| Ronnie Coyle | |
| Fullname: | Ronald Paul Coyle |
| Birth Date: | 4 August 1964 |
| Birth Place: | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in[1] |
| Death Place: | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Youthclubs1: | Celtic |
| Years1: | 1984–1987 |
| Years2: | 1986 |
| Years3: | 1987 |
| Years4: | 1987–1988 |
| Years5: | 1988–1996 |
| Years6: | 1996–1997 |
| Years7: | 1997–1998 |
| Years8: | 1998–1999 |
| Years9: | 1999 |
| Clubs2: | → Clyde (loan) |
| Clubs9: | Queen's Park |
| Caps1: | 2 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Caps2: | 8 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Caps3: | 3 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Caps4: | 24 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Caps5: | 253 |
| Goals5: | 9 |
| Caps6: | 34 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Caps7: | 12 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Caps8: | 26 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Caps9: | 0 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 362 |
| Totalgoals: | 10 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1980 |
| Nationalteam1: | Scotland schoolboys |
Ronnie Coyle (4 August 1964 – 12 April 2011)[2] was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a defender.
Coyle was born in Glasgow and educated at St. Gerard's Secondary School.[2] Coyle played for Celtic Boys Club and the Scotland Under-15 schoolboy honours team, alongside, among others, Paul McStay, John Robertson and Ally Dick, which defeated England 5–4 in 1980.[2]
Coyle began his professional career as a youngster with Celtic.[2] After just two appearances and a loan period with Clyde, Coyle had a brief spell with Middlesbrough before moving to Rochdale.[2]
After a year with Rochdale, Coyle moved to Kirkcaldy club Raith Rovers in 1988.[2] In his eight years with Rovers, Coyle won two First Division titles and a League Cup, also playing in Raith's only season in Europe. After helping Rovers secure a mid-table finish in the Premier Division, Coyle moved on to Ayr United, where he spent a season before similar spells with Albion Rovers and East Fife. Coyle finished his career with Queen's Park.
Coyle – who moved out of football and worked in sales and marketing back in his native Glasgow – was part of a number of former Raith players who lent his weight to the 'Reclaim the Rovers' campaign, taking part in a fundraising walk in the summer of 2005.[3]
In April 2009 Coyle was diagnosed with a form of leukaemia for which he was admitted to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. On 27 March 2011 Raith Rovers hosted a benefit match for him involving their 1994 Coca-Cola Cup winning team and the Celtic runners-up team with Celtic coming out on top 4–2 on penalties after a 3–3 draw.[4] Coyle died just weeks later on 12 April 2011 from the disease he had battled.[5] He was survived by his wife Joan and their three children, Kevin, Briony and Georgia.