A retrospective of Colin Doyle’s Birmingham City tenure.

The Corkonian joined the Blues academy in 2003 and played a significant role in the first team for ten years until departing for Blackpool in 2015. He then spent four years north of the border playing for Bradford City, Hearts, and Kilmarnock. Since 2022, Doyle has been Bradford’s player-coach.

He will now stay on as the Bantams’ coach. Colin Doyle is the perfect backup custodian for many Blues fans, especially those between the ages of 20 and 30. Both during the club’s more stormy periods and its most prosperous years in recent (ish) history, he was Mr. Reliable. Every time he was asked to be an understudy, he performed admirably. Luckily, he didn’t once complain about his playing time.

Let’s examine a few of Colin Doyle’s most noteworthy incidents.

That performance by the Wolves

Let’s start with Doyle’s most famous performance, which is also among the greatest solo performances by any Blues musician in recent history.

It is 2007. The Blues know that a victory will put Steve Bruce’s squad ahead with two games left when they go to Molineux to play a playoff-chasing Wolves outfit. Every Derby day is huge. This one has enormous stakes. In the second part of the season, Colin Doyle has solidified his position as the starting custodian.

The reason becomes evident. Despite the fact that neither team has scored as of halftime, Wolves are obviously ahead. Doyle is forced into a clean double save after blocking a bullet header from point blank range.

After a few minutes, Wolves attacker Jay Bothroyd easily gets past the Blues’ defense and finds himself in a tight angle one-on-one.

But Doyle is invincible. The Blues are still in the game, even though it might end up being 3-0. The Irishman’s long ball forward reaches Nicklas Bendtner, who then passes to Andy Cole, proving that Doyle’s valiant efforts were not in vain.

The Blues lead 1-0 after it is poked past the goalie. After that, the action picks in speed, and Doyle is ultimately defeated to tie the score at one. Bendtner almost equalizes Wolves’ 2-1 advantage at 2-2. Then, after avoiding an offside trap, Cameron Jerome outpaces the entire backline and slots home a goal that is characteristic of his style.

Stoppage time is added to the remaining two minutes. If Birmingham City weren’t winning, the game would most likely be won.

It should go wrong at least once more. When Jody Craddock and Bruno N’Gotty collide during a Wolves set-piece, the latter uses the moment to strike the deck. There is a penalty.

The Blues might not return to the Premier League if this occurs. How this may impact Birmingham City’s current history is hard to predict. Let’s not bother, then.

Doyle dives low to his right and makes a penalty save to cap off his MOTD performance. The Blues automatically get promoted after winning the game. What a performance by Colin Doyle, and what a moment.