Eoin Doyle: Alan Reynolds is a great character, I wish him well at Bohemians

Reynolds is expected to take over as Bohs boss this week with his first game in charge being their trip to Shamrock Rovers on Friday night.

Photographed at the launch of Darkness Into Light 2024 is former Irish footballer, Eoin Doyle. Picture: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Whenever St Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers clash, Eoin Doyle plants himself firmly on the fence.

Although he admits he is predominantly a Rovers fan, the club where his senior career truly began back in 2007, his enjoyable spell at Pats, the club where his senior career officially ended back in July, means he has "a soft spot" for the two Dublin sides.

“I’ll be the first person you see in the League of Ireland with a half and half scarf,” he joked.

“I haven’t missed a game. I’ve been at all the Rovers games in Tallaght and all the Pat’s games in Inchicore, thankfully they can’t play at home on the same night.

“I’m a Rovers fan with a soft spot for Pat’s if that’s allowed. I bring my two eldest boys to all the matches, they’ve got the bug for it now.

“They get a Mars bar and a can of Coke off me which is rare enough, a rare treat, so that’s why they are probably going. But they love it, I love experiencing it with them.”

Pats welcome Rovers to Richmond Park on Friday week for the Eoin Doyle derby but before then for the five-in-a-row title-chasers, there’s the small matter of hosting their fiercest rivals Bohemians.

When it comes to that fixture, Doyle is firmly in the Hoops' camp although he believes they are in for a tough test this Friday night at Tallaght Stadium when Bohs are likely to be led by a new manager in the form of his former Rovers teammate Alan Reynolds.

“What a character,” said Doyle.

“The best story I have about Rennie is we were playing UCD in their own ground and I remember the ball going up the pitch. I think Andy Meyler got put in and got tackled, and they did a long clearance, and we were defending.

“The next thing, I hear the whistle going and I look over and it’s actually Rennie standing over the referee, blowing the whistle to stop the game himself.

“I don’t know what happened, but the referee was on the ground. I don’t know if he tripped or got a smack of something. But Rennie took it upon himself to stop the game.

"He’s a great character. It doesn’t actually surprise me that he has gone on to have as successful a coaching career as he has, because he always wanted to talk about football, and that’s half the battle when it comes to coaches, I think. I wish him all the best.

“I can’t see Bohs going into that game and sitting off. I definitely reckon they will be going in and knowing Rennie he will be very clever in how he sets them up.

“There will be no issues there with players not running through brick walls for him. He’s got that aura about him.

“I’d be expecting them to bounce alright. I’ll be going to the game as a fan, but as long as there are goals, I’ll be a happy man.”

Eoin Doyle was speaking at the launch of Darkness Into Light 2024. The annual fundraising event organised by Pieta and supported by Electric Ireland is taking place on Saturday 11th May and will see more than 100,000 people across 230 locations come together for the most important sunrise of the year.

“I’ve never had anyone directly close to me that has been involved with it, but my wife Ciara and my mam last year did the walk and when they came into the house after it they said it was very powerful and touching," added Doyle.

"So when I got the call to come in, it was a no-brainer. Obviously this is the first year I’m able to participate in it myself, because of football commitments and I’m more free now to do these types of things, so I’m looking forward to it."