1985: Begins his professional career with Dumbarton.
1988: Joins Clydebank.
1990: Moves to Airdrie for £175,000.
Finishes season as top scorer in the Scottish League for the 1989-90 season.
Wins promotion with Airdrie and reaches the Scottish Cup final, losing to Rangers.
1992: Appears in the European Cup Winners' Cup as Rangers were competing in the European Cup.
1993: Signs for Bolton for £250,000.
1994: Wins one and only cap for the Republic of Ireland, coming on seven minutes from time in a friendly against Holland.
1995: Wins promotion to the Premiership with the Trotters.
Transferred to Dundee United for £400,000.
Scores winning goal in extra-time in the play-off final against Partick Thistle to help United to promotion.
1997: Joins Motherwell.
1999: Signs for Dunfermline.
2001: Returns to former club Airdrie after a loan spell with Ross County.
2002: Airdrie go into liquidation with Coyle joining Falkirk.
2003: Becomes co-player-manager at Falkirk alongside John Hughes.
Returns to Dundee United as player-coach.
2004: Joins the newly-reformed Airdrie as player-coach following a loan spell.
2005: Takes over at Scottish First Division side St Johnstone and goes on to guide Saints to the League Cup and Scottish Cup semi-finals, while narrowly missing out on promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2006-07 season.
2007: July - Signs one-year contract extension.
November 22 - Signs three-year contract to become manager of Burnley.
2008: Leads Burnley to League Cup wins over Chelsea and Arsenal.
2009: May 25 - Takes Clarets into the Premier League with victory over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
June: Signs contract extension at Turf Moor amid speculation linking him with Celtic vacancy.
2010: January 4 - Burnley confirm Coyle has held talks with Bolton over the managerial vacancy at the Reebok Stadium.
January 5 - The Clarets issue a statement saying Coyle has "reaffirmed his desire to leave Burnley" and join Bolton. The clubs begin talks over compensation.
January 6 - Burnley chairman Barry Kilby voices his disappointment with events and his surprise at Coyle's "sideways" move.
January 8 - Bolton confirm Coyle as their new manager.
Source: Team_Talk