Shared Shirts: Nathan Doyle

Our final Shared Shirts feature of the season sees us speak to 2008 promotion winner Nathan Doyle about his time with the Tigers and his upbringing at his hometown club, Derby County. 

Derby County Debut:

Joining Derby at the age of 12, Doyle came through the Rams’ youth system with fellow ex-Tiger Tom Huddlestone, Lee Holmes, Dan Martin and Chris Turner to name just a few under coaches Gary Bowyer and Pat Lyons. Always playing at the higher age group, the versatile midfielder would make his first-team debut against Preston North End on 31 October 2003 under George Burley.

“Before my debut, John Gregory took me, Lee Holmes and Tom Huddlestone in the squad down to Millwall when we were 15, which was a great experience. I think that every footballing experience at that age builds you for your debut and my debut was brilliant,” said Doyle.

“We lost three nil unfortunately, but just to be out there representing your local team was absolutely amazing, because I came from going from school straight into an apprenticeship. To get my debut at 16 was amazing for myself, my mum and my brother that have always supported me as well from a young age.”

(A headshot image of Nathan Doyle from his Derby playing days.)

Joining Hull City:

Chances however for Doyle were limited at Derby. Making 10 appearances in total for the Rams, loans at Notts County and Bradford City would provide regular football prior to a switch to the Tigers in January 2007. Excelling on loan with the Bantams, it was a Hull City hometown hero that helped Doyle trade West Yorkshire for East Yorkshire.

“I was with Mr (Dean) Windass at Bradford on loan and Hull bought ‘Deano.’ He was going to Adam Pearson saying ‘there's a lad on loan from Derby who is brilliant and you need to go and get him’ so on deadline day, Hull came in for me and I ended up signing,” revealed Doyle. “I didn't even know how to get to Hull! Now with technology, getting to places is easy as you just type it into your phone and off you go. I had to go and buy a SatNav and then find my way from Derby to Hull.

“The move came around quite quickly, because I was coming back from Bradford City training, and then I got the phone call from my agent to go to Hull. On the way up to Hull, I rang Colin Todd, who was the Bradford gaffer at the time, and he was a very nice man and he thanked me for my efforts and then tried to get me back on loan soon after, which didn't happen. But, Dean Windass had a massive part to play in the move.”

(Nathan Doyle on his Hull debut in action against Plymouth Argyle.)

Scoring in the play-off semi-finals:

Coming off the bench in both games, it was the second leg that saw the midfielder score his only goal in a City shirt, a memorable finish in the final minute to secure the Tigers’ place at Wembley for the play-off final in a 4-1 victory.

“Earlier on in the day, I’d just had my second child and my first daughter, Chloe, so I was already on a high and we had beaten Watford away too. I've never said this before, but on the back of our shirt at the time, we had GemTec on the bottom, but all my letters fell off, except for G and C, and I called my daughter Chloe Grace,” explained Doyle.

“The two initials at the bottom that were left on the shirt were G and C and Caleb Folan asked me ‘what did I call my daughter’ and I said ‘Chloe Grace.’ He just went 'look at your shirt’ and he was like ‘it's a sign.’ That's why I scored. I was so excited and it was a great experience. I will never forget as well, because on Twitter, it says I scored that goal on Chloe’s birthday!”

(Watch the special 20 Years at the MKM documentary on the play-offs against Watford below on Tigers Plus!)