Lewie Coyle

Lewie Coyle

Coyle during Leeds United's 2015 pre-season tour
Personal information
Full name	Lewie Jacob Coyle[1]
Date of birth	15 October 1995
Place of birth	Kingston upon Hull, England
Playing position	Right back
Club information
Current team	Leeds United
Number	31
Youth career
2004–2014	Leeds United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2014–	Leeds United	9	(0)
2014	→ Harrogate Town (loan)	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:45, 30 April 2016 (UTC). † Appearances (goals)

Lewie Jacob Coyle (born 15 October 1995) is a footballer who plays for Leeds United as a right back but can also play as a right winger.

Youth career

Coyle started his footballing life at his boyhood club Leeds United and hit the headlines as a 10-year-old when he was involved in an alleged tapping-up scandal with Chelsea. Coyle's father alleged that he was offered £10,000 'in readies' and the promise of a new kitchen if his son was to attend a one-week trial with the Premier League champions. It was also claimed that Spanish giants Barcelona had made an offer for Coyle around the same time.

Coyle remained at Leeds United and signed on as a scholar upon leaving school, before signing his first professional contract in the summer of 2014. He joined fellow Yorkshire club Harrogate Town on a one-month loan in October of the same year. The loan deal was cut short after he picked up an injury in his second appearance, and he returned to his parent club, where he would be assigned a shirt number in the final months of the season under Neil Redfearn but failed to make an appearance.

Professional career

Breakthrough

Coyle signed a new one-year contract in the summer of 2015, following his progression to the fringes of the first team. A further one-year extension followed in November after the youngster impressed new head coach Steve Evans as captain of the under-21 side. A week later, he was due to join League Two strugglers York City on an emergency loan deal, but the arrangement fell through following a breakdown in communication between the Yorkshire clubs. Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post in early December, Coyle said that the club was intending to try and send him out on loan again in the January 2016 transfer window.

Coyle was named in the first team squad for Leeds United for the first time on the 17th December, as an unused substitute in a 1–0 win at Elland Road over Preston North End. He made his professional debut for Leeds United after coming on as a 92nd-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw versus Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on 27 December 2015. He became the sixth Academy graduate to feature during the 2015–16 season, following Charlie Taylor, Sam Byram, Alex Mowatt, Lewis Cook and Kalvin Phillips.

Coyle made his first start on 9 January 2016 against Rotherham United to help Leeds advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup in a 2-0 victory.^[2]

Personal life

Coyle's elder brother Tommy is a professional boxer and has challenged for the Commonwealth Lightweight title. His younger brother Rocco is also at Leeds United in the Youth Academy.

Career statistics

As of 27 December 2015.^[3]

Season	Club	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Play-offs		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2015–16	Leeds United	Championship	4	0	2	0	0	0	–	–	6	0
Total			4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	6	0

References

1. "THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE LIMITED CLUB LIST OF REGISTERED PLAYERS AS AT 16TH MAY 2015" (PDF). The Football League. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3391771/Leeds-1-0-Rotherham-Steve-Evans-earns-bragging-rights-former-Mustafa-Carayol-s-debut-goal.html
3. "Statistics". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 October 2008.