Eoin Doyle: Alan Reynolds is a great character, I wish him well at Bohemians

Whenever St Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers clash, Eoin Doyle plants himself firmly on the fence.

Although he admits he is predominantly a Rovers fan, the club where his senior career truly began back in 2007, his enjoyable spell at Pats, the club where his senior career officially ended back in July, means he has "a soft spot" for the two Dublin sides.

“I’ll be the first person you see in the League of Ireland with a half and half scarf,” he joked.

“I haven’t missed a game. I’ve been at all the Rovers games in Tallaght and all the Pat’s games in Inchicore, thankfully they can’t play at home on the same night.

“I’m a Rovers fan with a soft spot for Pat’s if that’s allowed. I bring my two eldest boys to all the matches, they’ve got the bug for it now.

“They get a Mars bar and a can of Coke off me which is rare enough, a rare treat, so that’s why they are probably going. But they love it, I love experiencing it with them.”

Pats welcome Rovers to Richmond Park on Friday week for the Eoin Doyle derby but before then for the five-in-a-row title-chasers, there’s the small matter of hosting their fiercest rivals Bohemians.

When it comes to that fixture, Doyle is firmly in the Hoops' camp although he believes they are in for a tough test this Friday night at Tallaght Stadium when Bohs are likely to be led by a new manager in the form of his former Rovers teammate Alan Reynolds.

“What a character,” said Doyle.

“The best story I have about Rennie is we were playing UCD in their own ground and I remember the ball going up the pitch. I think Andy Meyler got put in and got tackled, and they did a long clearance, and we were defending.

“The next thing, I hear the whistle going and I look over and it’s actually Rennie standing