Tony Coton
Encyclopedia
Anthony Philip "Tony" Coton (born 19 May 1961 in Tamworth
) is an English former footballer who made 500 appearances in the Football League
and Premier League playing as a goalkeeper for Birmingham City
, Watford
, Manchester City
and Sunderland
. He was renowned for his excellent reflexes and shot-stopping abilities.
in 1978, having signed from Mile Oak Rovers the previous year. He made his Football League debut as a 19-year-old, on 27 December 1980 in the First Division
match against Sunderland
. His first touch of the ball was to save a penalty
awarded after 54 seconds. By the 1982–83 season he had established himself as Birmingham's first choice goalkeeper.
Birmingham were relegated
from the First Division
at the end of the next season, but Coton found his way back into the top flight with a transfer to Watford
, for a sum of £300,000. He soon replaced Steve Sherwood
in Watford's goal and at the end of his second full season at Vicarage Road
he won the Hornets' Player of the Season and Display of the Season awards, the latter for a clean sheet against Liverpool
. He remained with the club even after their relegation from the First Division in 1988. He went on to become Watford Player of the Season for an unprecedented third time in 1989–90.
Before the start of the 1990–91 season, Coton was bought for just under £1,000,000 by Manchester City
manager Howard Kendall
. At the time, he was one of the most expensive goalkeepers to be signed by any British
club.
He went on to win the City Player of the Year award in both the 1991–92 and 1993–94 seasons. He also won an England B
cap during his time at City. They finished fifth in the First Division
during his first two seasons at Maine Road
and ninth in the first season of the Premier League. However, they dipped to 16th in 1993–94 and 17th in 1994–95, although he remained first-choice goalkeeper under subsequent managers Peter Reid
and Brian Horton
.
Coton's time at Manchester City was cut short by injury in 1995, and the signing of Eike Immel
. In January 1996, he moved across the city to Manchester United
for £500,000, a record fee for a transfer between United and City, to be understudy to Peter Schmeichel
. He never played a first team game for United, made the substitutes' bench only once, and moved on to Sunderland
after just six months, for a fee of £600,000.
He made a few impressive performances for his new club (who had just been promoted to the Premier League as Division One
champions) before breaking his leg in five places during a league match against Southampton
. The injury marked the end of his playing career, although in April 2004, when in his 43rd year, he was brought in as emergency goalkeeping cover by Hereford United
for a Conference
fixture.
, establishing himself as one of the best coaches in his field. He was forced to step down from the position in December 2007 due to a knee injury that stopped him participating in training sessions. He had had two operations in four months in order to correct his ongoing knee problems, but after discussions with his surgeon and the Manchester United medical staff, they agreed that retirement was the best option. Coton remained at Manchester United until the end of his contract in June 2008, but with reduced coaching responsibilities.
He went on to become a player's agent
.
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
) is an English former footballer who made 500 appearances 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...
and Premier League playing as a goalkeeper for Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, 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...
, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and 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...
. He was renowned for his excellent reflexes and shot-stopping abilities.
Career
Coton started his professional career at Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in 1978, having signed from Mile Oak Rovers the previous year. He made his Football League debut as a 19-year-old, on 27 December 1980 in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
match against 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...
. His first touch of the ball was to save a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
awarded after 54 seconds. By the 1982–83 season he had established himself as Birmingham's first choice goalkeeper.
Birmingham were relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
from the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
at the end of the next season, but Coton found his way back into the top flight with a transfer to 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 a sum of £300,000. He soon replaced Steve Sherwood
Steve Sherwood
Stephen "Steve" Sherwood is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best remembered for his time at Watford, Chelsea and Grimsby Town.-Career:...
in Watford's goal and at the end of his second full season at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
he won the Hornets' Player of the Season and Display of the Season awards, the latter for a clean sheet against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. He remained with the club even after their relegation from the First Division in 1988. He went on to become Watford Player of the Season for an unprecedented third time in 1989–90.
Before the start of the 1990–91 season, Coton was bought for just under £1,000,000 by Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
manager Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
. At the time, he was one of the most expensive goalkeepers to be signed by any British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
club.
He went on to win the City Player of the Year award in both the 1991–92 and 1993–94 seasons. He also won an England B
England B national football team
England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations...
cap during his time at City. They finished fifth in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
during his first two seasons at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
and ninth in the first season of the Premier League. However, they dipped to 16th in 1993–94 and 17th in 1994–95, although he remained first-choice goalkeeper under subsequent managers Peter Reid
Peter Reid
Peter Reid is an English football manager, pundit and retired player, who is currently without a club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.A defensive midfielder in his playing days, Reid enjoyed a long and successful career...
and Brian Horton
Brian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
.
Coton's time at Manchester City was cut short by injury in 1995, and the signing of Eike Immel
Eike Immel
Eike Immel is a former German football goalkeeper and manager.A leading youth international goalkeeper for West Germany in 1978, Eike Immel was still seventeen years of age when he succeeded Horst Bertram as Borussia Dortmund's first-choice...
. In January 1996, he moved across the city 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...
for £500,000, a record fee for a transfer between United and City, to be understudy to Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
. He never played a first team game for United, made the substitutes' bench only once, and moved on to 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...
after just six months, for a fee of £600,000.
He made a few impressive performances for his new club (who had just been promoted to the Premier League as Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
champions) before breaking his leg in five places during a league match against Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. The injury marked the end of his playing career, although in April 2004, when in his 43rd year, he was brought in as emergency goalkeeping cover by Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
for a Conference
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...
fixture.
Post-retirement
From 1997 to 2007, Coton was goalkeeping coach at Manchester UnitedManchester 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...
, establishing himself as one of the best coaches in his field. He was forced to step down from the position in December 2007 due to a knee injury that stopped him participating in training sessions. He had had two operations in four months in order to correct his ongoing knee problems, but after discussions with his surgeon and the Manchester United medical staff, they agreed that retirement was the best option. Coton remained at Manchester United until the end of his contract in June 2008, but with reduced coaching responsibilities.
He went on to become a player's agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
.