The audacious capture of Doyle was greeted ecstatically by the ever growing Celtic support and the crowds flocked to Parkhead to see their prestigious new signing in action.

Doyle did not disappoint. He was a strong and wonderfully two footed player who was arguably the best defender of his generation. His perfectly timed tackles thwarted attack after attack and would be greeted by cheers as vigorous as those that met any goal.

Quick in both body and mind his pinpoint long passes from defence were a trademark feature of his game and a vital weapon in Celtic’s attacking armoury.

On and off the pitch there were few players as vocal as Doyle and he was not afraid to let opponents, team-mates or club officials know his feelings. At one point he went on strike for more money – and thankfully for him he missed Celtic’s humiliating Scottish Cup defeat to Arthurlie in January 1897 in the process.

As a measure of his worth, he had an arrangement with the club where he would get paid his wages a year in advance. Doyle was also known to miss training sessions if it got in the way of his hectic social calender.