Lloyd Doyley

Lloyd Doyley

Doyley with Watford in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Lloyd Colin Doyley[1]
Date of birth	(1982-12-01) 1 December 1982[2]
Place of birth	Whitechapel, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current team	Colchester United
Number	30
Youth career
1999–2001	Watford
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2015	Watford	443	(2)
2016	Rotherham United	3	(0)
2016–	Colchester United	0	(0)
National team‡
2013–2014	Jamaica	9	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 May 2016 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09 June 2014[4]

Lloyd Colin Doyley (born 1 December 1982) is a professional footballer who plays for Colchester United as a defender. He previously spent sixteen years with Watford with whom he had spent his entire career, before having a short spell with Rotherham United. He is primarily a right-back, but can also play as a centre-back and left-back. He was the longest serving player at Watford prior to his departure in 2015.

In 2012, the Jamaican Football Federation were tracking Doyley's progress, and in March 2013, Doyley received his first call up to the Jamaican national team.^[5]

Club career

Doyley was born in Whitechapel, London. He is a graduate of the Watford Academy, making his first team debut at home to Birmingham City in a 3–3 draw on 26 September 2001. In total he made 22 appearances during 2001–02 as manager Gianluca Vialli allowed several younger players to gain experience. He sporadically appeared for the first team in the following seasons.

Doyley became a first-team regular in the 2004–05, playing in the League Cup run that took Watford to the semi-finals and Anfield, where they lost to Liverpool 1–0 in each leg. But however, during the 2005–06 campaign, under new manager Adrian Boothroyd, Doyley made the most appearances of any outfield player, playing a crucial part in Watford finishing third in the league and qualifying for the play-offs. He played in both legs of the play-off semi-final against Crystal Palace, and the final, where Watford defeated Leeds United to reach the Premier League. During Watford's season in the top flight, he scored an own-goal for Manchester United in a 4–0 defeat.^[6] Doyley captained Watford in the League Cup wins over Bristol Rovers and Darlington in the 2008–09 season.

Former manager Aidy Boothroyd referred to Doyley as 'The Black Zidane'.^[7] Fans regularly refer to Doyley as 'Lloydinho'.^[8] Both nicknames are based on players Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane, both famed for being greats of the sport.

Doyley's first goal was scored on his 269th appearance for the club, on 7 December 2009 at Vicarage Road, against QPR, over eight years after his first team debut.^[9] It had become a long-running joke with Watford fans as to whether Doyley would ever score for Watford,^[10][11] afterwards Doyley said: "I always knew it was going to happen but it took a bit longer than I thought".

Doyley was awarded a testimonial for ten years of service at Watford in the summer of 2012 against Tottenham which doubled up as a pre-season friendly which was lost 1–0.

It took Doyley almost three years to score his second, a cross-come-shot against Bolton Wanderers on 15 September 2012, to get Watford back in the game when they were losing 2–0.

Doyley made his 350th league appearance for Watford in a 2–2 home draw against Crystal Palace on 8 February 2013. Doyley captained Watford in the absence of Manuel Almunia against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 1 March 2013.

Doyley then made his 400th Watford appearance (in all competitions) after coming on as a substitute for the injured Fitz Hall against Hull City on 2 April 2013.

On 27 March 2014, Doyley signed a new 12-month contract with the Hornets.^[12] Following Watford's promotion to the Premier League in 2015, Doyley was not offered a new contract and wasn't given a squad number but was allowed to continue to rehabilitate with the club following neck surgery. After recovering from injury, Doyley had been training with Charlton Athletic,^[13] Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City and with Gillingham in the hope of a contract.^[14]

In February 2016, Doyley went on trial with Championship side Rotherham United.^[15] After a successful trial, Neil Warnock signed Doyley on a short-term deal until the end of the season.^[16] Doyley made three appearances for Rotherham and helped the club preserve its Championship status, however his contract was not renewed and he departed the club in May 2016.^[17]

Following his release by Rotherham, Doyley joined League Two side Colchester United in October 2016, on a deal until the end of the season.

International career

Doyley received his first international call-up by the Jamaican national team in March 2013, and made his debut – playing the full ninety minutes – in a 2–0 defeat by Costa Rica on 27 March 2013 having been an unused substitute against Panama four days earlier.

Career statistics

Doyley (right) playing for Watford in 2012

As of 9 May 2016^[18]

Honours

Watford

• Football League Championship play-offs: 2005–06

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lloyd Doyley.

• Lloyd Doyley profile at the Watford website
• Lloyd Doyley career statistics at Soccerbase