269: Tony Coton, Manchester City, Merlin’s Premier League 95 Sticker Collection

Mat Jolin-Beech is back with some more about a holiday he apparently went on recently. Today’s subject racked up over 500 professional appearances for the likes of Birmingham City, Watford and Manchester City and was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the last top flight season before the start of the Premier League. Of course this is of absolutely no interest compared to Mat’s struggles to part with his hard earned cash, however, so over to him with the rest.

Some shirts are hard to find. Just ask the Manchester United team from 1996 that rocked up to The Dell. Grey shirts, white shorts and white socks. Up against the tight crowd at Southampton’s classic ground (commentator code for old, cramped and small) the grey shirts faded into the background. At least that’s the excuse those United players and manager Alex Ferguson used. Or more accurately the sports scientist behind the scenes so much so that Ferguson had vetoed the shirt previously, and this was to be its last foray. Or should that be 45.

3-0 down at half time, the Red Devils emerged with the white shorts and socks in tact, but the grey, Sharp Viewcam adorned shirts swapped for the blue and white stripes that would become the de facto away kit for the rest of the season. For what it’s worth it paid off as United went on to win. The second half. 1-0. Or, for the pedants out there, a 3-1 defeat. For those wondering where the face for this piece, Tony Coton, comes into play, wonder no more.


He arrived at United for the 1995/96 season by swapping the blue half of the city for red in a then-record £500,000 move between the clubs. That may still be a record and I’m not sure and can’t find out anything to debunk that now-fact. He only made the bench once in the league, this game, at a time when only three subs could be named on the bench. He is part of a select group of players to have been on the books of both but didn't feature at first team level for both: Shaun Goater, Jon Macken, Jadon Sancho. Elite.

The other players on the bench for this game were Paul Scholes and David May. As for Coton, he not only almost-appeared in a game where players could almost be seen, but he swiftly moved on to Sunderland for £600,000 (tidy profit there). Sadly a leg break ended his playing career. He would, however, go on to have a bigger impact at United as a goalkeeping coach and then as a scout from 2020. Incidentally he must have had a roll in bringing the lesser seen Jack Butland to the club; nice circularity there with a lesser seen keeper bringing in a lesser seen keeper.

Those United shirts were impossible to find that day, as were minutes for Coton at United. Why am I going on about this? Well, in a recent holiday I’m not sure I’ve mentioned I wanted to get K League or J league shirt. Could I find any? No. There were plenty of Premier league shirts. Even a Real Madrid and Barcelona shirt were on the rails in the massive not-quite a Sports Direct sports stores taking up acres of shopping mall real estate but there was nothing from the domestic leagues. My hunt came from my need to wear one at the next Thursday night football, gracing the rubber crumb at Sandwich Leisure Centre. One of those could-only be from outside of Europe shirts plastered with sponsors on every possible surface, and a design unique to the Asian leagues.

Could I find one? No. I even resorted to bidding on one on eBay, although I lost out in the end, and I think the shirt failed to sell. Instead, I opted for a Japan home shirt which is suitable jazzy, but not too jazzy, Adorned by number 21 and Doan. I think he plays for Dortmund. *checks Wikipedia* I was close. Ritsu Doan: Who is the Freiburg winger dubbed 'Japan's Messi'. So, the new face of Japanese football. What I will say though, is the Japan shirt is a lovely one. Nice design, some quality details on it but then again it should be at £70, even in the sale! At least I could find one, unlike the elusive K League and J League shirts. I mean, do all the Korean and Japanese fans just go topless to games, or wearing English club shirts instead? Let’s just be glad that Coton and that United team in 1996 didn’t resort to a shirts v skins game that day!

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