIFL premiership and making appearances during the premiership playoffs. Doherty returned to England in June 2022 to sign for Northern Premier League Premier Division club South Shields.[25] He went on to make 22 appearances for the side, helping them secure promotion to the National League North at the end of the 2022/23 season.

International career edit

Doherty has represented Northern Ireland at under-17,[26] under-19[27] and under-21 level.

Career statistics edit

As of 5 November 2021[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Watford 2013–14 Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2014–15 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Leyton Orient 2016–17 League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Altrincham (loan) 2016–17 National League North 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 0
Ards 2016–17 NIFL Premiership 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Crawley Town 2017–18 League Two 15 0 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 17 0
2018–19 League Two 18 0 1 0 1 0 2[a] 0 22 0
2019–20 League Two 31 0 1 0 4 0 1[a] 0 37 0
2020–21 League Two 15 0 2 0 0 0 1[a] 0 18 0
Total 79 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 94 0
Colchester United (loan) 2020–21 League Two 5 0 0 0 5 0
Barnet 2021–22 National League 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Career total 99 0 6 0 5 0 5 0 115 0
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours edit

South Shields

References edit

  1. ^ "Josh Doherty". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Josh Doherty". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Josh Doherty relishing FA Cup clash with Stuart Dallas' Leeds". www.newsletter.co.uk.
  4. ^ "Doherty praised by Watford's head of academy". East London and West Essex Guardian Series.
  5. ^ "Academy: Welcome to new scholars". Watford F.C. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  6. ^ "Watford 1–4 Huddersfield Town". BBC Sport. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  7. ^ "OFFICIAL: Doherty Signs Pro Contract". Watford FC. 14 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Watford youngster Josh Doherty accepts the club's young professionals will have to leave on loan in order to get first team football". Watford Observer. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  9. ^ "OFFICIAL: Hornets Confirm Retained & Released Players". Watford F.C. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Leyton Orient sign Doherty and Weir". BBC Sport. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  11. ^ "NEWS: Doherty heads out on loan". Leyton Orient F.C. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  12. ^ "NEWS: Duo leave the O's". Leyton Orient F.C. 3 January 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Irish Premiership: Ards sign NI U21 defender Josh Doherty". BBC Sport. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Portadown vs. Ards". Soccerway. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Josh Doherty joins the club". Crawley Town F.C. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  16. ^ "Colchester United vs. Crawley Town". Soccerway. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  17. ^ "Stevenage vs. Crawley Town". Soccerway. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Josh Doherty signs new two-year contract". Crawley Town F.C. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  19. ^ a b Josh Doherty at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  20. ^ "Trio Remain Red". Crawley Town F.C. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  21. ^ Waldron, Jonathan (1 February 2021). "U's snap up Doherty on loan as left-back Bramall departs". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  22. ^ Waldron, Jonathan (18 May 2021). "Former Colchester United duo are released by League Two side". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Bees complete the signing of Josh Doherty!". barnetfc.com. Barnet F.C. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  24. ^ Van Dort, Patrick (9 January 2022). "Josh Doherty to offer Portadown 'tremendous pedigree' as fifth January signing". News Letter. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  25. ^ "Josh Doherty to join South Shields". southshieldsfc.co.uk. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  26. ^ "ACADEMY: International Update". Watford F.C. 14 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  27. ^ "NORTHERN IRELAND U19 SQUAD NAMED". Irish FA Official Website. 5 September 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  28. ^ "Shields clinch title after 1-0 win at Whitby". South Shields FC. Retrieved 10 April 2023.

External links edit