Tony Coton

[Franny Lee's Barrel Chest]

I saw TC a few weeks ago at Morecambe as he was there to see Mark Lillis. His knees are knackered and can't coach anymore so he's gone into the agency business. He still loves City as a club, and wants us to do well. Had quite a decent chat actually.

Professionally, he had a duty to himself and his family, and if that means being employed by the rags, then so be it. Although I didn't talk to him about that.

Still a top guy in my opinion, and that's as a result of spending time with him.

 

[Dyed Petya]

I could never claim to be ITK now, but back in the mid nineties I was. Did a job that brought me into contact with a lot of the goings on at MCFC. (Rather depressing it was too, because the more you found out, the clearer it became just how badly f**ked the club was).

Anyway, one day in January 1996, I was asked to review a facility agreement from a major bank under which they would advance City the first instalment on the purchase of Nigel Clough on condition (spelled out explicitly in the agreement) that City paid it back through the sale of Tony Coton for GBP 470K. Looking back at Soccerbase, the Clough deal went through on 24 January and the Coton deal went through on 31 January, with the player taking a lot of persuading. City were desperate for the deal with United to go ahead.

I was told that Sunderland had offered GBP 500K for Coton and he wanted to go there, but they wanted to pay GBP 250K up front and the rest over 12 month. We needed GBP 470K up front to pay the bank back, and the Rags had enough cash to offer that all up front in one payment. Coton was basically, as I understand, told that he'd be training with the kids if he stayed and would never play even as a last resort.

Ferguson promised Coton that he could go to Sunderland in the summer, and that swung it. Coton decided that he'd rather spend the next four months on the bench at a club challenging for trophies, make a few quid from the signing on fee and then get the move he wanted. Sadly for him, injury finished his career after only a few games for the Mackems.

When the alternative was to be a pariah at a badly run club in the process of going down the pan, can you really blame him? And after that, when he was offered a coaching job at a successful club where he was well thought of in an area of the country where he was settled when no comparable vacancy existed for him at City anyway, why shouldn't he take it? He has to make a living, after all.

People really need to grow up with their view of some of this stuff. Tony Coton is a football professional and he's entitled to make choices based on what's based for his career. He owes City fans nothing when he exercises that judgement, especially as he was treated like crap by our club anyway.

 

[Kim]

As quite a newcomer to these things I am finding it diffulcult to understand,. I do know Peter barnes played for both Manchester teams (City and United). Do you despise him as well also?

 

[blue_bird]

Ive read that recent interview aswell-he got fucked over by Francis lee bigtime

I dunno how true it is but I heard that Franny lee was reading the racing post or something and called Coton in to his office to tell him that he was being sold to the rags.
I was bladdered at a do a couple of years back and Coton was there. I just asked him why he left City (crap question he's probly been asked a million times but you say daft shit to famous people while your drunk don't you) and he just said that, well I won't say what he said but it was short and to the point and wasn't very complimentary of francis less let's put it that way!

It was actually Alan Ball. TC was called to his office and when he knocked on the door Ball was sat with his flat cap on, feet up on the table and reading The Racing Post.

 

[billybluehat]

I dunno how true it is but I heard that Franny lee was reading the racing post or something and called Coton in to his office to tell him that he was being sold to the rags.
I was bladdered at a do a couple of years back and Coton was there. I just asked him why he left City (crap question he's probly been asked a million times but you say daft shit to famous people while your drunk don't you) and he just said that, well I won't say what he said but it was short and to the point and wasn't very complimentary of francis less let's put it that way!

It was actually Alan Ball. TC was called to his office and when he knocked on the door Ball was sat with his flat cap on, feet up on the table and reading The Racing Post.

hope he picked his horses better than he picked his teams .

 

[emilymcfc]

The TC interview that is getting mentioned in here is <a class="postlink" href="http://footypundette.blogspot.com/2009/04/tony-coton-exclusive-interview-fact-is.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://footypundette.blogspot.com/2009/ ... ct-is.html</a> with part two also available on there. I don't resent him one bit for doing what he did, the club that came in for him and offered him a lifeline just happened to be the Stretford neighbours...he was pushed out and felt he didn't have much of an option.

 

[Mental_blue]

He was under contract at City, he would have got paid whatever, waited round until Ball got the boot then jobs a goodun.

What and play second fiddle to Eike Immel? Fair enough he still had to be number 2 to Schmeichel but I think we both know that wouldn't be as degrading.

Ball made it clear TCs services were not required, he's not going to stay where he's not wanted is he?

Don't forget Ball (under instructions from Franny) got rid of a few players in that first season coz they thought they were being overpaid. Quinney and Walsh spring to mind and I think TC was another.

 

[flapjack]

concrete coton ;-))