Roy Coyle

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Roy Coyle (born Robert Coyle, Belfast, January 30, 1946) is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and the most successful manager in the history of the Irish Football League[citation needed].

Contents

[edit] Playing Career

Coyle was a "teak tough" wing-half with Ballymena United F.C., Glentoran F.C., Sheffield Wednesday F.C. and Grimsby Town F.C.. He won two Irish League titles and played in Europe six times while with Glentoran before winning five Northern Ireland international while playing for Sheffield Wednesday in England.

[edit] Management Career

After returning to Northern Ireland from England, Coyle went into management, first as player-manager with South Belfast and Ireland's most successful and largest club Linfield F.C., then Ards F.C. and from 1991 to 1993 Derry City F.C. However, in November 1997 he took over as manager of Glentoran F.C. from the sacked Tommy Cassidy.[1] He guided Glentoran to an Irish Cup triumph just a few months later and went on to celebrate three League Championships with the East Belfast club. Glentoran also won three more Irish Cups during Coyle's reign, three CIS League Cups and three Gold Cups. They also won the County Antrim Shield on five occasions. Coyle spent 8 years at The Oval becoming the club's longest serving and most successful manager and resigned on February 2 2006 following a string of poor results.[2]

It would not be long until Coyle would return to management, however, and within a few weeks Coyle was appointed manager of Newry City F.C. effectively swapping places with Paul Millar.[3] At Newry, Coyle experienced a dismal run of results with his team winning just one game at home half-way through the season. On January 10 2007, Coyle decided to resign from his post and stated that he was unsure whether he would return to the game again.[4]

[edit] Managerial Honours

Coyle is the most successful manager in Irish League history and has won 50 trophies in a success-filled career, mostly with Linfield F.C.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Coyle signs new contract", BBC Sport Online, 12 September, 2003.
  2. ^ "Coyle quits as Glentoran manager", BBC Sport Online, 02 February, 2006.
  3. ^ "Coyle excited by Newry challenge", BBC Sport Online, February 21 2006.
  4. ^ "Coyle leaves job as Newry manager", BBC Sport Online, 10 January, 2007.

[edit] External Links

Coyle on NIFG

Preceded by
Jim McLaughlin		 Derry City F.C. manager
1991-1993		 Succeeded by
Tony O'Doherty
Preceded by
Paul Millar		 Newry City F.C. manager
2006-2007		 Succeeded by
Gerry Flynn
Preceded by
Tommy Cassidy		 Glentoran F.C. manager
1993-2006		 Succeeded by
Paul Millar
Derry City F.C. - Managers
McCleery (1929–32) | Gillespie (1932–40) | Management Team Committee (1940–42) | Ross (1942–53) | Management Team Committee (1953–58) | Houston (1958–59) | Doherty (1959–61) | Ross 1961–68) | Hill (1968–71) | Wood (1971–72) | Ross (1972–72) | The "wilderness years" (1972–85) | Crossan (1985–85) | King (1985–87) | McLaughlin (1987–91) | Coyle (1991–93) | O'Doherty (1993–94) | Healy (1994–98) | Mahon (1998–2003) | Keely (2003–03) | Dykes (2003–04) | Hutton (2004–04) | Kenny (2004–06) | Fenlon (2006–07) | Hutton (2007–07) | Robertson (2007—07) | Kenny (2007–)