Danny Handling

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Danny Handling

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| alt =

| fullname = Daniel Handling

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1994|02|06}}

| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland

| height = 1.83 m

| position = Attacking midfielder

| currentclub = Tranent Juniors

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Civil Service Strollers

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Hibernian

| years1 = 2011–2017

| caps1 = 55

| goals1 = 3

| clubs1 = Hibernian

| years2 = 2012

| caps2 = 7

| goals2 = 7

| clubs2 = → Berwick Rangers (loan)

| years3 = 2017

| caps3 = 5

| goals3 = 0

| clubs3 = → Raith Rovers (loan)

| years4 = 2017–2018

| caps4 = 16

| goals4 = 2

| clubs4 = Dumbarton

| years5 = 2018–2023

| caps5 = 80

| goals5 = 19

| clubs5 = Edinburgh City

| years6 = 2023–2024

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| clubs6 = Brechin City

| years7 = 2024–

| caps7 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| clubs7 = Tranent Juniors

| nationalyears1 = 2010–2011

| nationalteam1 = Scotland U17

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2014–2015

| nationalteam2 = Scotland U21

| nationalcaps2 = 3

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 16:15, 27 May 2022 (UTC)

}}

Daniel Handling (born 6 February 1994) is a Scottish footballer who plays for Tranent Juniors. Handling has previously played for Hibernian and Dumbarton as well as Berwick Rangers and Raith Rovers on loan.

Early life

Handling grew up in Haddington, East Lothian, and attended Knox Academy . His brother, Darren, plays as an attacking midfield player for Dunbar United.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/as_he_cleans_sodje_s_boots_apprentice_handling_waits_for_big_break_in_the_hibs_first_team_1_1904897|title=As he cleans Sodje's boots, apprentice Handling waits for big break in the Hibs first team.|first=Alex |last=Schweitzer-Thompson|date=12 October 2011|accessdate=12 October 2011|work=Edinburgh Evening News|publisher=Johnston Press}}

Career

He made his first-team debut for Hibs as a substitute against Aberdeen on 14 May 2011,{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9484602.stm | title=Hibernian v Aberdeen | accessdate=14 May 2011|publisher=BBC | work=BBC Sport | date=14 May 2011}} becoming the fourth-youngest person to play for Hibs.{{cite news |url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/Hibs-Danny-gets-a-handle.6769738.jp |title=Hibs: Danny gets a handle on his historic debut |first=David |last=Hardie |date=17 May 2011 |accessdate=17 May 2011 |work=Edinburgh Evening News |publisher=Johnston Press |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520003443/http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/Hibs-Danny-gets-a-handle.6769738.jp |archive-date=20 May 2011 }} Handling agreed a new contract with Hibs later that year.{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20111202/handling-agrees-new-contract_2262950_2535295 |title=Handling Agrees New Contract |work=Hibernianfc.co.uk|publisher=Hibernian FC|date=2 December 2011|accessdate=22 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206042206/http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20111202/handling-agrees-new-contract_2262950_2535295 |archive-date=6 December 2011}}

Handling was loaned to Third Division club Berwick Rangers in March 2012. He scored two goals on his Berwick debut, a 2–1 win at Peterhead on 24 March.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17502393|title=Peterhead 1–2 Berwick|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=24 March 2012 |accessdate=24 March 2012}} He scored six goals in his first four games for the club, which gave Berwick a chance of qualifying for the end of season playoffs.{{cite news |url=http://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/berwick-bandits/handling-just-can-t-stop-scoring-for-rangers-1-2240451|title=Handling just can't stop scoring for Rangers |work=Berwick Advertiser|publisher=Johnston Press|date=20 April 2012|accessdate=20 April 2012}}

Handling made 24 appearances for the Hibs first team in the 2014–15 season, scoring three goals.{{cite news |url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/six-month-injury-lay-off-for-hibs-danny-handling-1-3832534 |title=Six month injury lay-off for Hibs' Danny Handling |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=16 July 2015 |accessdate=25 October 2015 |first=Peter |last=Wales}} He then missed all of the 2015–16 season due to suffering a knee injury in a pre-season game. Handling was an unused substitute in a 2016–17 UEFA Europa League tie with Brondby, but then suffered another injury.{{cite news |url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/injury-to-keep-hibs-liam-fontaine-out-of-dumbarton-trip-1-4222762 |title=Injury to keep Hibs' Liam Fontaine out of Dumbarton trip |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=7 September 2016 |accessdate=7 September 2016 |first=Anthony |last=Brown}} This prevented him from playing until late January, when he appeared in a development squad match.{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/7207 |title=DANNY HANDLING ON HIS RETURN TO ACTION |publisher=Hibernian FC |date=25 January 2017 |accessdate=26 March 2017}} On 31 March, Handling moved to Raith Rovers on an emergency loan deal.{{cite web |url=http://www.raithrovers.net/29310/yogi-drafts-in-handling-while-lennox-departs.htm |title=Yogi Drafts In Handling while Lennox Departs |publisher=Raith Rovers FC |date=31 March 2017 |accessdate=31 March 2017}}

Having negotiated his release from Hibernian, Handling joined Scottish Championship side Dumbarton in July 2017.{{cite web|last1=Galloway|first1=Andy|title=DEAL DONE: HANDLING ARRIVES|url=http://www.dumbartonfootballclub.com/news/?mode=view&id=3160|website=Dumbarton Football Club|accessdate=28 July 2017}} He scored his first goal for the club (and first since December 2014) in the semi-final of the Scottish Challenge Cup against Welsh Champions The New Saints in February 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43097771|title=The New Saints 1-2 Dumbarton|last=Southwick|first=Andrew|date=17 February 2018|website=BBC Sport}} After 23 appearances and three goals he turned down a new deal to join Scottish League Two side Edinburgh City.{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburghcityfc.com/2018/06/19/welcoming-danny-handling/|title=Welcoming Danny Handling|date=19 June 2018|website=Edinburgh City FC}} Handling signed a new two-year contract with Edinburgh City in June 2020.{{cite web |title=Danny Handling: Edinburgh City agree new contract with former Hibs kid as top scorer admits deal was 'no-brainer' |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/danny-handling-edinburgh-city-agree-new-contract-former-hibs-kid-top-scorer-admits-deal-was-no-brainer-2880872 |website=edinburghnews.scotsman.com |accessdate=11 June 2020}}

In June 2024, Handling joined Tranent Juniors after a short spell with Brechin City.{{cite web |title=Former Hibs midfielder completes Lowland Football League move |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/former-hibs-midfielder-completes-lowland-football-league-move-4668924|website=edinburghnews.scotsman.com |date=17 June 2024}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals
rowspan=9\|Hibernian \|2010–11{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2010\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|rowspan="3"\|Scottish Premier League \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2011–12{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2011\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2012–13{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2012\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|15	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	18	1
2013–14{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2013\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|Scottish Premiership \|19	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	22	1
2014–15{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2014\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|rowspan="3"\|Scottish Championship \|20	2	1	0	2	0	1	1	24	3
2015–16{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2015\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2016–17{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2016\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2017–18{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2017\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|Scottish Premiership \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !55	3	5	1	2	0	3	1	65	5
Berwick Rangers (loan) \|2011–12 \|Scottish Third Division \|7	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	7
Raith Rovers (loan) \|2016–17 \|Scottish Championship \|5	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	7	0
Dumbarton \|2017–18 \|Scottish Championship \|16	2	1	0	1	0	5	1	23	3
rowspan=5\|Edinburgh City \|2018–19{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2018\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|rowspan=4\|Scottish League Two \|9	0	0	0	4	0	3	0	16	0
2019–20{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2019\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|25	10	3	2	4	1	1	0	33	13
2020–21{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2020\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|16	2	1	0	4	1	4	1	25	4
2021–22{{soccerbase season\|59530\|2021\|accessdate=1 November 2021}} \|30	7	3	1	3	0	4	0	41	8
colspan="2"\|Total !80	19	7	3	15	2	12	1	114	25
colspan="3"\|Career total !163	31	13	4	18	2	22	3	216	40

Honours

=Player=

;Hibernian

Scottish Cup winners: 2015–16{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36292302|title=Scottish Cup final: Rangers 2-3 Hibernian|last1=Wilson|first1=Richard|date=21 May 2016|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|accessdate=28 May 2016}}
Scottish League Cup runners-up: 2015–16{{cite web|last1=Wilson|first1=Richard|title=Scottish League Cup Final: Hibernian 1-2 Ross County|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35738631|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 March 2016|date=13 March 2016}}