FOOTBALL CAREER
Boyce spent three years playing for Luton's youth team, during which they reached the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup in 1997. He secured professional terms with the club in 1998 and marked his debut on 5 January 1999 in a 3–0 home defeat against Walsall in the Football League Trophy. His league debut followed in April 1999, experiencing a 1–0 defeat against Lincoln City. Boyce then scored his inaugural goal for the club during a 2–1 defeat against Bournemouth in February 2000. The newly appointed Luton manager, Ricky Hill, commended Boyce for his "tremendous" performances and believed he warranted a call-up to the England under-21 squad. In total, Boyce made 42 appearances in the league, scoring three goals for Luton.
Boyce emerged as a pivotal figure in the subsequent season for Luton as they secured promotion back into the Second Division. His contributions led to him being granted a new two-year contract. Despite facing stiff competition for positions, he maintained a regular presence in Luton's lineup during the 2002–03 season, featuring in 34 league matches. Throughout his final season with the club, he participated in 42 league games, netting four goals. His exceptional performances garnered recognition as he received the Players' Player, Supporters' Player, and Internet Player of the Season awards. In the summer of 2004, he declined a new contract offer from Luton and opted to depart the club upon the expiration of his existing contract.
In July 2004, Boyce made a move to Crystal Palace on a free transfer, securing a two-year contract with the club. He made his debut on the 14 August 2004 in Palace's opening game of the Premier League season against Norwich City, He swiftly established himself as the team's primary right back. He featured in nearly every league fixture until a foot injury in March 2005 sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The injury, sustained during a training session, ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Palace where relegated on the final day of the season after drawing their match against Charlton Athletic.
Boyce returned to the starting lineup for the first game of the new season in the Championship against former club Luton Town, Boyce maintained a near-perfect attendance throughout the campaign, appearing in 42 league matches. He netted his first goal for Palace in a 2–0 victory over Coventry City in November 2005. Despite Boyce's contributions, Palace fell short of promotion, losing in the play-off semi-finals to Watford.
Boyce endeared himself to Palace supporters and was honored as Player of the Year in 2006.
With one year remaining on his contract, Boyce declined a new deal with Palace, expressing his aspiration to return to the Premier League. In 2006 Palace accepted an offer for over a million pounds from Wigan.
On August 1, 2006, Wigan Athletic secured Boyce's signature on a four-year contract. Initially brought in as a replacement for Pascal Chimbonda on the right side of defence, Boyce often found himself deployed as a center-back. His debut for the club occurred on August 19, 2006, in a Premier League fixture against Newcastle United. Throughout the season, he made 34 league appearances, contributing significantly to the club's successful avoidance of relegation, a feat confirmed on the final day of the season with a 2–1 victory against Sheffield United. Boyce's performances garnered admiration from Wigan supporters, although he narrowly missed out on the club's Player of the Year accolade.
On November 29, 2008, Boyce notched his maiden goal for Wigan with a header from the edge of the area in a 2–1 triumph over West Bromwich Albion.
In July 2009, Boyce inked a fresh contract with Wigan, extending his stay at the club until 2012. Throughout the season, he featured in 24 league matches, showcasing his prowess with three goals—a tally that marked his highest since departing Luton.
During the game against Stoke, he notably made a crucial goal-line clearance in the first half, preserving the scoreline level. Wigan ultimately emerged victorious with a 1–0 win, thereby securing Premier League survival for a second time on the last day of the season.
Boyce stood as the sole Wigan player to feature in both the Stoke game and the match against Sheffield United in 2007.
On February 25, 2012, Boyce celebrated his 146th Premier League appearance in a 0–0 draw against Aston Villa, solidifying his status as the club's record holder for most Premier League appearances. His fifth league goal for Wigan occurred during a 2–1 away defeat to Fulham. Boyce received the Outstanding Achievement Award at Wigan's end-of-season awards ceremony. In the final match of the season, he demonstrated his skill by scoring two goals against Wolves, including a spectacular volley from outside the penalty box.
In 2013, Boyce achieved a significant milestone in his career by securing his first major silverware. He captained Wigan Athletic to one of the most memorable upsets in FA Cup history, as the Latics triumphed over the formidable Manchester City with a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup final.
Wigan's triumph marked the club's inaugural major trophy, etching a permanent place in its football history. The victory also secured Wigan's debut in the 2013/14 Europa League, marking their first foray into continental football.
However, merely three days following their Wembley glory, the Latics faced the harsh reality of relegation from the Premier League, becoming the first FA Cup winners to suffer demotion in the same season.
This set the stage for an uncommon occurrence in the 2013/14 season, as a second-tier team participated in the Europa League group stages. Wigan contested against Rubin Kazan, Maribor, and Zulte Waregem, managing only one victory against Maribor.
Following a nine-year tenure at Wigan, Boyce departed the Latics on a free transfer, joining Blackpool for the 2015 season. The transition ushered in a challenging period as the Seasiders encountered difficulties in League One.
Boyce was honored with the PFA Community Champion of the Season award in recognition of his contributions to the local community.
At the conclusion of the season, Boyce opted to retire from professional football to concentrate on coaching endeavors.
Although he was born in England, Boyce was eligible to represent the Barbados national team due to his parents, Melvin and Lucille, who were both Barbadian by birth. Boyce received his first international call-up on March 20, 2008, at the age of 28. He expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "The appeal is to play international football. I consider myself a Barbadian and I feel it's the right thing to do to play for my country. I am really looking forward to it." His debut for Barbados occurred in a 1–0 victory against Dominica in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier on March 26, 2008, advancing Barbados to the second round of qualifying. Another notable appearance for Barbados that year took place on June 22 in a 1–0 defeat against the United States.
Boyce was called up again for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and assumed the role of captain during a 2–0 loss to Guyana in Bridgetown. He was later recalled to the team in 2014 and captained the squad during the 2014 Caribbean Cup qualification. Boyce marked his first international goal in the 4–1 victory over Bonaire, securing their qualification for the next round.
