Kevin Doyle

Infobox Football biography
playername = Kevin Doyle


fullname = Kevin Edward Doyle
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|9|18|df=yes
cityofbirth = Adamstown
countryofbirth = Ireland
height = 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
position = Striker
currentclub = Reading
clubnumber = 9
contractend = 1 July 2010
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2002–2003
2003–2005
2005–
clubs = St Patrick's Athletic
Cork City
Reading
caps(goals) = 010 0(0)
075 (25)
120 (46)
nationalyears = 2002–2005
2006–
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland U21
Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 011 0(6)
020 0(6)
pcupdate = 20:20, 16 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 19:59, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

Kevin Edward Doyle (born 18 September 1983 in Adamstown, County Wexford, Ireland) is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Reading in the Football League Championship.

Club career

Ireland

Doyle was a talented underage Gaelic Athletic Association player. He started his football career playing for Adamstown and his county, Wexford - playing for future eircom League manager Mick Wallace - before moving to his first professional club St Patrick's Athletic in September 2001. Doyle initially played for the club's under 18 side but within months had made his League of Ireland debut. He then had a successful spell with Cork City which he joined in February 2003. Doyle scored 25 goals for Cork City where he began playing on the right-wing but soon reverted to his natural position of striker. He also scored two goals from six appearances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/archive/2004/0712/Pg035.html#Ar03501:0945ED0C462108366A09768609666B09D68509D66A0A76866A93E76CC4036B77CF6D47E710C5361625E915D53620F5E936B85F3948790535EE08962105366B06168506066A07C68610973B1337551C75F11F160B22266D24C68728573C2AE75618B78F1B67A919F7A41CA7BE1CA7A41CF7BE1CD7A41D67BE41577B41D79541D77B4457954FB84B52486567A3E76A440368D5F26B660C68D6C06B76DA68D7286B774468B7CF6B17E7] [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/archive/2004/0726/Pg031.html#Ar03106:87D4878AB4B886A50087C51D87D50288251C88250088C51D87C8C18978D783E4888754B983F50086651D8535CE87B5EA85468887C6A28EA73E9127578C37678EA7818588C187A8D7] .

Reading's promotion

On 7 June 2005, Doyle signed for Reading on a two year deal from Cork City [cite news | date=2005-06-07 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/4614667.stm | title=Reading complete double Cork deal | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2008-03-28] for €117,000 [cite web | year=2006 | month=October | url=http://thedubliner.typepad.com/the_dubliner_magazine/2007/04/own_goal.html | title=Own Goal - The Slow Death of Irish Soccer | work=The Dubliner | accessdate=2008-03-28] (about £78,000). [cite news | date=2006-08-16 | url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1851437,00.html | title=Bargain buy set to hit the heights | work=The Guardian | accessdate=2008-03-28] Despite having left Cork City, Doyle received a championship medal when they won the eircom League Premier Division in November 2005. Originally, he was signed as a back-up, but an injury to Dave Kitson gave him an opportunity in the first team which he retained thanks to a number of important goals (including one in the very match he replaced Kitson). He became an intrinsic part of Reading's Championship-winning 2005–06 squad, and according to the Actim Index was one of the top players in the Championship [cite news | date=2006-05-04 | url=http://www.pa-sport.com/en/products/actim_championship.html | title=Coca-Cola Championship Top 10 players | publisher=PA Sport | accessdate=2006-05-16] . He was named the official Reading FC player of the season for 2005-06. [cite news | date=2006-05-02 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~823740,00.html | title=Doyle wins player of the season after his superb first campaign for the Royals | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2008-02-02] In April 2006, he was also named as "Championship Fans' Player Of The Year" [cite news | date=2006-04-26 | url=http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=8228&type=1 | title=Rooney's top dog in the Prem - and there are divisional awards for Doyle, Flahavan and Hawley too | publisher=Professional Footballers' Association | accessdate=2006-05-16] and one of the "Championship Team of the Year" [cite news | date=2006-04-23 | url=http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=8213&type=1 | title=The PFA Team of the Year: Coca-Cola Championship | publisher=Professional Footballers' Association | accessdate=2006-05-16] by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).

Reading in the Premiership

Doyle played an important role for Reading in the 2006–07 Premier League season. His first Premiership goal came in the Royals' 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, Doyle heading Reading in to a third minute lead. That goal was also Reading's first ever away Premier League goal. On 16 September 2006, he went one better and scored one of the fastest goals in Premiership history, hitting the net just sixteen seconds into Reading's clash with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, even though it was the home side that kicked-off. [cite news | date=2006-09-16 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/5330044.stm | title=Sheff Utd 1-2 Reading | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2006-09-17] Perhaps the highlight of Doyle's Premiership season came against Manchester United, the side the striker supported as a boy. After Gary Neville handled the ball in the box, Doyle smashed the penalty past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar to put Reading in front, with the Royals going on to draw the game 1-1.

Following a good start to his Premier League career, Doyle was rewarded with a new contract, keeping him at Reading until the summer of 2010, [cite news | date=2007-01-05 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/6235523.stm | title=Hunt & Doyle extend Reading deals | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2008-02-02] and was nominated for the PFA's "Young Player of the Year" award, [cite news | date=2007-04-16 | url=http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=10226&type=1 | title=Who will be following in the footsteps of Gerrard and Rooney this year? | publisher=Professional Footballers' Association | accessdate=2007-04-16] missing out to Cristiano Ronaldo who also took the senior award. [cite news | date=2007-04-22 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6582201.stm | title=Ronaldo secures PFA awards double | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-05-14] In his first season playing in the Premier League, Doyle scored 13 league goals and was Reading's top goalscorer.

Unfortunately, Doyle's second season in the Premier League was less successful, as he scored just six Premiership goals and was unable to prevent Reading from suffering a surprising relegation back to the Championship.

Reading's Return to the Championship

He had been linked with many clubs over the summer of 2008, especially Aston Villa but when the transfer window closed he was still a Reading FC player and no successful bids were placed.

He ended his goal drought on the 30 August 2008, by scoring a hatrick in Reading's 4-2 home win over Crystal Palace. Incredably just two weeks later, he scored a succesive home hatrick during a 6-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday leaving him as the league's top scorer. The good run continued with a brace of goals against Swansea City. In three consecutive home games, he had scored eight goals

International career

Doyle has played for the Republic of Ireland U21 team, making his debut on 2 February 2004 against Portugal. With 11 caps, and scoring five goals, he was also a member of the Irish FIFA World Youth Championship squad in 2003. [cite news | date=2006-04-23 | url=http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/teamsquad/0,3694,WYC-2003-3-IRL-6537,00.html | title=FIFA World Youth Championship 2003 - Ireland Squad | publisher=FIFA | accessdate=2006-05-16]

He was called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad in October 2005, [cite news | date=2005-09-27 | title=Doyle called up to Republic squad | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4287096.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-03-29] making his full international debut against Sweden at Lansdowne Road on 1 March 2006. [cite news | date=2006-03-01 | title=Rep of Ireland 3-0 Sweden | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4764816.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-03-29] His first start in a competitive international was against Germany on 2 September 2006 in a Euro 2008 qualifier. [cite news | date=2006-09-02 | title=Germany 1-0 Republic of Ireland | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/5308528.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-03-29] With this appearance, his family also won a €100 bet at 100/1 they had placed two years earlier on Doyle playing competitively for Ireland. [cite news | date=2006-09-02 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article626027.ece | title=Father to collect on Doyle bet | work=The Times | accessdate=2008-01-08]

Doyle scored his first goal for Ireland against San Marino in November 2006. [cite news | date=2006-11-15 | title=Rep of Ireland 5-0 San Marino | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6147468.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-03-29] He was then named the official Football Association of Ireland "Young Player of 2006" on 4 February 2007, also receiving a nomination for the senior award. [cite news | date=2007-02-05 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~976002,00.html | title=Doyle receives top Irish young player award | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-02-05]

His second goal came in a 1-0 victory over Slovakia at Croke Park in March 2007. [cite news | date=2007-03-28 | title=Republic of Ireland 1-0 Slovakia | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6504763.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-03-29] He also scored against Ecuador on 23 May 2007 securing a valiant 1-1 draw against the South Americans, [cite news | date=2007-05-23 | title=Ecuador 1-1 Ireland | url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=433135&cc=5901 | work=ESPNsoccernet | accessdate=2007-08-27] and he scored his best goal for Ireland, with a long range left foot shot into the top corner to the keeper's right, in a 2-2 draw against Slovakia on 9 September 2007 in the 2008 European Championships qualifying game in Bratislava. [cite news | date=2007-09-08 | title=Slovakia 2-2 Rep of Ireland | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6985512.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-09-09] His fifth international goal and fourth in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign came away to Wales as Ireland drew 2-2. He was also the scorer of Ireland's first goal in a 2-1 win over Georgia, the World Cup 2010 Qualifying opener.

He has been nominated as the Football Association of Ireland "Player of the Year" for 2007,cite news | date=2007-12-20 | url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2738 | title=FAI and eircom announce nominations for eircom International Awards | publisher=Football Association of Ireland | accessdate=2007-12-20] [cite news | date=2007-12-20 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1195721,00.html | title=Duo up for player of the year | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-12-20] as well as for "Goal of the Year" for his goal against Slovakia in September 2007.

Career statistics

Honours

*League of Ireland: 1
** Cork City - 2005

*Football League Championship"': 1
** Reading - 2006

References

External links

* [http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Squad/ProfilesDetail/0,,10306~33468,00.html Kevin Doyle profile] at readingfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|41354|Kevin Doyle
*FIFA player|198665|Kevin Doyle
*Football Association of Ireland profiles:
** [http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=9 U21 Squad]
** [http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&Itemid=9 Senior squad]
*Kevin Doyle Fan Sites / Discussion Threads:
** [http://members.lycos.co.uk/thebackpage/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=1721 Kevin Doyle] at The Back Page (current)
** [http://www.fmforums.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=66453 Kevin Doyle] at FMForums (archived)
* [http://www.playerhistory.com/Default.aspx?page=player_details&playerID=70004 Kevin Doyle profile] at playerhistory.com
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMJpf_Eax84 Kevin Doyle on Football Focus] - YouTube

Persondata
NAME=Doyle, Kevin Edward
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=18 September 1983
PLACE OF BIRTH=Adamstown, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=