He was a full-back for Burnley, Manchester City and Sunderland, before an injury brought an early end to his playing career.

He was briefly manager of Hartlepool United between June and December 1983, a spell chiefly noted for the signing of the ailing Ray Kennedy from Swansea City.

In his only full season in charge, 1995–96, a bright start led to an FA Cup third round match at Liverpool.

Thereafter the team went into a steep decline and shortly after the end of the season, Docherty was dismissed, apparently due to alarm at some of his decisions on the retained list, and replaced by Graham Barrow.

When Jepson resigned in September 2007, he was named as joint caretaker manager with Iffy Onuora,[1] but Docherty left Gillingham on 8 October 2007.