Colin Doyle

Return to second choice

Following the loan signing of Joe Hart from Manchester City for the 2009–10 Premier League season, Doyle remained third choice, behind Hart and Taylor, a position he retained after Hart's replacement by England international Ben Foster and Taylor's signing of a contract extension before the 2010–11 season.

On 29 July 2010, Doyle had a trial with Plymouth Argyle, playing 45 minutes of a friendly against Hereford United, but no deal materialised, and on 10 August 2010, Doyle signed on loan for Coventry City. In January 2011, Doyle played his first match for Birmingham for nearly two years in a 3–2 defeat of Coventry in the FA Cup fourth round, and kept his place for the fifth-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday, keeping a clean sheet as the home team won 3–0. After his appearance for Coventry versus Morecambe earlier in the season Doyle was cup-tied for Birmingham's victorious run in the 2010–11 Football League Cup; for the final Foster started and Taylor was on the bench. He made his first Premier League appearance since August 2007, as a first-half substitute for the injured Foster, in a 5–0 defeat at Liverpool in April in which he conceded three goals.

After Birmingham were relegated at the end of the season, the club took up their option of an extra year on Doyle's contract, despite accusations of inappropriate late-night drinking after the club's end-of-season dinner. He made 16 appearances in the 2011–12 season, including three matches in Birmingham's UEFA Europa League campaign, and both legs of the Championship play-off semi-final. In the FA Cup, Doyle saved two penalties from Juan Mata in the FA Cup; one in the initial fifth-round match, which finished 1–1, and one in the replay, which ended in a 2–0 defeat. His performance in the initial match against Chelsea resulted in him being named as the man of the match. At the end of the season, he received a special award for completing ten senior seasons with the club, extended to an eleventh when he signed a one-year contract, despite expectations that youngster Jack Butland might be first choice goalkeeper.

Doyle made his first appearance of the 2012–13 season in a 3–2 League Cup defeat at Coventry City.

In July 2013, Doyle was brought on as a centre forward for the last six minutes of a pre-season match against Shamrock Rovers because of an injury to striker Matt Green after all the outfield substitutes had been used. Again, he made his first competitive appearance of the season in the League Cup. He was released when his contract expired at the end of his twelfth season as a professional with Birmingham City. The Birmingham Mail dubbed his departure the "end of an era".

Blackpool In June 2015, Doyle signed a two-year contract with Blackpool, newly relegated to League One. He was named club captain, and selected as starting goalkeeper, ahead of Kyle Letheren, for the opening match of the season, away to Colchester United. He made several saves to keep his team in the match, but damaged a shoulder in thwarting Colchester's Gavin Massey and had to leave the field. After an initial prognosis of three months out, a scan suggested he could return to action within a month. He was back in the team for the visit to Scunthorpe United on 5 September, and produced a man-of-the-match performance that earned him a place in the Football League's Team of the Week as Blackpool won their first match of the season. Ankle ligament damage suffered in early November kept him out until the new year.

Bradford City Following Blackpool's relegation, Doyle joined League One club Bradford City for a fee of £1 after Bradford triggered a release clause in Doyle's contract. He played regularly, making 50 appearances in all competitions, as Bradford reached the play-off final, in which they lost to Millwall.

In March 2018 he played two matches in 24 hoursone for Ireland, one for Bradford City. He was offered a new contract at the end of the 2017–18 season, but did not take it up.

Heart of Midlothian Doyle signed a two-year contract with Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian on 19 July 2018.

In May 2019 he was linked with a transfer back to former club Bradford City.

Kilmarnock On 11 August 2020, Doyle signed for another Scottish Premiership club, Kilmarnock, on loan until January. The loan was extended until the end of the season, and he took his total of games played to 18 in all competitions, which included both legs of the play-off by which Kilmarnock were relegated to the Scottish Championship.

Return to Bradford City In June 2022 he returned to Bradford City as a player-coach. His first-team duties were initially confined to coaching and the substitutes' benchhe was an unused substitute in every one of Bradford City's League Two fixtures in both of his first two seasons but in the 2023–24 season he kept goal in EFL Trophy matches, in which Bradford City reached and lost 1–0 to Wycombe Wanderers in the semi-final. At the end of the 2024–25 season, Bradford City entered into discussions with him regarding a new contract. Doyle retired from playing in July 2025, remaining with the club as a goalkeeping coach.

International career In August 2006, Doyle played for the Republic of Ireland under-21s away against Greece and kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory. He went on to make three further appearances for the U21 team. He made his first appearance for the senior national team, starting in a 1–1 friendly draw with Ecuador, on 23 May 2007. The match was at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Following this match, he made an appearance for the Republic of Ireland B squad, playing 81 minutes of a match against Scotland B on 20 November 2007.

In November 2016, regular football for Bradford Citychasing promotion from League Oneand an impressive performance when watched by Ireland's goalkeeping coach, Jim McDonagh, led to Doyle's recall to the international squad for the first time in seven years. He was an unused substitute for the World Cup qualifier away to Austria; his former Birmingham teammate Darren Randolph kept a clean sheet as Ireland won 1–0. On 23 March 2018, he made his first senior appearance for Ireland in almost 11 years, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 defeat to Turkey.

Personal life Doyle and his wife Becky have three children.

Career statistics Club

International