Ronnie Coyle

Ronnie Coyle (4 August 1964 – 12 April 2011)[2] was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a defender.

Ronnie Coyle
Personal information
Full name Ronald Paul Coyle[1]
Date of birth (1964-08-04)4 August 1964
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death 12 April 2011(2011-04-12) (aged 46)
Place of death Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1987 Celtic 2 (0)
1986 → Clyde (loan) 8 (0)
1987 Middlesbrough 3 (0)
1987–1988 Rochdale 24 (1)
1988–1996 Raith Rovers 253 (9)
1996–1997 Ayr United 34 (0)
1997–1998 Albion Rovers 12 (0)
1998–1999 East Fife 26 (0)
1999 Queen's Park 0 (0)
Total 362 (10)
National team
1980 Scotland schoolboys[2]
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Coyle was born in Glasgow and educated at St. Gerard's Secondary School.[2] Coyle played for Celtic Boys Club and the Scotland Under-15 schoolboy honours team, alongside, among others, Paul McStay, John Robertson and Ally Dick, which defeated England 5–4 in 1980.[2]

Career

Coyle began his professional career as a youngster with Celtic.[2] After just two appearances and a loan period with Clyde, Coyle had a brief spell with Middlesbrough before moving to Rochdale.[2]

After a year with Rochdale, Coyle moved to Kirkcaldy club Raith Rovers in 1988.[2] In his eight years with Rovers, Coyle won two First Division titles and a League Cup, also playing in Raith's only season in Europe. After helping Rovers secure a mid-table finish in the Premier Division, Coyle moved on to Ayr United, where he spent a season before similar spells with Albion Rovers and East Fife. Coyle finished his career with Queen's Park.

Coyle – who moved out of football and worked in sales and marketing back in his native Glasgow – was part of a number of former Raith players who lent his weight to the 'Reclaim the Rovers' campaign, taking part in a fundraising walk in the summer of 2005.[3]

In April 2009 Coyle was diagnosed with a form of leukaemia for which he was admitted to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. On 27 March 2011 Raith Rovers hosted a benefit match for him involving their 1994 Coca-Cola Cup winning team and the Celtic runners-up team with Celtic coming out on top 4–2 on penalties after a 3–3 draw.[4] Coyle died just weeks later on 12 April 2011 from the disease he had battled.[5] He was survived by his wife Joan and their three children, Kevin, Briony and Georgia.

Honours
Raith Rovers
1992–93, 1994–95
1994–95
Ayr United
1996–97

References
  1. "Ronnie Coyle". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  2. "Ronnie Coyle". The Herald. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  3. "Let's get the ball rolling". Fifeonlinetoday.co.uk. 30 June 2005.
  4. "Fans & Friends Honour Ronnie Coyle". Raith Rovers FC. 28 March 2011.
  5. "Ronnie Coyle". Raith Rovers FC. 13 April 2011.
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