When Kevin Doyle was starting out with Wexford Youths, the idea of the club being in the League of Ireland, let alone the top flight, seemed laughable.

And Wexford native Doyle now admits that the success of the club, in winning promotion to the Premier Division for 2016, is a "fairytale".

Given that Doyle plans to settle in Ireland when his career in the US is over, a spell in the pink shirt of Wexford in the twilight of his playing days is not out of the question, but for now the Ireland international can only admire what his old pal and mentor Mick Wallace has overseen. "It's a great achievement, unbelievable," Doyle told The Herald as Wexford Youths still come to terms with the fact that they'll be in the top flight next term.

"If that's not the achievement of the year in sport, I don't know what is: a fully-amateur side who only joined the league a few years ago to get promoted and in style, it's fantastic," said Doyle, who left the Wexford set-up long before they entered the LOI in 2007.

"It's a fresh bunch and the lads I played with in Wexford when I was younger aren't there, they are scattered around, these Wexford players were toddlers when I was there," he joked.

"From what I hear, they have a great manager in Shane Keegan and I just hope they can keep him and not lose him to someone.

"I'd hate to see one of the other clubs come in and poach the manager as it's a real fairytale, a new club that's been to a League Cup final and now they are in the top division, I would love to see them push on and do well."

Meanwhile, Doyle has ruled out the idea of a loan spell in Europe during the close season in the MLS. "I need a break now and there's no way I would go on loan, I will enjoy my Christmas," he says. "I went straight from the season in England to the MLS with no break so I needed a rest, and we go back for pre-season on January 15th, I need a few weeks off."