Colin West
Encyclopedia
Coin West was an English
footballer who played for numerous clubs, most notably Sunderland
and Leyton Orient
. In all he scored 126 goals in 448 games in the Football League
, as well as numerous appearances in the Scottish Football League
and at non-league level.
on 20 April 1981 against West Bromwich Albion
in a 2–1 defeat at The Hawthorns
. Overall from 1981 until 1985, he made 102 league appearances scoring 21 goals at his time with the club. He then joined Watford
for £115,000 in 1985 where he came to score 20 goals in 45 appearances, but moved to Rangers
in 1986 for a £180,000 fee. During his short spell at Rangers, he managed to make just ten appearances, scoring two goals. Another club in England followed this as he transferred to Sheffield Wednesday
for £150,000 in 1987. He made 45 appearances at Wednesday, scoring eight goals.
West Bromwich Albion
signed him in 1989, and he went on to make 73 league appearances, with 22 goals at his stay in the West Midlands
. Not highly rated at the Hawthorns
, he joined Port Vale
on loan in 1992, making five appearances and scoring one goal. He then moved to Swansea City
in Wales
in 1992, and again had a season long spell at the club. West scored 12 goals and made 33 appearances for the Swans before moving to Leyton Orient
. Leyton Orient proved to be his longest serving club as he played for them from 1993 to 1998 making 142 appearances, and scoring 42 goals. He also had a short loan spell at Northampton Town
while at Orient, where he made just two appearances without scoring. Towards the end of his footballing career he made brief appearances for Rushden & Diamonds
and Northwich Victoria
before retiring at Hartlepool United
, where he made just a single appearance.
when they arrived, reached the Third Division
playoffs
in three successive seasons, though they never made it past the semi-finals.
When Turner left the club to take over as manager of Sheffield Wednesday
in November 2002, West briefly took charge of the first team on a caretaker
basis. After a win and a draw, West left to team up with Turner Hillsborough
and later followed him to Stockport County
, the pair left in December 2005.
He then spent time as reverse team coach at Millwall
, being appointed assistant caretaker-manager to Richard Shaw
after Willie Donachie
was dismissed. He later took up the Reserve coach position at Southend United
in December 2008. Three months later, with Turner back in charge at Pools on a caretaker basis, West left the position at Southend to return to Hartlepool as assistant coach. He left Hartlepool again in June 2010 after the club chose not to renew his contract.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
footballer who played for numerous clubs, most notably Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. In all he scored 126 goals in 448 games 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...
, as well as numerous appearances in the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
and at non-league level.
Playing career
West made his debut for SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on 20 April 1981 against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in a 2–1 defeat at The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns is an all-seater football stadium in West Bromwich, Sandwell, England, with a capacity of 26,484. It has been the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C. since 1900, when it became the sixth ground to be used by the club. The ground was the last Football League ground to be built in the...
. Overall from 1981 until 1985, he made 102 league appearances scoring 21 goals at his time with the club. He then joined Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
for £115,000 in 1985 where he came to score 20 goals in 45 appearances, but moved to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in 1986 for a £180,000 fee. During his short spell at Rangers, he managed to make just ten appearances, scoring two goals. Another club in England followed this as he transferred to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
for £150,000 in 1987. He made 45 appearances at Wednesday, scoring eight goals.
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
signed him in 1989, and he went on to make 73 league appearances, with 22 goals at his stay in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
. Not highly rated at the Hawthorns
The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns is an all-seater football stadium in West Bromwich, Sandwell, England, with a capacity of 26,484. It has been the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C. since 1900, when it became the sixth ground to be used by the club. The ground was the last Football League ground to be built in the...
, he joined Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
on loan in 1992, making five appearances and scoring one goal. He then moved to Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1992, and again had a season long spell at the club. West scored 12 goals and made 33 appearances for the Swans before moving to Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. Leyton Orient proved to be his longest serving club as he played for them from 1993 to 1998 making 142 appearances, and scoring 42 goals. He also had a short loan spell at Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
while at Orient, where he made just two appearances without scoring. Towards the end of his footballing career he made brief appearances for Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
and Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
before retiring at Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
, where he made just a single appearance.
Coaching career
When West joined Hartlepool United in 1999 he was appointed as assistant manager to Chris Turner. The pair helped the club avoid falling into the ConferenceConference 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...
when they arrived, reached the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
playoffs
Football League Two play-offs
The Football League Two play-offs are a series of play-off matches, contested by the teams finishing from 4th to 7th in the Football League Two table to determine the fourth promotion place to the third tier of English football, League One. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 7th playing...
in three successive seasons, though they never made it past the semi-finals.
When Turner left the club to take over as manager of Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in November 2002, West briefly took charge of the first team on a caretaker
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
basis. After a win and a draw, West left to team up with Turner Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
and later followed him to Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, the pair left in December 2005.
He then spent time as reverse team coach at Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, being appointed assistant caretaker-manager to Richard Shaw
Richard Shaw (footballer)
Richard Shaw is an English former professional football player, and currently a coach for Millwall....
after Willie Donachie
Willie Donachie
William Donachie is a Scottish former professional footballer. He won 35 full caps for Scotland, playing in the 1978 World Cup.-Career:...
was dismissed. He later took up the Reserve coach position at Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in December 2008. Three months later, with Turner back in charge at Pools on a caretaker basis, West left the position at Southend to return to Hartlepool as assistant coach. He left Hartlepool again in June 2010 after the club chose not to renew his contract.