PM Brown joins list of well-wishers for Coyle

Published on Friday 17 April 2009 22:19

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown was among a long list of well-wishers yesterday following the news that former footballer Ronnie Coyle – who helped Raith Rovers win the League Cup and compete in Europe in the 1990s – has been diagnosed with leukaemia.

Coyle, 44, a key member of the Kirkcaldy side in their glory years in the Nineties, is currently in hospital undergoing treatment for the life-threatening condition.

The former defender, who began his career at Celtic, signed for Rovers in 1988 and made 327 appearances including their famous win over his former club in the 1994 Coca Cola Cup final at Ibrox.

He also starred in Raith's only season in Europe, in which they famously took the lead against Bayern Munich before going out with a battling performance in Germany. He later played for Ayr United, East Fife and Queen's Park before retiring in 2000 to work in sales and marketing.

Coyle has been admitted to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow where he has completed a ten-day programme of intensive chemotherapy. He is likely to require three further periods of treatment and recuperation, and is likely to remain in hospital for six months.

The Prime Minister, a Raith Rovers supporter, told The Scotsman: "I am very sorry to hear about Ronnie's illness. He is a Raith legend and I wish him all the best for a full recovery."

Ally Gourlay, chairman of the Raith Former Players Association, hailed Coyle as one of the club's greats. He said: "Ronnie is certainly one of the all-time greats. He has the club at his heart and it's a real shame to see him going through what he is at the moment.

"I'm sure everyone at Raith Rovers will be there for him and wish him well in what we all hope will be a full recovery from a very serious condition."

Former players and managers at Raith Rovers, including Jimmy Nicholl, Peter Hetherston, Frank Connor and Craig Brewster, have been in touch to wish Coyle well during his period of recuperation.

Current Raith manager John McGlynn also wished him well. He said: "Myself, and I'm sure everybody at the club, wish him well and hopefully he gets better soon."