Royal Doyle thanks departing Coppell for ‘best four years’

READING’S Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle yesterday paid tribute to departing Royals manager Steve Coppell.

In 2005, the Reading boss signed Doyle from Cork City for a bargain €117,000. Since then Doyle has become an established international, experienced the joy of promotion, played two years of Premier League football before the heartache of relegation and endured the frustration of failed promotion bid this season.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride but the 25-year-old is grateful to Coppell for giving him his shot at the big time.

“He gave me my chance. And more importantly he believed in me,’’ the Irish striker said yesterday. “He decided he could make me into a good player and he’s spent four years trying!

“They have been the best four years of my career so far and I have to thank him for giving me a chance.’’

Coppell quit the Royals in the wake of Reading’s play-off defeat to Burnley on Tuesday night.

Doyle, who may have played his last game with the Royals, concedes it was a frustrating season finale.

“It’s just a sorry end to an era. It’s sad,’’ Doyle said. “I’ve had four years here, all under Coppell, and I’m disappointed that it has come to end.’’

Hinting that his time at Reading is at an end Doyle added: “I would love to have a crack at the Premier League. It was my aim to be in the Premier League this summer, it was the aim of all at the club.

“It will take a while to get over it (failure to get promotion). It is the end of a four-year era for me at the club, and the manager who brought me here, the players who were involved in getting us promoted [in 2006], and did so well in the first year in the Premier League.”