James Docherty (born 8 November 1956) is a Scottish former footballer, who played as a striker.

Docherty began his short professional career with East Stirlingshire, where a prolific spell saw him sign for Chelsea in a club record £45,000 deal, which is still a club record transfer to this day.^[2] Just three games into his Chelsea career, Docherty left to join Dundee United on a free transfer in October 1979,^[3] but then subsequently left after playing only two matches. A further short time with Hearts preceded a spell with St Johnstone, where Docherty played just under fifty league matches. After leaving Perth, Docherty had short spells with Partick Thistle, Meadowbank Thistle (on loan) and Dunfermline Athletic. His professional career, which ended in his late twenties, lasted seven years.