Former Dumbarton striker Owen Coyle has quit as Queen’s Park manager after the Hampden side just failed to win promotion to the Premiership.Queen’s Park were in the running to win the Championship going into the final day of the season but lost 5-3 to Dundee in a thrilling head-to-head finale that saw the Dark Blues clinch the title.
That loss put Queen’s Park in the promotion play-offs where the side fell at the first hurdle, losing the first leg of their tie with Partick Thistle 4-3 at Firhill and then crashing to a 4-0 second-leg loss at the Ochilview home of Stenhousemuir.
Coyle has now reached the decision that he will not continue with the team for another attempt at promotion next season, which has raised the question amongst Dumbarton fans if he would consider taking up the post of head coach at the Rock stadium.
In a statement on the Queen’s Park club website, he said: “It’s with a heavy heart that I inform everyone that I will be leaving Queen’s Park.
“I informed the club of my wish to leave after what has been an outstanding last 12 months winning promotion to the Championship when nobody gave us a chance of doing so and then coming so close to winning the league and reaching the SPFL playing exciting and entertaining football.
“I would like to thank my first team staff and everyone that helped make it an enjoyable year, Queen’s Park is a wonderful club with an amazing set of supporters who I want to personally thank. I wish the club continued success on its journey.”
Owen Coyle was a big favourite with Dumbarton fans during a successful period back in the Eighties.
His two brothers, Joe and Tommy, also played for Dumbarton and Owen’s name was linked for a time with Celtic who had previously taken Murdo MacLeod, Steve McCahill and Tom McAdam to Parkhead, where all three were successful signings.
It will be interesting to see if there is any reaction to the Owen Coyle resignation at the Rock, although the chairperson there, Dr Neil McKay, appears content with the current set-up there.
For younger Dumbarton fans, Owen Columba Coyle played as a striker for several clubs in England and Scotland, and made one appearance for the Republic of Ireland international team.
Coyle began his career at Dumbarton, and also played for Clydebank and Airdrieonians before joining English club Bolton Wanderers in 1993. He appeared for Bolton in the Premier League before a return to Scotland with Dundee United.
He went on to play for several other Scottish clubs, including Motherwell, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk and St Johnstone.
A member of of the large community of Irish immigrants in Gorbals, he played for the Republic of Ireland under-21s and B team before he made one full international appearance in 1994.
When he retired from playing, Coyle managed Falkirk and St Johnstone, before joining then Championship side Burnley in November 2007. In his first full season in charge, Burnley won promotion to the Premier League in 2009.
He then moved to Bolton Wanderers in January 2010 and then, in 2012, was appointed manager of Wigan Athletic in June 2013, only to leave the club six months later.
He was made head coach of Houston Dynamo in December 2014, until he left by mutual agreement in May 2016. He then managed Blackburn Rovers between June 2016 and February 2017. He returned to Scotland to manage Ross County in September 2017, but resigned from this position after five months.
On 3 December 2019, Coyle was appointed as head coach of Indian club Chennaiyin. He led them from bottom of the table to the ISL final. After a stint with Jamshedpur, he returned to Scottish football in March 2022 with Queen’s Park.
After speculation linking Coyle with the vacant manager’s position at Celtic, on 18 June, 2009, Coyle signed a contract extension at Turf Moor to stay with Burnley until the end of the 2012–13 season.
The table below shows his stats as a manager:
Managerial statistics[edit]
- As of match played 12 May 2023
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Falkirk | 31 January 2003 | 20 May 2003 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 63.16 |
| St Johnstone | 15 April 2005 | 22 November 2007 | 70 | 36 | 19 | 15 | 51.43 |
| Burnley | 22 November 2007 | 5 January 2010 | 116 | 49 | 29 | 38 | 42.24 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 8 January 2010 | 9 October 2012 | 126 | 42 | 24 | 60 | 33.33 |
| Wigan Athletic | 14 June 2013 | 2 December 2013 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 30.43 |
| Houston Dynamo | 8 December 2014 | 25 May 2016 | 49 | 16 | 11 | 22 | 32.65 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2 June 2016 | 21 February 2017 | 37 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 29.73 |
| Ross County | 28 September 2017 | 1 March 2018 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 18.18 |
| Chennaiyin | 3 December 2019 | 14 March 2020 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 53.33 |
| Jamshedpur | 7 August 2020 | 22 March 2022 | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 47.62 |
| Queen’s Park | 1 June 2022 | 15 May 2023 | 46 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 50.00 |
| Total | 565 | 228 | 127 | 210 | 40.35 | ||
The 50-year-old arrives at The Rock from Cowdenbeath, where he was chief scout at the Central Park side and set up the entire scouting network.
As well as the Blue Brazil, Morrison has also held posts with Doncaster Rovers, AFC Wimbledon and Forfar Athletic.
Morrison has met with boss Stevie Farrell and assistant Frank McKeown and will begin in his new role immediately.
He told the club website: “I’m delighted to be appointed at Dumbarton, especially so as it’s such a historic season for the club.
“A lot of background work has already taken place, with myself and my network of Scouts fully aware of the task at hand.
“I’d like to thank the gaffer for bringing me in; the engagement and direction has been excellent already.
“Hopefully this will add to the strong footballing foundations already in place as everyone looks to bring success to the club and to a fan base who deserve to see their club further up the SPFL pyramid.”
And news just in is that the club have named who will be staying and who is on their way out of the Rock.
Leaving the club upon expiry of their current contract: Joe McKee, Martin McNiff, John Gemmell, Ally Love, Russell McLean, Edin Lynch, Stuart Carswell.
Returning to parent club: Peter Grant.
Offered a new contract: Gregor Buchanan, Kalvin Orsi, Harry Broun, Luca Vata.
Under contract for next season: Brett Long, Finlay Gray, Aron Lynas, Ryan Blair, Ryan Wallace, Ross MacLean, Gregg Wylde, Declan Byrne, David Wilson.
We would like to thank all our departing players for their efforts at DFC and wish them the best in their careers.