Kevin Doyle

Kevin Edward Doyle (born 18 September 1983 in Adamstown, Wexford, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish people association footballer who plays as a Forward (association football) for Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C..

Club career

Early career

Doyle started Kevin Doyle football career playing for Adamstown and Kevin Doyle county, Wexford - playing for future eircom League manager Mick Wallace - before moving to Kevin Doyle first professional club St Patrick's Athletic F.C. in September 2001. Doyle initially played for the club's under 18 side but within months had made Kevin Doyle Football League of Ireland debut. Kevin Doyle then had a successful spell with Cork City F.C. which Kevin Doyle joined in February 2003. Doyle scored 25 goals for Cork City where Kevin Doyle began playing on the right-wing but soon reverted to Kevin Doyle natural position of striker. Kevin Doyle also scored two goals from six appearances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Reading

On 7 June 2005, Doyle signed for Reading F.C. on a two year deal from Cork City for €117,000 (about £78,000). Despite having left Cork City, Doyle received a championship medal when they won the Football League of Ireland Premier Division in November 2005. Originally, Kevin Doyle was signed as a back-up, but an injury to Dave Kitson gave Kevin Doyle an opportunity in the first team which Kevin Doyle retained thanks to a number of important goals (including one in the very match Kevin Doyle replaced Kitson). Kevin Doyle became an intrinsic part of Reading's Football League Championship-winning 2005-06 in English football squad, and according to the Actim Index was one of the top players in the Championship. Kevin Doyle was named the official Reading FC player of the season for 2005-06. In April 2006, Kevin Doyle was also named as Championship Fans' Player Of The Year and one of the Championship Team of the Year by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).

Life in the Premier League and beyond

Doyle played an important role for Reading in the FA Premier League 2006-07 Premier League season. Kevin Doyle first Premiership goal came in the Royals' 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa F.C., Doyle heading Reading in to a third minute lead. Doyle began to show a great threat in the air, during the year 2007 Kevin Doyle scored the most headers than any other player in England's leagues. Reading were relegated in the 2007-08 season however they managed to hold onto many of their top players (including Doyle).

Doyle remained at Reading to try and help them bounce back to the top flight in the 2008-09 season. The club failed to achieve this after finishing 4th and losing in the play-offs to .

Kevin Doyle joined newly-promoted Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. for an undisclosed fee, reported to be a club record £6.5 million, in a four-year deal on 30 June 2009. On 21 July, Kevin Doyle underwent an operation to remove a hernia which would keep Kevin Doyle out for 2 weeks.

International career

Doyle has played for the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, making Kevin Doyle debut on 2 February 2004 against Portugal national football team. With 11 cap (sport)s, and scoring five goals, Kevin Doyle was also a member of the Irish FIFA World Youth Championship squad in 2003.

Kevin Doyle was called up to the senior Republic of Ireland national football team squad in October 2005, making Kevin Doyle full international debut against Sweden national football team at Lansdowne Road on 1 March 2006. Kevin Doyle first start in a competitive international was against Germany on 2 September 2006 in a 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifier. With this appearance, Kevin Doyle family also won a €100 bet at 100/1 they had placed two years earlier on Doyle playing competitively for Ireland.

Doyle scored Kevin Doyle first goal for Ireland against San Marino national football team in November 2006. Kevin Doyle 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.

Kevin Doyle second goal came in a 1-0 victory over Slovakia at Croke Park in March 2007. Kevin Doyle also scored against Ecuador national football team on 23 May 2007 securing a valiant 1-1 draw against the South Americans, and Kevin Doyle scored Kevin Doyle 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 national football team on 9 September 2007 in the UEFA Euro 2008s UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying game in Bratislava. Kevin Doyle fifth international goal and fourth in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign came away to Wales National Football Team as Ireland drew 2-2. Kevin Doyle was also the scorer of Ireland's first goal in a 2-1 win over Georgia national football team, the World Cup 2010 opener.

Kevin Doyle has been nominated as the Football Association of Ireland Player of the Year for 2007, as well as for Goal of the Year for Kevin Doyle goal against Slovakia in September 2007.