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The Cheltenham centre-back is one of the longest-serving players for the Robins.
He joined the club in 2017 and since then he has experienced both the disappointment and joy football can provide to both players and fans in the space of the previous two seasons.
At the end of the 2019/20 season, Cheltenham finished fourth after the season was cut short due to Covid-19. The outcome of the season was decided by points-per-game, which saw Cheltenham miss out on automatic promotion by four points, finishing fourth meant they would face Northampton Town in the play-off semi-final.
After winning the first-leg 2-0, they took the lead back to The Jonny-Rocks Stadium with Wembley insight. It wasn’t meant to be as a spirited comeback in the second-leg saw Northampton level the game on aggregate before finding a late winner to book their spot in the League Two play-off final.
“The feeling after the game was bitter disappointment. It took us, individually and as a team, a good couple of weeks to properly get over it because of the position we found ourselves in going into the second leg”.
Having suffered such a disappointing defeat, the club used the disappointment as motivation going into the 2020/21 season.
“At one of the first games of preseason, we had a meeting and vowed that we would use it as fuel for the next season”.
The Robins started the season with a home defeat against Morecambe with the Shrimps scoring two late goals to take the three points, but the loss galvanised the squad as they went on to win 10 out of the next 15 league games.
“In the first half of the season, we were playing some really good football and we were dominating games, but we did lose a couple that we didn’t feel like we deserved to lose based on chances created”
In January, Cheltenham got a dream fourth round FA Cup draw as they hosted Premier League giants Manchester City. They faced the Citizens in a classic cup encounter, narrowly missing out on potentially one of the biggest ever Cup upsets conceding in the dying minutes.
“Playing against Man City was amazing; it was a great night and now they are Premier League Champions and they got to the Champions League final”.
Boyle looks back on the game with pride but also believes it helped the side for the rest of the season.
“I think it helped the belief of the team because 30 seconds into the game Jesus nearly scores and we are already thinking this could be a long night. But we settled into the game and had more of the ball and created good opportunities.
“Then on the hour mark, we go 1-0 up and as the clock gets to 80 minutes all of a sudden you start to dream. But the reason why they won the league and got to the final of the Champions league is because they can score any minute and that’s what they did. It gave us belief moving forward”.
Reflecting on the season, the 4-0 home win against Tranmere Rovers stands out as a crucial part of the season for the 25-year-old.
“I think the Tranmere game on Good Friday was huge, we were second at the time and they were third. It felt like a big game going into it especially with it being on Sky. To win so comfortable and put in a performance as good as we did, was a big statement for ourselves and the rest of the league”.
Unfortunately, the season ended early for the defender after suffering a recurrence of the knee ligament injury that kept him out for six weeks leading up to the Easter Weekend. That didn’t stop Cheltenham from securing promotion to League One with two games remaining, following a 1-1 draw against Carlisle.
“We had nearly secured it the Saturday before but there were no celebrations after that. To get it confirmed on the next Tuesday was pure relief and elation. It was probably a two-season promotion really, having had last season cut short and being around the top three before the pandemic stopped the league”.
On the final day of the season, a 4-1 home win against Harrogate Town secured the title capping off a perfect season for the Robins.
“It was the perfect end to the season. It is what we owed ourselves. Looking back at the majority of games throughout the season, I don’t think you could say there was a better team than us. But to go up as Champions was a great feeling”.
With the season at an end and Cheltenham crowned Champions, Boyle capped off an incredible season for the club and himself, as he was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Season.
“It was a real honour because it is voted for by fellow players, so to be appreciated and recognised by your fellow professionals brings a real sense of pride. It was a great way to end the season”.
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