Desperate to play as a striker in the 2012–13 season, he got his wish as he was played as a deep-lying striker in partnership with Tom Pope. Combined with wingers Jennison Myrie-Williams and Ashley Vincent, the four-man strike force fired Vale into second place in the league over the first quarter of the campaign. On 18 September, he converted a "stunning strike with the outside of his foot" in a 5–2 victory over Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium – later this was voted the club's goal of the season. However, he lost his first team place, before "a heart-to-heart with boss Micky Adams... got him back on track", and on 15 December he marked his first start for a month with his first goal in three months – it proved to be a crucial goal against promotion rivals Cheltenham Town in a 1–1 draw at Whaddon Road. Vale secured promotion with a third-place finish at the end of the season, with Dodds finishing on seven goals in 36 games. He agreed to sign a new two-year contract in the summer.