Colin Heath
Encyclopedia
Colin Heath is an English former footballer who played as a striker or attacking midfielder
in the Football League
for Cambridge United
, Swindon Town
, Chesterfield
and Macclesfield Town
and in the Belgian First Division for Royal Antwerp
.
, grew up in Birchover
, and played for Darley Dale as a boy. He joined Leeds United
's youth system as an 11-year-old, and moved to Manchester United
at 14. He earned his professional contract at the end of 2000. He joined Royal Antwerp
of the Belgian First Division on loan in January 1993; he played 13 league games in the 2003–04 season, but saved his goalscoring for friendly matches
. He then joined Football League Two
side Cambridge United
on a month's loan in late 2004, and made his English first-team debut on 7 December in a 2–1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United
. He spent the first half of the 2005–06 season on loan to Swindon Town
, but scored only once, against Yeovil Town
in his home league debut, and struggled to maintain a first-team place.
He returned to Manchester United in January 2006 and was released, to join Chesterfield
until the end of the season. He moved on to Macclesfield Town
, linking up with former Manchester United colleague Tommy Lee
, but was released by manager Paul Ince
after just one season. In September 2007, after an extended trial with Chester City
, he signed for Farsley Celtic
of the Conference National
. Heath struggled to hold down a first-team place due to the form of Damien Reeves. After a handful of appearances, including helping Farsley to reach the last 16 of the FA Trophy
for the first time, he left the club.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
and Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
and in the Belgian First Division for Royal Antwerp
Royal Antwerp F.C.
Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation...
.
Career
Heath was born in ChesterfieldChesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
, grew up in Birchover
Birchover
Birchover is a village and civil parish in the Peak District National Park, in Derbyshire, England. It is about five miles north-west of Matlock, and according to the 2001 UK census had a population of 362...
, and played for Darley Dale as a boy. He joined Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
's youth system as an 11-year-old, and moved to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at 14. He earned his professional contract at the end of 2000. He joined Royal Antwerp
Royal Antwerp F.C.
Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation...
of the Belgian First Division on loan in January 1993; he played 13 league games in the 2003–04 season, but saved his goalscoring for friendly matches
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
. He then joined Football League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
on a month's loan in late 2004, and made his English first-team debut on 7 December in a 2–1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. He spent the first half of the 2005–06 season on loan to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, but scored only once, against Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
in his home league debut, and struggled to maintain a first-team place.
He returned to Manchester United in January 2006 and was released, to join Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
until the end of the season. He moved on to Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
, linking up with former Manchester United colleague Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee (footballer)
Thomas Edward "Tommy" Lee is an English football goalkeeper, who plays for Chesterfield....
, but was released by manager Paul Ince
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
after just one season. In September 2007, after an extended trial with Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, he signed for Farsley Celtic
Farsley Celtic A.F.C.
Farsley Celtic Association Football Club was an English football club based in Farsley, in the City of Leeds. The club was known by the nicknames of the Villagers and the Celts; their colours were blue and white. Founded in 1908, the club spent their entire existence in non-league football, winning...
of the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
. Heath struggled to hold down a first-team place due to the form of Damien Reeves. After a handful of appearances, including helping Farsley to reach the last 16 of the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
for the first time, he left the club.