A look back on Colin Doyle’s time at Birmingham City.

Former Blues custodian Colin Doyle, 40, announced his retirement from professional football last week.

After joining the Blues academy in 2003, the Corkonian remained a key member of the first-team squad for a decade before leaving for Blackpool in 2015. He went on to play for Bradford City, Hearts, and Kilmarnock during a four-year stint north of the border. Doyle has served as Bradford’s player-coach since 2022.

He will now continue to coach for the Bantams. For many Blues fans, particularly those aged 20 to 30, Colin Doyle is the ideal back-up custodian.He was Mr Reliable during the club’s most successful years in recent (ish) history, as well as during more turbulent times. When called upon to serve as an understudy, he consistently delivered. Fortunately, he never made a fuss about his playing time.

Let’s look at some of Colin Doyle’s most memorable moments.

That Wolves performance

Let’s begin with Doyle’s most iconic performance, and one of the best individual performances by any Blues player in recent memory.

The year is 2007. Blues travel to Molineux to face a playoff-chasing Wolves team, knowing that a win will put Steve Bruce’s side ahead with only two games remaining. Any derby day is enormous. The stakes make this one massive. Colin Doyle has firmly established himself as the starting custodian in the second half of the season.

It becomes clear why. Heading into halftime, neither side has made a breakthrough, but Wolves clearly have the upper hand. Doyle blocks a bullet header from point blank range before being forced into a clean double save.

Minutes later, Wolves forward Jay Bothroyd breezes past the Blues’ defence and finds himself in a one-on-one situation from a tight angle.

However, Doyle is unbeatable. It could be 3-0, but the Blues are still in contention. Doyle’s heroics are not in vain, as a long ball forward from the Irishman finds Nicklas Bendtner, who passes to Andy Cole.

It’s poked past the keeper, and Blues lead 1-0. The game then explodes into action, and Doyle is eventually defeated to level the score at 1-1. Wolves lead 2-1 before Bendtner nearly equalises at 2-2. Cameron Jerome then scores a typical Cameron Jerome goal, overcoming an offside trap before outpacing the entire backline and slotting home.

There are two minutes remaining, plus stoppage time. The game would almost certainly be won, except that Birmingham City is winning it.

At least one more thing should go wrong. Bruno N’Gotty and Jody Craddock collide during a Wolves set-piece, and the latter takes the opportunity to hit the deck. A penalty is assessed.

If this happens, the Blues may not be promoted back to the Premier League. It is difficult to imagine how this will affect Birmingham City’s history as we know it. So, let’s not bother.

Doyle finishes his MOTD performance with a penalty save, diving low to his right. Blues win the game, resulting in automatic promotion. What a moment, and what a performance by Colin Doyle.