18 Facts About Tony Coton

Anthony Philip Coton was born on 19 May 1961 and is an English football coach and former footballer who is a goalkeeper scout for Premier League side Manchester United.

Tony Coton started his professional career at Birmingham City in 1978, having signed from Mile Oak Rovers the previous year.

Tony Coton made his Football League debut as a 19-year-old, on 27 December 1980 in the First Division match against Sunderland.

Tony Coton 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.

Tony Coton remained with the club even after their relegation from the First Division in 1988.

Tony Coton later became the second player to be inducted into Watford's Hall of Fame, behind club legend Luther Blissett.

Tony Coton never played a first team game for United and made the substitutes bench only once although during a time where only three substitutes could be named.

Tony Coton made a few impressive performances for his new club before breaking his leg in five places during a league match against Southampton.

Tony Coton was included in several England squads between 1991 and 1993 by manager Graham Taylor, but never took the field.

Tony Coton was a member of the party that toured Australasia in 1991, and was called up for a Euro 1992 qualifier against Turkey later that year.

Tony Coton was called up as reserve goalkeeper for what proved to be Taylor's last match as England manager, the World Cup qualifier against San Marino, and Taylor's successor, Terry Venables, included him in an England training camp in April 1994, but again he withdrew through injury.

From 1997 to 2007, Tony Coton was goalkeeping coach at Manchester United.

Tony Coton was forced to step down from the position in December 2007 due to a knee injury that stopped him participating in training sessions.

Tony Coton had had two operations in four months 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.

Tony Coton remained at Manchester United until the end of his contract in June 2008, but with reduced coaching responsibilities.

Tony Coton spent time as chief scout of Wigan Athletic in 2014, and scouted for Bolton Wanderers, before joining Aston Villa in 2015 as goalkeeping scout.

Tony Coton then spent two years as their head of domestic scouting, before returning to Sunderland as head of recruitment in June 2018.

In 2020, Tony Coton re-joined Manchester United as the club's goalkeeper scout.