Colin Appleton
Encyclopedia
Colin Appleton is a former footballer who played as a wing-half. Appleton began his career at Scarborough
, but made his name making 333 appearances for Leicester City
during a 12-year period, where he formed a legendary half-back partnership with Frank McLintock
and Ian King.
He was captain of the celebrated Leicester side nicknamed the "ice kings" which chased the double in 1962–63
and he also captained the club to their first ever major honour, winning the 1964 League Cup
.
He later playing for Charlton Athletic
and Barrow
, before re-joining and managing Scarborough. He went on to manage Hull
, Swansea
and Exeter City
.
before joining Leicester City
in March 1954, just days after his 18 birthday, after being recommended to manager Norman Bullock
by then Scarborough manager and former Leicester player Reg Halton. He made his first team debut just six months later against Manchester City
, though made just 5 senior appearances over the next 2 years as he tried to balance his football schedule with his national service.
However in the 1956–57
season he began to see more first team action, helping Leicester on their to the Second Division
title. However, it wasn't until the appointment of Matt Gillies
in November 1958 until Appleton's career at Leicester really began to blossom. Under Gillies, Appleton made the number 6 shirt his own and forged a fearsome half-back line partnership with Frank McLintock
and Ian King.
He helped Leicester reach the 1961 FA Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur
, managed by fellow 'Scarborian' Bill Nicholson
. The Spurs side also contained Malton
-born Terry Dyson
. Gillies made him club captain soon after, which saw him captain one of the most celebrated sides in the club's history as Leicester chased the double in 1962–63
. Though it would eventually amount to nothing as Leicester eventually collapsed at the end of the league season and ended up finishing a disappointing 4th position, the club then lost to 3–1 to Manchester United
in the FA Cup final.
However Appleton did captain Leicester to their first ever major trophy, winning the 1964 League Cup
and also scored in the first leg of the 1965 League Cup final
, as they reached the competition's final for the second consecutive season, however he could not prevent his team losing to Chelsea going down 3–2 on aggregate.
He was awarded a testimonial at Leicester in 1964 in recognition of his services to the club and moved on to Charlton Athletic
two years later after 12 years with the club.
, including scoring the winning goal in the semi-final to see the club reach the final, also being named the club's player of the season in what would turn out to be his final as a player. He was named the club's permanent manager two years later and led them to a further two FA Trophy
triumphs. Making his three FA Trophy successes a record at the time.
His success in charge of Scarborough saw Hull City
appoint him in 1982 and he led the club to promotion from the Fourth Division
in his first season in charge. He then almost guided the club to back-to-back promotions, finishing third in the Third Division
in his second season in charge, missing out on promotion by a single point.
Swansea City managed to entice him away from Hull, though Appleton won just 4 of his 18 games in charge of the Swans and was sacked after just six months in charge. Appleton then had a two year spell in charge of Exeter City
before a brief and unsuccessful return to Hull City before officially retiring from the game. He had failed to win the respect of his players at Hull, and the 'big characters' at the club joked around at his expense, whilst on the pitch the club slid to bottom of the Second Division.
Hull City
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
, but made his name making 333 appearances for Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
during a 12-year period, where he formed a legendary half-back partnership with Frank McLintock
Frank McLintock
Francis "Frank" McLintock MBE is a Scottish former football defender who played for Leicester City, Arsenal and QPR.-Leicester City:...
and Ian King.
He was captain of the celebrated Leicester side nicknamed the "ice kings" which chased the double in 1962–63
1962-63 in English football
The 1962–63 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Everton won the League Championship, their first post-war title.*Manchester United won the FA Cup, their first major trophy since the Munich Air Disaster in 1958....
and he also captained the club to their first ever major honour, winning the 1964 League Cup
1964 Football League Cup Final
The 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
.
He later playing for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
, before re-joining and managing Scarborough. He went on to manage Hull
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, Swansea
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
and Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
.
Leicester City
Appleton began his career as a youngster with his hometown club of ScarboroughScarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
before joining Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in March 1954, just days after his 18 birthday, after being recommended to manager Norman Bullock
Norman Bullock
Norman Bullock was the manager of Leicester City from 1949 to 1955. He also managed Bury for two four-year spells.He was born in Monton, Eccles, Lancashire....
by then Scarborough manager and former Leicester player Reg Halton. He made his first team debut just six months later against 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...
, though made just 5 senior appearances over the next 2 years as he tried to balance his football schedule with his national service.
However in the 1956–57
1956-57 in English football
The 1956–57 season was the 77th season of competitive football in England.Manchester United won the First Division to become English football champions for the fifth time. Tottenham Hotspur were runners-up. In the Second Division it was Leicester City who finished in top spot, ahead of East...
season he began to see more first team action, helping Leicester on their to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
title. However, it wasn't until the appointment of Matt Gillies
Matt Gillies
Matthew "Matt" Muirhead Gillies was a Scottish football player and manager who played for, captained, coached and managed Leicester City for a total of 15 years between 1952–1955 and 1956-1968. He is the club's longest serving manager, lasting a decade in the manager's seat between November...
in November 1958 until Appleton's career at Leicester really began to blossom. Under Gillies, Appleton made the number 6 shirt his own and forged a fearsome half-back line partnership with Frank McLintock
Frank McLintock
Francis "Frank" McLintock MBE is a Scottish former football defender who played for Leicester City, Arsenal and QPR.-Leicester City:...
and Ian King.
He helped Leicester reach the 1961 FA Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, managed by fellow 'Scarborian' Bill Nicholson
Bill Nicholson (footballer)
William Edward "Bill" Nicholson OBE was an English football player, coach, manager and scout who devoted his life to Tottenham Hotspur in North London.-Early life:...
. The Spurs side also contained Malton
Malton, North Yorkshire
Malton is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The town is the location of the offices of Ryedale District Council and has a population of around 4,000 people....
-born Terry Dyson
Terry Dyson
Terry Dyson is a retired footballer.- Career:The winger joined Tottenham Hotspur from non-league Scarborough in 1955, and played for Spurs until 1965. He was a regular member of The Double winning side of 1960-61, and scored in the 1961 FA Cup Final against Leicester...
. Gillies made him club captain soon after, which saw him captain one of the most celebrated sides in the club's history as Leicester chased the double in 1962–63
1962-63 in English football
The 1962–63 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Everton won the League Championship, their first post-war title.*Manchester United won the FA Cup, their first major trophy since the Munich Air Disaster in 1958....
. Though it would eventually amount to nothing as Leicester eventually collapsed at the end of the league season and ended up finishing a disappointing 4th position, the club then lost to 3–1 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...
in the FA Cup final.
However Appleton did captain Leicester to their first ever major trophy, winning the 1964 League Cup
1964 Football League Cup Final
The 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
and also scored in the first leg of the 1965 League Cup final
1965 Football League Cup Final
The 1965 Football League Cup Final, the fifth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Leicester City and Chelsea over two legs. Leicester, the holders, were aiming to become the first side to retain the trophy while Chelsea were seeking to become the first London side...
, as they reached the competition's final for the second consecutive season, however he could not prevent his team losing to Chelsea going down 3–2 on aggregate.
He was awarded a testimonial at Leicester in 1964 in recognition of his services to the club and moved on to Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
two years later after 12 years with the club.
Post-Leicester
A season long spell at Charlton, which included a brief reunion with Ian King, was followed by a two year spell as player-manager of Barrow, before rejoining his hometown team of Scarborough in 1969 as player/manager.Managerial career
Appleton helped guide the club to victory in the FA TrophyFA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
, including scoring the winning goal in the semi-final to see the club reach the final, also being named the club's player of the season in what would turn out to be his final as a player. He was named the club's permanent manager two years later and led them to a further two FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
triumphs. Making his three FA Trophy successes a record at the time.
His success in charge of Scarborough saw Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
appoint him in 1982 and he led the club to promotion from the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
in his first season in charge. He then almost guided the club to back-to-back promotions, finishing third in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
in his second season in charge, missing out on promotion by a single point.
Swansea City managed to entice him away from Hull, though Appleton won just 4 of his 18 games in charge of the Swans and was sacked after just six months in charge. Appleton then had a two year spell in charge of Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
before a brief and unsuccessful return to Hull City before officially retiring from the game. He had failed to win the respect of his players at Hull, and the 'big characters' at the club joked around at his expense, whilst on the pitch the club slid to bottom of the Second Division.
As a player
Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champion: 1956–571956-57 in English footballThe 1956–57 season was the 77th season of competitive football in England.Manchester United won the First Division to become English football champions for the fifth time. Tottenham Hotspur were runners-up. In the Second Division it was Leicester City who finished in top spot, ahead of East... - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
runner-up: 1961FA Cup Final 1961The 1961 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1961 at Wembley with Tottenham Hotspur beating Leicester City 2–0. Tottenham had already won the League and were chasing the League and Cup Double...
, 1963 - League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winner: 19641964 Football League Cup FinalThe 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
, runner-up: 19651965 Football League Cup FinalThe 1965 Football League Cup Final, the fifth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Leicester City and Chelsea over two legs. Leicester, the holders, were aiming to become the first side to retain the trophy while Chelsea were seeking to become the first London side...
As a player
ScarboroughScarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
- FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
winner: 1973, 1976, 1977
Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
- Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
runner-up (promoted): 1982–831982-83 in English footballThe 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...