Toon Army In Good Voice For Reading Striker!

Last updated : 03 April 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor

The Royals striker has hailed the Geordies as the loudest set of fans he has ever played in front of, and they are set to get St James' Park buzzing when the mighty Magpies dump Reading closer to the drop.

Doyle: "It's the place where I've heard the most noise when anyone scored. It was deafening last season.

"We were winning and the place was quiet and I thought it wasn't all it was cracked up to be and then they scored and I just remember it being the loudest it has ever been in any stadium - definitely more than Croke Park. You could not hear yourself think.

"It was a wall of noise and was strange because we were playing well and it had been quiet. The way the stadium is designed makes the crowd sound louder.

"I suppose if you are out on the touchline about to take a thrown-in or a corner you will get a bit more abuse, but when you are playing you don't really notice it.

"It doesn't put you off and the Geordies aren't nasty, but it was just scary that it could go from quiet to a wall of noise. All the lads said the same thing.

"They have their tails up now and they all seem happy again having come into some form.

"The pressure is off them a bit now, but that might be a good thing. They are three points ahead of us and one more win means they will be safe.

I don't know if that will make them relax and play better, but we will be up for it.

"People always say they are not the strongest defensively, but when you win 4-1 like they did against Tottenham it doesn't matter how your defence plays.

"They are more into attacking football and showing what they can do going forward. They hadn't been doing that for a while, but have got that back now after Sunday.

"The good thing is I know I am a couple of inches away from scoring. I just look to the next game and sooner rather than later would be nice - it doesn't matter who it's against."