Fine player no doubt and seems to be one of the favourites with Donegal supporters.
Will make for an interesting Ulster this year with the retirements.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 12/01/2017 19:57:30    1945289

My favourite, most exciting, Donegal game was V Kildare in that amazing QF in '11, he was good that day too!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 12/01/2017 22:01:28    1945326

I can't think of a player who is more liked within the county.

Always a player to be counted on when it mattered most. I first remember him bagging a couple of goals in the minor championship in 2001 and made his senior debut later that year. Memories of him that spring to mind are 2002 v Meath, 2003 v Armagh, 2011 v Kildare, 2012 v Kerry and 2016 v Tyrone.

But for me, his greatest year was 2014 after returning from illness. His performances against Derry and Monaghan in Ulster and Dublin and Kerry were exceptional. He deserved an All Star that year in my opinion but it wasn't to be.

A class act, on and off the field.

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 12/01/2017 22:13:47    1945331

I remember being a young teenager going to watch Christy in the 'new' Croke Park in 2002, he was class against Meath in a great win for us that day. Scored a brilliant goal against Armagh in the All Irelans Semi Final in the next year. I think that was the only goal Armagh conceded in that whole championship season. He was the ultimate impact sub when we played Kildare in 2011, pulled us out of a hole when things looked to be turning bad. Did the same thing against Dublin in 2014 when we were 9-4 down but it was possibly even more outstanding. Until his substitution, we were sort of camped in our own half and looked to be on the ropes. Christy came on and just took the game to Dublin, tearing up the field. He basically told the rest of the players through his actions that it could be done and the rest followed suit. Scored valuable points against Kerry in 2012 and almost swung the Ulster title back in our favour this year too but it wasn't to be. Naturally gifted. Humble player too who just got on with it, no cynicism or ego. Badly missed.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1321 - 13/01/2017 04:25:02    1945372

The best thing i ever saw him do was score a goal v Fermanagh minors years ago. He ran from about the halfway line past about 8 Ferm players at breakneck pace before scoring the goal. Ive never forgotten it but havent seen it on tv since....i mind the commentator going crazy over it....the name Toye is a rare enough surname but it was never forgotten after that

Class player. Good man Christy, enjoy your retirement

CLG_09 (Antrim) - Posts: 42 - 14/01/2017 01:10:17    1945587

Perhaps the best tribute I can pay the man is to say I hated to see him coming on against us. He always seemed to energise Donegal when they were under pressure, no more so than in the semi in 2012. Enjoy the retirement.

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 14/01/2017 14:26:14    1945641

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2782 - 15/01/2017 23:34:27    1945960

Out of all the players to retire I have to say I will miss Toye the most. Great servant (as the rest of the lads to retire were) and always brought something different to Donegal's play that we will struggle to replace. I remember him scoring 2 goals against Fermanagh in an Ulster minor championship match in 2001 where both goals were identical. He picked the ball up at his own 45 and just ran through the whole Fermanagh defence to score. He scored some great goals for us in Croker and no matter how big the occasion was nothing ever seemed to faze him. That's probably why he became such a good impact sub in his later years. My favourite Toye memory isn't exactly from the football pitch as such, I met him in the big tree pub minutes after Mayo hammered us in the all quarter final in 2013. He wasn't part of the panel that year because of the rare nerve condition he had. I was pretty demoralised after the game that day but I wanted to say hello to Christy when I seen him as I heard he hadn't been well. I hadn't been talking to him for 10 seconds when he said don't worry Donegal will be back next year and so will I. He said it so purposely that I believed him straight away and I began to look forward to 2014 straight away. As it turned out Donegal did make it back to an All Ireland final the following year coming up just short to a good Kerry team and Christy had one of his best years in a Donegal jersey having his best games in the semi final and final. Enjoy retirement Christy and thanks for the memories!

Mobot (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 19/01/2017 15:42:39    1947024