TOMMY DOYLE wants to emulate his legendary grandfathers and make it to Wembley.The Sheffield United whizkid, on loan from Manchester City, helped his side pull off one of the shocks of the FA Cup fifth round as they dumped out Premier League Tottenham.
Tommy Doyle is hoping to emulate his legendary Man City grandfathersCredit: PA
It set up a last-eight clash at home to fellow Championship outfit Blackburn and if they win that, they will be going to the Home of Football for the semi-finals.
That would see Doyle follow in the footsteps of both his grandads, Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe, two of Manchester City’s biggest icons.
England Under-21 starlet Doyle said: “You dream of it. Everyone says that but growing up, you do.
“You watch games at Wembley and I have had the pleasure of seeing my grandads play at Wembley as well so that is even more of an incentive for me to do it myself.”
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Doyle will only have seen footage of his famous grandads on the hallowed turf as they played there well before he was born.
But the memory of their achievements in City’s Sky Blue will live on forever in the club’s history.
Doyle’s paternal grandfather, Mike Doyle, is City’s third-highest appearance-maker with 570 games for the club.
While Pardoe, Doyle Jnr’s maternal grandpa, still holds the record of being City’s youngest-ever player, making his debut aged 15 years and 314 days.
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Both played in City’s 1969 FA Cup final triumph over Leicester, lining up in defence at Wembley.
While they each scored in City’s 2-1 victory in the League Cup final against West Brom a year later on the same ground.
Mike Doyle was captain of the club for the League Cup final 2-1 win over Newcastle in 1976.
Pardoe retired that year and joined the coaching staff, having suffered a horrific leg break in the Manchester derby in 1970 inflicted by George Best’s tackle.
The injury was so bad there were initial fears the limb may have to be amputated and though, mercifully, that was not necessary, it kept Pardoe out for two years and he never returned to the same level.
Sadly, should Doyle Jnr reach Wembley, his grandfathers will not be around to see it, as Mike Doyle died in 2011 aged 64 and Pardoe passed away three years ago aged 73.
Despite the 18 places in the football pyramid between promotion hopefuls Sheffield United and Champions League-chasing Spurs, Doyle Jnr revealed he was expecting a home win.
Glyn Pardoe poses back in his Maine Road heydayCredit: PA
Mike Doyle is Man City’s third-highest appearance-makerCredit: PA
It was duly delivered thanks to Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent solo goal with 11 minutes to go.
Doyle, 21, said: “We wanted to win the game, we prepared to win the game and I expected us to win.
“That is the confidence I have in the lads and I think we performed really well.
“We just felt comfortable, we were aggressive off the ball and on the ball we played great passes and were calm and composed.
“It is a massive win and I think it will give us a push in the league as well. We have competed with a top team, and for me I thought we were the better team.”
Doyle is on his third loan away from City, having previously been farmed out to Hamburg in Germany and Cardiff.
He knows he is massively up against it to make it one day at his parent club and is learning from another player who was in a similar situation earlier in his career.
Midfielder Oliver Norwood began his career across the road at Manchester United and though he did not make the grade at the Red Devils, has forged out a fine career which has included three promotions to the Premier League.
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Doyle added: “He is a fantastic footballer with a great technique, he is someone I have looked at as to how I can improve my game.
“To have someone like Ollie, who has helped me a lot is special for me.” More
