(Part 1) 1964/65-1966/67
The son of a Stockport policeman, Reddish-born Mike Doyle was one of
many homegrown players who reached their full potential following the
arrival of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison in the summer of 1965. Having
signed originally as an apprentice in May 1962, the former Stockport Boy
played primarily at centre-forward although when the need arose he was
more than capable of turning out at full-back. When summonsed to Cardiff
for his first team debut in March 1965 as a last minute replacement for
the injured Alan Oakes, he was asked to play at wing-half, a position
Mercer and Allison soon realised suited Doyle's tough tackling and
distribution skills best.
He played six League games in his debut season
of 1964/65, with a further 19 the following campaign. At the end of
that 1965/66 season Doyle had more than proved himself in the senior
side and had collected the first of his six winners' medals whilst at
Maine Road. His first senior goal (out of a career total of 41) came in a
4-2 win against Wolves at Molineux in August 1965, the first month of
what would eventually become a Second Division Championship season. His
total of eight in all competitions that term proved to be the most
prolific of his 14 year stay at Maine Road. As the Blues tried to
establish themselves in the top flight, Doyle found himself battling for
the number four jersey firstly with Glyn Pardoe and later with Stan
Horne.
After a brief flirtation once again at centre-forward, he was
eventually given the number four shirt for the 3-0 home win against
Fulham in April 1967. For the next ten years he would average 48 games
per season, a remarkable figure when considering his combative style of
play and one almost incomprehensible to modern day players. (Ian Penney -
author The Legends of Manchester City)
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(Part 2) 1967/68-1970/71.
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By the end of the 1967/68 season Mike Doyle had collected a First
Division Championship medal to go alongside his Second Division one won
two seasons earlier, City finishing two points clear of their rivals
from Old Trafford. By that time he had played nearly a hundred times in
the Blues' first team and his importance to the side was equal to the
more illustrious players of the era. Once again Doyle was to prove a
remarkable model of consistency as City embarked on the 1968/69 season,
their first ever in European football. His total of 40 appearances in
all competitions (a figure matched only by Neil Young) was rewarded with
another medal, this time an FA Cup winners' one after Young's goal
against Leicester at Wembley proved decisive.
By now Manchester City
were one of the top sides in the country and had learnt valuable lessons
from their earlier encounters with Fenerbahce as they once again looked
to Europe in the 1969/70 campaign, this time in the Cup Winners' Cup.
Doyle's equalising goal in the semi-final against FC Schalke 04 opened
the floodgates as the Blues stormed through 5-1 and would later lift the
cup against Gornik in Vienna. Unfortunately Doyle dislocated a knee in
the final but had more than played his part in a superb run, a run that
was matched only by that of the League Cup in the same season.
On a
terrible Wembley pitch, City's opponents West Bromwich Albion had taken
an early lead through Jeff Astle only for Mike to yet again prove he
hadn't forgotten his early striking prowess when he drove home the
equaliser. Glyn Pardoe's extra time goal secured a 2-1 victory for City.
Injuries to many key players meant the 1970/71 season was ultimately a
disappointing one and was the first in three campaigns that City had
failed to win a trophy. Even Doyle himself (with another knee injury)
missed the last month although by that time he had taken part in exactly
50 games, a figure beaten only by Francis Lee. (Ian Penney - author The
Legends of Manchester City)
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(Part 3) 1971/72-1973/74
Mike Doyle shook off his troublesome knee injury and took his place in the opening line-up for the start of the 1971/72
season, a 1-0 defeat at Leeds United. As if to confirm Mike's physical attributes, it would not be until April 8th the
following year (the 38th League game of that same campaign) that he would be absent again from Joe Mercer's senior
side. On the goalscoring front, 1971/72 proved his leanest for five seasons, his solitary strike (in a combined total of
45 League and Cup games) coming against the Division's early pacesetters Sheffield United in a hard-fought game in
October. The end of the 1971/72 season had seen various 'behind the scenes' troubles at Maine Road, which eventually
led to Joe Mercer leaving for Coventry City and Malcolm Allison being given total responsibility for all footballing matters.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the 1972/73 season proved to be a disappointing one, especially when taken into context against
all that had gone before it, particularly in the last few years. Despite a comparatively lowly final position of 11th, the Blues
progressed to the 5th Round of the FA Cup, going out to eventual winners Sunderland in a replay. Doyle's personal
contribution was another 47/2 appearances, a figure beaten only by Colin Bell and Willie Donachie and equalled by
Rodney Marsh. Once again he could only find the net once, his goal at West Ham in March failing to have any effect
on two from the home side. The following season saw more managerial changes as Malcolm Allison's replacement
Johnny Hart had now been replaced in turn by Ron Saunders. It also saw City's hitherto powerful line-ups now without
such famous names as Joe Corrigan, Tony Book and Neil Young. The Blues managed to overcome these obvious problems
by making their way to the League Cup Final only to lose 2-1 at the hands of Wolves. It took the Blues eleven games to
reach the Final with Doyle playing in every one; his final total was an amazing 53 games in all competitions. For the third
consecutive year he was to score a single goal, this time the first in a 2-0 win against Burnley. (Ian Penney - author of
The Legends of Manchester City)
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(Part 4) 1974/75-1975/76
Mike Doyle's reward for consistently turning in performances of the
highest calibre and commitment was the Player of the Year Award for
1973/74. His response to receiving this award was quite simple; he just
carried on the following season in exactly the same vein. City's
improvement in League standing from 14th to 8th was due in no small part
to this wonderfully loyal servant who played in every one of City's 45
League and Cup games that season. With a goal against West Ham on the
opening day, and a second against Scunthorpe in the League Cup, he also
doubled his goalscoring tally of the last three years as well! When
captain Rodney Marsh moved to Tampa during the 1975/76 season, their
seemed only one logical replacement at Maine Road. Mike Doyle and the
captaincy of Manchester City proved the perfect match.
At the end of
that campaign, City were once again competing for the League Cup at
Wembley. This time proved more successful as the Blues' triumphed 2-1
thanks to Peter Barnes' and Dennis Tueart's goals against Newcastle
United. It was City's first piece of silverware since the European Cup
Winners' triumph six years earlier and marked the beginning of Tony
Book's time as a very astute and successful manager. Doyle himself had
now exchanged his midfield duties and was playing alongside Dave Watson
at the heart of the Blues' defence, undoubtedly a most feared
partnership amongst opposition strikers. 1975/76 was also another
remarkable season of appearances for City's new captain, of the 53
League and Cup games played, Doyle missed just one, a 2-1 League
disappointment at Newcastle.
Mike's overall abilities, experience and
consistency had by now brought him to the attention of the England
manager Don Revie, and, on March 24th 1976, he was one of eight 'new
boys' who took to the pitch for the game against Wales at Wrexham. It
was the first of five full caps he'd win in the eleven England games
played between March 1976 and February 1977 and included two games
(against Brazil and Italy) played in the United States to mark that
country's bi-centennial celebrations. (Ian Penney - author of The
Legends of Manchester City). |
(Part 5) 1976/77-1977/78
Back at Maine Road in readiness for the 1976/77 campaign, Mike Doyle
prepared his troops against the might of Liverpool and would miss out on
the Championship to the all-conquering Merseysiders by the smallest of
margins - a solitary point. Niggling injuries in the second half of the
season restricted his total appearances to 40, still an extremely high
figure today, but it was Doyle's least number of appearances for ten
seasons. Mike scored just the one goal that season when netting in the
5-0 thrashing of Leicester City at Maine Road on January 22nd, Brian
Kidd scoring the other 4 goals. Doyle also played in both legs of City's
UEFA Cup tie against Italian giants Juventus but their was
disappointment for the Blues as they went out 2-1 on aggregate, despite
winning the first leg 1-0 at Maine Road.
He was to experience more
injuries shortly after the commencement of the 1977/78 season, one that
was to prove his last at Maine Road. With Dave Watson now taking over
the captain's responsibilities and Tommy Booth reverting to his earlier
position of centre-half, Doyle found it increasingly difficult to force
his way back into the side and would eventually move to Stoke City in
June 1978 for £50,000. His last season with the Blues saw Mike make 13
league starts, plus 1 as sub, with his final appearance in City colours
coming in a 3-1 defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion on 15th April
1978.
After four years in the Potteries he signed for Bolton before
finishing his career at Rochdale in 1984, by which time he was in his
38th year. Mike's career took in fourteen seasons, six winners' medals
and 565/7 appearances (40 goals) for Manchester City. Only Alan Oakes
and Bert Trautmann have bettered those appearance figures in City's
colours. Figures though, can only give a brief indication of the
devotion Mike Doyle gave to his beloved Manchester City. (Ian Penney -
author of The Legends of Manchester City)
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Mike Doyle pictured on 11th. September 1976. Photo George Herringshaw. ©