Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "barnsley"
A £135,000 Capture
Robert (Bobby) Doyle 1953-2019
Bobby Doyle was born in Dumbarton on 27 December 1953 and, as an experienced midfield player, he had already played 278 League games prior to his signing for Blackpool in July 1979 from Peterborough United for a fee of £135,000 (Peterborough sources mentioned £110,000 and other sources mention £100,000, which was the original fee, but the £135,000 was said to include 'other incidental expenses').
He had begun his career as a junior at Barnsley where he signed as a professional in December 1972. He went on to play 148 League games, make one substitute appearance and score 16 goals for the club. He was transferred to Peterborough United for a fee of £20,000 in July 1976 and he played 130 League games and scored 10 goals for the Posh before his move to Blackpool. Ironically, it was reported that had the Blackpool directors been a little more forthcoming, Doyle could have been signed for £55,000 less during the previous season.
He made his first appearance for Blackpool in the Anglo-Scottish Cup against Blackburn Rovers on 1 August 1979. The game was drawn 2-2 and one report stated, he 'looked well worth his record £135,000 price tag in an impressive debut' and 'Had the control of the front men been better to bring Doyle and Co into the forays on goal Blackpool would have won.' In addition, 'in the first 20 minutes the middle three of Doyle, Bobby Kerr and Brian Smith found an exciting blend which they recovered in the last 15 as Blackpool foraged for the winner'. Overall he and two other new signings, Tom McAlister and Brian Smith, 'looked bright prospects, with Bobby Doyle in particular impressing'.
He played in the 3-1 Anglo-Scottish Cup defeat by Preston North End on 4 August 1979 when 'Doyle and Kerr occasionally managed to set things up but were hampered by lack of passion and control all around them'. And then, his 'defensive work was first-class' as Blackpool defeated Burnley 3-2, also in the Anglo-Scottish Cup on 7 August 1979.
The glowing reports of him continued for when Blackpool defeated Rochdale 1-0 in the first round of the League Cup on 14 August 1979 they were 'spurred on almost entirely by the hard-working and immaculate Bobby Doyle' and his 'all-round contribution and McAlister’s saves on a treacherous night were the outstanding features of a stuttering Blackpool display'.
He made his League debut for the Seasiders against Gillingham on 18 August 1979 when Blackpool won 2-1 when, with the game poised at 0-0, his 'skills were not enough to break the deadlock' but overall he had 'a great match'. Later that month it was noted, 'Brian Smith’s ability to put himself in the thick of the action is necessary to take physical pressure off Bobby Doyle and allow him to exert his obviously superior class.'
Appearing for the first time against his former club Peterborough United on 29 August, he 'came close to breaking the deadlock when he took a return pass and hammered a fierce low drive inches wide after 75 minutes'. The first leg League Cup second round tie was drawn 0-0.
By 8 September 1979 he was reportedly 'feeling at home' and was enjoying his time at Blackpool. He was living at Tom White’s Boston Hotel prior to him and his wife purchasing a home at Hambleton and he commented, 'I think I’ve settled in well. The team performances have been a bit up and down but I have no regrets about coming to the club and I am really enjoying my football.'
After a 3-1 defeat by Sheffield United on 18 September 1979 the comment of many Sheffield fans was 'If Alex Sabella is worth £650,000, what is Bobby Doyle worth?' The reason for the question was reported thus, 'The Blackpool midfielder had the brooding Argentinean in his pocket for much of the game, only losing out under enormous pressure in the second half.' Overall the comment was 'Lapses of concentration in defence are something for the individuals to put right, but in terms of a team performance, backed by outstanding displays by Kellow, Doyle and Malone, Blackpool have nothing to be ashamed off. This sort of effort will carry the day nine times out of 10.'
He scored his first goal for Blackpool as they fought back from three goals down to lose 3-2 to Sheffield United in a top of the table clash on 3 October 1979. The goal came just before half-time when 'Smith and Weston worked the ball sweetly across the middle and Doyle thundered in a low 20-yarder'.The following week he missed what was only his fifth game in two-and-a-half years when he was missing through injury against Bury on 10 October 1979 and after the 2-1defeat manager Stan Ternent said, 'We missed Stan [McEwan] and Bobby Doyle a lot.'
His first season at Blackpool saw him play 36 League games, plus two substitute appearances, scoring two goals, two FA Cup games, four League Cup games and three Anglo-Scottish Cup ties in the 1979/80 season.
After Blackpool had gone a goal down to Fulham after just two minutes on 6 September 1980 he 'played an important role in the first half in turning the game Blackpool’s way' as the Seasiders went on to win 2-1. But after a 3-0 defeat by Brentford on 20 September 1980 he was knocking on the manager’s door as there were rumours that he was on the transfer list. However, manager Alan Ball said the report was 'a complete fabrication' and that Doyle was very much part of his future plans. However, he was to play only three more League games for the club.
He was brought back into the side for three games in November 1980 when all three results were recorded, a 2-0 victory over Oxford United, a 4-0 defeat by Rotherham United and, what turned out to be his final game for the club, a 1-1 draw with Swindon Town. He played 11 League games, one FA Cup game, four League cup games and five Anglo-Scottish Cup games in the 1980/81 season. And his short-term Blackpool career saw him make 68 appearances, in which he scored two goals, in all competitions.
He was transferred to Portsmouth for a fee of £90,000 [Portsmouth report £75,000] in December 1980 and he immediately 'gave the squad a solid look'. He went on to play 188 games and score 18 goals for Portsmouth where he won a Division Three championship medal in the 1982/83 season.
Portsmouth transferred him to Hull City for a fee of £30,000 in August 1985 and he gave 'the Tigers midfield the creativity that it had previously lacked'. He went on to play 43 League games, scoring two goals, three FA Cup games, three League Cup games and four other games for Hull City.
A broken leg and ankle, suffered in a heavy tackle by Dave Cussack, during a 1987/88 pre-season friendly game against Doncaster Rovers sadly ended his League career.
He died on 26 February 2019 and everyone's thoughts are with Bobby's family and friends at this sad time.
Bobby Doyle was born in Dumbarton on 27 December 1953 and, as an experienced midfield player, he had already played 278 League games prior to his signing for Blackpool in July 1979 from Peterborough United for a fee of £135,000 (Peterborough sources mentioned £110,000 and other sources mention £100,000, which was the original fee, but the £135,000 was said to include 'other incidental expenses').
He had begun his career as a junior at Barnsley where he signed as a professional in December 1972. He went on to play 148 League games, make one substitute appearance and score 16 goals for the club. He was transferred to Peterborough United for a fee of £20,000 in July 1976 and he played 130 League games and scored 10 goals for the Posh before his move to Blackpool. Ironically, it was reported that had the Blackpool directors been a little more forthcoming, Doyle could have been signed for £55,000 less during the previous season.
He made his first appearance for Blackpool in the Anglo-Scottish Cup against Blackburn Rovers on 1 August 1979. The game was drawn 2-2 and one report stated, he 'looked well worth his record £135,000 price tag in an impressive debut' and 'Had the control of the front men been better to bring Doyle and Co into the forays on goal Blackpool would have won.' In addition, 'in the first 20 minutes the middle three of Doyle, Bobby Kerr and Brian Smith found an exciting blend which they recovered in the last 15 as Blackpool foraged for the winner'. Overall he and two other new signings, Tom McAlister and Brian Smith, 'looked bright prospects, with Bobby Doyle in particular impressing'.
He played in the 3-1 Anglo-Scottish Cup defeat by Preston North End on 4 August 1979 when 'Doyle and Kerr occasionally managed to set things up but were hampered by lack of passion and control all around them'. And then, his 'defensive work was first-class' as Blackpool defeated Burnley 3-2, also in the Anglo-Scottish Cup on 7 August 1979.
The glowing reports of him continued for when Blackpool defeated Rochdale 1-0 in the first round of the League Cup on 14 August 1979 they were 'spurred on almost entirely by the hard-working and immaculate Bobby Doyle' and his 'all-round contribution and McAlister’s saves on a treacherous night were the outstanding features of a stuttering Blackpool display'.
He made his League debut for the Seasiders against Gillingham on 18 August 1979 when Blackpool won 2-1 when, with the game poised at 0-0, his 'skills were not enough to break the deadlock' but overall he had 'a great match'. Later that month it was noted, 'Brian Smith’s ability to put himself in the thick of the action is necessary to take physical pressure off Bobby Doyle and allow him to exert his obviously superior class.'
Appearing for the first time against his former club Peterborough United on 29 August, he 'came close to breaking the deadlock when he took a return pass and hammered a fierce low drive inches wide after 75 minutes'. The first leg League Cup second round tie was drawn 0-0.
By 8 September 1979 he was reportedly 'feeling at home' and was enjoying his time at Blackpool. He was living at Tom White’s Boston Hotel prior to him and his wife purchasing a home at Hambleton and he commented, 'I think I’ve settled in well. The team performances have been a bit up and down but I have no regrets about coming to the club and I am really enjoying my football.'
After a 3-1 defeat by Sheffield United on 18 September 1979 the comment of many Sheffield fans was 'If Alex Sabella is worth £650,000, what is Bobby Doyle worth?' The reason for the question was reported thus, 'The Blackpool midfielder had the brooding Argentinean in his pocket for much of the game, only losing out under enormous pressure in the second half.' Overall the comment was 'Lapses of concentration in defence are something for the individuals to put right, but in terms of a team performance, backed by outstanding displays by Kellow, Doyle and Malone, Blackpool have nothing to be ashamed off. This sort of effort will carry the day nine times out of 10.'
He scored his first goal for Blackpool as they fought back from three goals down to lose 3-2 to Sheffield United in a top of the table clash on 3 October 1979. The goal came just before half-time when 'Smith and Weston worked the ball sweetly across the middle and Doyle thundered in a low 20-yarder'.The following week he missed what was only his fifth game in two-and-a-half years when he was missing through injury against Bury on 10 October 1979 and after the 2-1defeat manager Stan Ternent said, 'We missed Stan [McEwan] and Bobby Doyle a lot.'
His first season at Blackpool saw him play 36 League games, plus two substitute appearances, scoring two goals, two FA Cup games, four League Cup games and three Anglo-Scottish Cup ties in the 1979/80 season.
After Blackpool had gone a goal down to Fulham after just two minutes on 6 September 1980 he 'played an important role in the first half in turning the game Blackpool’s way' as the Seasiders went on to win 2-1. But after a 3-0 defeat by Brentford on 20 September 1980 he was knocking on the manager’s door as there were rumours that he was on the transfer list. However, manager Alan Ball said the report was 'a complete fabrication' and that Doyle was very much part of his future plans. However, he was to play only three more League games for the club.
He was brought back into the side for three games in November 1980 when all three results were recorded, a 2-0 victory over Oxford United, a 4-0 defeat by Rotherham United and, what turned out to be his final game for the club, a 1-1 draw with Swindon Town. He played 11 League games, one FA Cup game, four League cup games and five Anglo-Scottish Cup games in the 1980/81 season. And his short-term Blackpool career saw him make 68 appearances, in which he scored two goals, in all competitions.
He was transferred to Portsmouth for a fee of £90,000 [Portsmouth report £75,000] in December 1980 and he immediately 'gave the squad a solid look'. He went on to play 188 games and score 18 goals for Portsmouth where he won a Division Three championship medal in the 1982/83 season.
Portsmouth transferred him to Hull City for a fee of £30,000 in August 1985 and he gave 'the Tigers midfield the creativity that it had previously lacked'. He went on to play 43 League games, scoring two goals, three FA Cup games, three League Cup games and four other games for Hull City.
A broken leg and ankle, suffered in a heavy tackle by Dave Cussack, during a 1987/88 pre-season friendly game against Doncaster Rovers sadly ended his League career.
He died on 26 February 2019 and everyone's thoughts are with Bobby's family and friends at this sad time.
