Coventry Match Zone

End Of An Era As Doyle Departs

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Coventry City may have ended a run of defeats with Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Gillingham, watched by over 26,000 on Community Day at the Ricoh Arena, but the Sky Blues were left to rue the concession of a stoppage time penalty which saw the visitors draw level.

At Meadow Lane, meanwhile, Michael Doyle was lining up in the black and white stripes of Notts County,  the midfielder having left Coventry on transfer deadline day following 330 league appearances in two spells with the club.

What set Doyle apart from most players was the sheer number of matches that he played (319 of those 330 games were starts), not just for City but for his other clubs as well.

In a season on loan at Leeds, then with Sheffield United and Portsmouth, whoever the manager was it made no odds as Doyle played week in, week out.

Even last season, at the age of 36 when the campaign started Doyle started 44 of City’s 46 League Two matches.

That proud run had finally started to taper off in recent weeks with the Irishman not appearing since the 2-1 defeat at Scunthorpe and Mark Robins admitted that Doyle’s frustration at not being out on the pitch had swayed a difficult decision to let him leave.

The City boss has said that there could be a coaching position back at the club when the time comes for Doyle to hang up his boots but for now it is the seemingly impossible task of preserving Notts proud Football League history that will occupy his mind.

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