Belfast honours Irish League legend with Lifetime Achievement award

Photo shows Roy Coyle
-Credit: (Image: Inpho)


Irish League legend Roy Coyle has been recognised by Belfast City Council with a Lifetime Achievement in Sport Award. Coyle is regarded as the greatest manager to ever grace the game here, having won an incredible 50 trophies during spells with Linfield, Glentoran, Ards and Derry City.

He won 10 league titles with the Blues and added another three Gibson Cups with the Glens, not to mention seven Irish Cup wins split between the two clubs.

Earlier this week he was the guest of honour at Belfast City Council, where Lord Mayor Micky Murray presented the 'Gaffer' with his award in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour at City Hall.

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Glentoran said on their website: "In his eight years as Glentoran manager, between November 1997 and January 2016, Roy and his players won no fewer than 16 trophies with the club, including three League titles and four Irish Cups. No Glentoran manager has ever led the club to so many major trophy wins.

"As a player at the club between 1969 and 1972, Roy made 136 appearances and won two further league championship medals before departing for Sheffield Wednesday where he won five caps for Northern Ireland.

Photo shows Roy and his wife Abbie, receives his award from Lord Mayor Micky Murray
Roy, accompanied by his wife Abbie, receives his award from Lord Mayor Micky Murray -Credit:Glentoran FC

"Roy’s managerial career was unprecedented in its success and will never be repeated, As well as being Glentoran’s most successful manager he has the same status at Linfield with whom he won countless trophies in a 15-year spell between 1975 and 1990. He also won two senior trophies as Ards Manager before joining the Glens and a further one with Derry City.

"With 50 trophies won in a 32-year career there is no question that Coyler is the most successful and greatest manager in the history of football in Northern Ireland. Even to this day he rarely misses a Glens match home or away, or even a Glens training session. Congratulations Gaffer."

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