Trae Coyle joins Blues after spell at Arsenal Academy
New Waterford FC signing Trae Coyle, who joins the Blues on a multi year contract ahead of the 2025 SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division. Photos: Waterford FC
As the countdown continues to the opening fixture of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division that will see Waterford FC travel to take on Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds, Head Coach Keith Long is still busy assembling his squad ahead of the new campaign.
The Blues boss has added an “exciting wide player, who can play off either wing” to his squad with the announcement that former Arsenal Academy graduate Trae Coyle has joined the club on a multi-year deal.
Coyle makes the move to the RSC ahead of the 2025 season, having spent the last three-and-a-half years in Switzerland with FC Lausanne-Sport in the Swiss Super League.
The exciting winger began his career at the Arsenal academy, where he spent 11 years with the Gunners. During his time with the London side, he made the loan move to EFL League One side Gillingham FC where he made 21 appearances with the Gills during the 2020/21 season.
The 21-year-old also has International experience, having made his international debut for the England U15 side – netting twice in four games. He followed this up with caps for their U16s and U17s in the following years as he made a strong impression whilst in the Gunners academy.
Trae departed Arsenal after over a decade with the club at the start of the 2021/22 season, making the permanent move to Switzerland to join FC Lausanne-Sport. Over the course of his time there, he made an impact for the Swiss side, making 70 appearances as he helped the club return to the Swiss Super League in their first attempt in 2023 after their relegation in 2022.
Most recently, he made five appearances for FC Lausanne Sport in their 2024/25 campaign, playing his final game for the club in November as he makes the move to the Blues ahead of our 2025 League of Ireland campaign.
Speaking on his move to the club, Coyle said: “I’m delighted to be here. I’m excited to get started and to meet everyone. I want to create things for my teammates, as well as scoring goals for the side, and be exciting for the fans to watch. I feel like I can help the team a lot.
“I have a few friends and people that I know who have played here in Ireland before, and they’ve only spoken highly of the league here. It’s a league that obviously growing, and I think it’s a good platform for myself personally.
“My time in Switzerland was good. There were good times and bad times of course, but I feel like I learnt a lot. I feel like it was a time that I needed to feel the way I feel now.
“It was great being in the Arsenal academy. It’s one of the best clubs in the world to be in their academy – it’s somewhere that I learnt a lot. It’s something that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life, and has put me in a good position now.
It was good to meet the group today. There’s still some boys I’m yet to meet, but I’m excited and looking forward to seeing how I can fit into the group”.
Waterford FC Head Coach Keith Long added: “Trae’s an exciting wide player, who can play off either wing. He comes here with good experience, having played in the Swiss Super League with FC Lausanna-Sport along with Gillingham FC in League One after coming through the highly-rated Arsenal Academy.
“We’re delighted to welcome Trae to the club where he adds to our options on the wing – a position where he will excite the supporters. We’re looking forward to working with him.” Trae will wear the number 99 jersey for the 2025 League of Ireland campaign.
