Members News: CCFC Legend ‘Doyler’ Takes Up New Challenge With FGR!

Earlier today we reported a transfer move involving a new playing challenge for our member Ben Turner with Ilkeston Town. Ben was one of a quartet of players (and now CCFPA members) who post-Sky Blues found a home together at Notts County to help them seek to get back to the Football League after their relegation from League Two. Though, at the time of writing Jim O’Brien and Dion Kelly-Evans are still with the Magpies who still await their return we have ‘moving’ news of the fourth member of the quartet, popular two times  former Sky Blue Michael Doyle!

The 40 year old ‘Doyler’ has just now found a new berth back in League One with newly promoted club Forest Green Rovers. He has moved there with their newly appointed ‘gaffer’ Ian Burchnall. Michael has moved from Notts County continuing his role as assistant head coach to new manager Burchnall who succeeds Rob Edwards at the Gloucestershire club after he moved to Watford as their new boss earlier this month.

‘Doyler’ CCFC captain 2017-18

Having been a two time Sky Blue in recent seasons (2003-11 & 2017-19) we have twice had the privilege of watching the defensive midfielder operate as a key cog in the Sky Blue set up who can always be relied upon to be combative, gutsy and energetic. Clearly now of veteran status he left CCFC for the second time at the start of February three year’s ago with a new set of difficult challenges which have brought more great praise but, more than once, ultimate disappointment. Despite his enormous leadership skills and ability to mentor younger and more inexperienced players, as a player he was unable to prevent the relegation of the country’s oldest club Notts. County from the Football League. This year, promoted to assistant head coach, Doyler will have been deeply disappointed that the Magpies, for the second season running fell at the National League playoffs semi-final stage (this time to Grimsby Town).

‘Doyler’ CCFPA’s Player of 2017-18

Sky Blues fans will particularly remember with pleasure Michael’s tremendous contribution in leading the Sky Blues to their own League Two play-off victory at Wembley in May 2018. At that point, of course, he was also winner of the CCFPA/G-Casino ‘Player of the Season’ award for 2018 (right).

Born in Dublin on 8th August 1981 Michael started out as a youngster with Glasgow Celtic turning full professional for them in August 1998 but did not break into the first team and was sent out on loan in the Danish Premier League club AGF Aarhus to gain match experience. The Sky Blues management team of Gary McAllister and (CCFPA member) Eric Black saw the potential and, after a trial, he was brought to Highfield Road in 2003.  During his first-time Sky Blue years Michael also represented his country, the Republic of Ireland, in 2006.

Michael Doyle in the Sky Blue

After clocking up over 250 appearances for the Sky Blues, and 25 goals (not bad for a tenacious and defensively minded midfielder) plus a full season of 42 games on loan at Leeds United (in 2009-10) Michael left the Ricoh for pastures new, moving to Sheffield United in 2011.  He then became a lynch pin of the Blades’ sides between 2011-15  and was club captain for a while.  He made 223 first team appearances for the United (10 goals) and the Irishman was one of the several ex CCFC players putting the boot into his erstwhile colleagues in 2014-15 and (wouldn’t you know it) Doyler’s strike against the Sky Blues was his only goal of that season in which he appeared 56 times for the Blades!

Doyler Wins At Wembley

After becoming a free agent after being released by the Sheffield club at the end of that season (with some baseless speculation about a Ricoh return then) the former CCFC captain chose to accept an offer from Portsmouth for the next two seasons and racked up a total of 96 appearances for Pompey (three goals) before returning to Sky Blue land for the 2017-18 season.

Mark Robins was quick to act when Pompey failed to offer Michael a new contract and Michael’s ‘second coming’ in Coventry footballing circles, as we know, proved inspirational (see above). He ended his Sky Blue days as a player with a combined total of  373 appearances for CCFC (26 goals) and has a massive and impressive FL career total of 843 appearances (41 goals)!!

Michael at LD22

He was back in Leamington a couple of years back playing in a Sky Blue Legends XI to benefit a charity he favours and has always supported CCFPA despite being passionate about each club he is assisting. He was also a participant at our Legends Day 2022 reunion a month or soo ago back at the CBS Arena for a Sky Blue game.

CCFPA wishes our wonderful CCFC club servant all the best in his new post at Forest Green Rovers -we know you will keep in touch when your other commitments allow!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.