Tony Coleman league winners medal 1965/66

[StocktonRover]

Tony Coleman was before my time watching Rovers so when I noticed this on eBay it was only of passing interest to me.

Because I had viewed the item I got an email telling me I had missed out on it and was quite surprised just how much interest there was in the medal and how much it had sold for.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203136964282

£977.89 is a decent price.

A quick search on Wikipedia found this about him - sounds like an interesting Character.

Anthony George Coleman (born 2 May 1945) is an English former footballer who made 250 appearances in the Football League playing for Tranmere Rovers, Preston North End, Doncaster Rovers, Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Southport and Stockport County. He played on the left wing.

Coleman was known for his disciplinary problems during his career. He was thrown out of the youth team at Stoke City, deemed unmanageable by Preston North End and was almost banned for life by the FA after attacking a referee whilst at Doncaster Rovers.

In November 2009, an interview with Coleman was broadcast on Manchester City football show Blue Tuesday on BBC Manchester in which he spoke about his life in Australia and revealed that he intended to raise money by selling his football medals.

[idler]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

[bradford exile]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

Dave, I was there at the match he threw a punch at the Ref. Rumour was he made a couple of disparaging remarks to Coleman after he had sent him off.

Coleman was almost down the tunnel when he about turned and threw the punch. Always wondered why he hadn't got band then the rumour started. Think it was against Notts County the game.

Regards

Ray

[drfchound]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

Dave, I was there at the match he threw a punch at the Ref. Rumour was he made a couple of disparaging remarks to Coleman after he had sent him off.

Coleman was almost down the tunnel when he about turned and threw the punch. Always wondered why he hadn't got band then the rumour started. Think it was against Notts County the game.

Regards

Ray

I was there too Ray.
I remember the punch being thrown in front of the pop stand, on the opposite side of the pitch to the tunnel.

[RoversAlias]

Paging "Coleman's Left Hook"!

[EasyforDennis]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

Dave, I was there at the match he threw a punch at the Ref. Rumour was he made a couple of disparaging remarks to Coleman after he had sent him off.

Coleman was almost down the tunnel when he about turned and threw the punch. Always wondered why he hadn't got band then the rumour started. Think it was against Notts County the game.

Regards

Ray

I was there too Ray.
I remember the punch being thrown in front of the pop stand, on the opposite side of the pitch to the tunnel.

It was on the pop side but it was about 10 yards from the corner flag at the town end.

[idler]

I thought that it was a bit nearer to the half way line. We had been behind the Town End and were moving to the Rosso end for the second half. I remember their left back holding him and then getting the ball. Tony didn't take kindly to it and took him out. Jack Pickles marched over and sent him off. Tony must have walked five or ten yards towards the tunnel and then just turned walked up to Pickles and smacked him making his knees buckle.
I later asked a mate, Malc Redfern who played in the rovers intermediates with Willie Watson and Alan Warboys what happened. He said that Tony told him he just saw red and lost it as he was walking off. Whether the club embroidered it a bit and cooked the story up I don't know.
We had a couple of previous incidents with the same ref. Somewhere upstairs I have the Rovers and York match report sent to the FA about the game against York City where Pickles had a bad game and sent one of our players off. Rovers secretary wrote and extra sheet about him.Maybe he held a grudge.
I'll try to scan it and post it.

[BobG]

I was always led to believe that Harry Gregg was in the Main Stand that night. My old Dad always told me that Harry was so appalled by the performance of Pickles that night that he personally got in touch with the FA to defend Tony Coleman's thump. That, I understood, had a lot to do with the FA not banning him sine die.

Good player was TC  I remember him playing.

BobG

[Donnywolf]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

Dave, I was there at the match he threw a punch at the Ref. Rumour was he made a couple of disparaging remarks to Coleman after he had sent him off.

Coleman was almost down the tunnel when he about turned and threw the punch. Always wondered why he hadn't got band then the rumour started. Think it was against Notts County the game.

Regards

Ray

I was there too Ray.
I remember the punch being thrown in front of the pop stand, on the opposite side of the pitch to the tunnel.

Remember it was in Town End half towards Pop Side where TC dropped the Ref with a single punch

10 yards inside TE half 30 yards from Pop side touchline

BB would have had a front row Seat as he says in his Pram

Memories eh?

[Donnywolf]

In agreement with Idler... I wrote mine then saw his

Reckon Ray remembered the bit where TC initially walked away and then stode back

I left that out initially as I wondered if I was mis remembering

Sure I've seen a photo in the past showing my placement about right lol

[Alickismyhero]

I was there.

 I also recall that TC gave his  League Cup winners medal away  to one of the Man  City supporters outside their ground.

[weststander]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

Dave, I was there at the match he threw a punch at the Ref. Rumour was he made a couple of disparaging remarks to Coleman after he had sent him off.

Coleman was almost down the tunnel when he about turned and threw the punch. Always wondered why he hadn't got band then the rumour started. Think it was against Notts County the game.

Regards

Ray

I think the ref’s name was Pickles

[drfchound]

I thought that it was a bit nearer to the half way line. We had been behind the Town End and were moving to the Rosso end for the second half. I remember their left back holding him and then getting the ball. Tony didn't take kindly to it and took him out. Jack Pickles marched over and sent him off. Tony must have walked five or ten yards towards the tunnel and then just turned walked up to Pickles and smacked him making his knees buckle.
I later asked a mate, Malc Redfern who played in the rovers intermediates with Willie Watson and Alan Warboys what happened. He said that Tony told him he just saw red and lost it as he was walking off. Whether the club embroidered it a bit and cooked the story up I don't know.
We had a couple of previous incidents with the same ref. Somewhere upstairs I have the Rovers and York match report sent to the FA about the game against York City where Pickles had a bad game and sent one of our players off. Rovers secretary wrote and extra sheet about him.Maybe he held a grudge.
I'll try to scan it and post it.

Agreed idler, around halfway.
I was at the Rosso end when it happened.

[andy didcott]

Interesting, he may have given it away to a fan as it looks like it was sold by a coin dealer last night. Maybe he wishes he had never given it away,as about 10 years ago in an interview he said he was going to sell his football medals, possibly fallen on hard times to do that.

[richtherover]

I remember the incident well as he was going out with my sister at the time! I was on the Pop side and can remember Alick leading him away afterwards. Bad night all round as we lost 3 - 0. Think it was a 6 or 7 game ban in the end.

[Donnywolf]

He certainly led a colourful life all through his career. Some of the stories when here and later at Man. City were very entertaining. He would never last in today's game with his lifestyle.

Dave, I was there at the match he threw a punch at the Ref. Rumour was he made a couple of disparaging remarks to Coleman after he had sent him off.

Coleman was almost down the tunnel when he about turned and threw the punch. Always wondered why he hadn't got band then the rumour started. Think it was against Notts County the game.

Regards

Ray

I think the ref’s name was Pickles

Yes it was Pickles - same name as the Dog that found the World Cup in 66 and which incidentally was probably a better Ref than Pickles the Ref was

[ravenrover]

For once I was on the main stand terracing, TC walked away then went back to lamp him. It was much nearer the pop side maybe only 10 - 15 yards from touchline just inside the Rosso End half

[BiargeBob]

I was there also, what a player. He was the first footballer I heard swear on the TV, when interviewed after the 1968/69 FA Cup Final, he was asked how he felt, he replied " I'm Knackered" . In the 60's it was a no no to swear on TV.

A couple of articles about TC :- https://www.citytilidie.com/latest/leicester-fa-cup-final-196869

https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/cult-heroes-no-3-tony-coleman-63721192

[Donnywolf]

Yes strange I had seen and was shocked by the I am knackered interview  at the time and yet had forgotten till you reminded me

Cheers - it sure is a bit different now lol !

[AlonzoDrake]

Recalling Tony Coleman brings back so many happy memories of that wonderful 1965/66 season. But recalling only his fiery character and the Pickles incident which I witnessed, overlooks what a hell of a player he was -- way too good for D4, and he was one of the main reasons why we clinched the D4 Championship that season. He was quick, powerful and had a tremendous shot. Also, Coleman was a shining light in the awful 1966/67 season, and I vividly recall how disappointed I was when we sold him to Manchester City. However it was wonderful to see him some time later -- on TV in the 1969 Cup Final, playing for City. And I did see him once more playing for the Owls at Hillsborough. Also, if memory serves TC was Bill Leivers' last signing for Rovers before Leivers resigned citing Board intervention in February, 1966. TC also arrived at the club as another virtual Rovers legend, Bobby Gilfillan, who played some 200 first team games for Rovers.

[Donnywolf]

When I saw that Punch I thought Sine Die a term I was used to hearing as my Dad was Secretary of Sunday League team

[bigal]

Teamed up well with albert
Broadbent

[scawsby steve]

Teamed up well with albert
Broadbent

I might be wrong, but I think Broadbent had left before TC signed for us.

[bigal]

They did play together

[bangormaine]

Coleman was one of my favourite players of that era. I can confirm the incident took place near the halfway line about ten yards inside the Town End half, about twenty yards from the Pop Side touchline. I continued to follow his exploits with Man City and was pleased that his skill was recognised at the higher level. With the arrival of Google I found out a few years ago he was a lorry driver in Australia where he had married a coloured girl. He got so fed up of the racial slurs aimed her way that he upped sticks and moved to Thailand. Last year I was at a Hotel next to Wembley the night before the Watford  v Man City Cup Final. Watching the Charlton Rovers match in the Hotel Bar. A couple of guys older than me joined me as there was nothing better to do and we started talking about football in general. They asked why I was going to see a Man City match the next day when I was a Donny fan and I told them about Tony Coleman. There then followed ten minutes of unadulterated man love from the two City fans as they extolled the fans love of that boy Coleman. He was a real hero for the Man City faithful of the era. Don't know how much of Tonys Australian story is true but it was on the internet so it must have been correctish. Just thought I would add my two pence worth.

[bigal]

Was it veall or meridith who replaced coleman

[idler]

I heard that he went to South Africa and was jailed for his relationship with a none white girl.
Veal and Meredith were a few years before TC.

[bigal]

Veal and meridith thanks for that

[Wiltshire Exile]

As has been mentioned here, the referee who T.C. bopped was a bloke called Pickles. Somewhere in my loft is a copy of the programme, and I am certain that one of the linesmen, (as they were known then!), is named as a Mr Pickles!   

[idler]

Here is a previous report on Jack Pickles at a Rovers game in 1961.
I remember Bunny Larkin's frustration boiling over in the Town End penalty area as we were pushing for a goal.