Mike Doyle (footballer)

Michael Doyle

Personal information
Full name	Michael Doyle
Date of birth	25 November 1946(1946-11-25)
Place of birth	Ashton-under-Lyne, England
Date of death	27 June 2011(2011-06-27) (aged 64)
Place of death	Ashton-under-Lyne, England
Playing position	Centre half, Midfield
Youth career
1962–1964	Manchester City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1965–1978	Manchester City	448	(32)
1978–1981	Stoke City	115	(5)
1981–1983	Bolton Wanderers	40	(2)
1983–1984	Rochdale	24	(1)
Total		627	(40)
National team
	England u-23	8	(0)
1976–1977	England	5	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Michael "Mike" Doyle (25 November 1946 – 27 June 2011) was an English footballer, who spent the majority of his career with Manchester City and also played for Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and Rochdale.

Career

Ashton-born Doyle played for Stockport Boys as a junior, joining Manchester City in May 1962. At youth level Doyle played, at right back, but after breaking into the first team he was used in a number of roles. He made his senior debut against Cardiff City in March 1965, playing wing-half, which was followed by a number of appearances as a forward. However, most of his appearances later in his career were in central defence.

Doyle won 5 caps for the England national football team and 8 England under 23 caps. At club level he played 448 league games for Manchester City, scoring 32 goals and was voted as the club's hardest player in the club's official magazine. He scored for City in the 1970 League Cup Final win over West Bromwich Albion, and captained the side in the 1976 League Cup Final. He joined Stoke City in 1978 for £50,000, and Bolton Wanderers just over three years later. He finished his career at Rochdale in the 1983–84 season.

After football

Mike continued to attend Manchester City games regularly after his retirement as a player, but also became a heavy drinker after his playing days were over. In 2007, he attended the Sporting Chance Clinic which helped him give up alcohol for a short time. He died on 27 June 2011 of liver failure after several weeks of treatment in Tameside General Hospital.

Tributes to Doyle were made by his former clubs Manchester City, Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers.

Honours

Club

Manchester City F.C.

• Division 2 winner 1966
• Division 1 winner 1968
• FA Cup winner 1969
• European Cup Winners' Cup 1970
• League Cup 1970 & 1976
• FA Charity Shield 1968 & 1972

Individual

• Stoke City Player of the Season: 1979

External links

• Obituary in The Guardian
• Obituary in The Independent