Johnny Doyle

For other people of the same name, see John Doyle (disambiguation).

Johnny Doyle

Personal information
Full name	John Doyle
Date of birth	(1951-05-11)11 May 1951
Place of birth	Uddingston, Scotland
Date of death
Place of death	Kilmarnock, Scotland
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
	Viewpark
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1970–1976	Ayr United	155	(24)
1976–1981	Celtic	118	(14)
International career
1973-1974	Scotland u23	3	(0)
1975	Scotland	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Johnny Doyle (11 May 1951 – 19 October 1981) was a Scottish footballer who played as a winger. Born in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, Doyle started his senior career with Ayr United, whom he joined from juvenile side Viewpark in 1970.

He made his first (and only) appearance for the Scottish national team in December 1975 in a 1–1 draw with Romania. Four months later, Doyle was transferred to Celtic for a fee of £90,000. He won two league titles and one Scottish Cup during his time with the Glasgow club.

During a match with Ayr United in 1977, Doyle was famously sent off after a cross he attempted accidentally struck the referee in the face, knocking him over and leaving him in need of treatment. When the whistler recovered he issued a red card to Doyle, who reacted furiously, storming off the park and down the tunnel. The red card was rescinded following a review by the SFA.

Doyle died in 1981, at the age of 30, when he was electrocuted while working on his new Kilmarnock home. He was commemorated in song by Irish/Celtic band Charlie and the Bhoys.

External links

• Johnny Doyle at scottishfa.co.uk
• Johnny Doyle career at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database

• Match Details, Scottish Football Association.
• The Glasgow Herald 16 March 1976, page 26, Celtic buy Doyle before the freeze
• The Glasgow Herald 22 August 1978, page 18, Sore and red faces at Ayr
• Blinded by tears and the shock of departure, The Scotsman, 17 May 2008.
• http://www.charlieandthebhoys.co.uk/johnnydoyle.htm