Colin Boulton
Encyclopedia
Colin Donald Boulton was a football player who played as a Goalkeeper.
player to take part in all 84-league games during the team's two Championship winning seasons.
His career began at lowly Charlton Kings then he took to the beat by playing for Gloucester Police. Boulton was actually a Police Cadet in Cheltenham when he was noticed by Rams manager Tim Ward
. Boulton arrived at the Baseball Ground
in August 1964. His course to the first team was not always a smooth one, and it must have seemed to him that he was being overlooked as Brian Clough
signed Rochdale keeper Les Green
in 1968. It took another three seasons for Boulton to get his chance in the first team. Boulton kept 23 clean sheets during the Championship-winning 1971–72 season.
In September 1976, Boulton joined Southampton
on loan for a month, as manager Lawrie McMenemy
had lost confidence in Ian Turner (who had helped "the Saints" win the FA Cup
only a few months earlier) and reserve 'keeper Steve Middleton. He played five games for The Dell club, winning two and losing two, including a 6–2 defeat at Charlton Athletic
and victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers
by the same scoreline; in his five games, he conceded 11 goals.
Boulton went on to make 344 first team appearances for Derby County before a move to America where he played for Tulsa Roughnecks and Los Angeles Aztecs between 1979 and 1980.
Boulton's final team was back in England, where he played for Lincoln City
. However in his fourth game he sustained an injury that was to end his playing career.
On 2 March 2009, it was announced that Boulton had been voted the greatest goalkeeper in Derby County's history.
-based sports company.
Football career
Solid, dependable, ever present are among the things that were said about him. Boulton was the only Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
player to take part in all 84-league games during the team's two Championship winning seasons.
His career began at lowly Charlton Kings then he took to the beat by playing for Gloucester Police. Boulton was actually a Police Cadet in Cheltenham when he was noticed by Rams manager Tim Ward
Tim Ward (footballer)
Tim Ward was an English footballer and subsequently football manager, most notable for his success with Derby County.-Biography:...
. Boulton arrived at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
in August 1964. His course to the first team was not always a smooth one, and it must have seemed to him that he was being overlooked as Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
signed Rochdale keeper Les Green
Les Green
Leslie "Les" Green is a former English footballer and manager.-Atherstone Town:Les Green started out at a young age playing for youth teams around his hometown of Atherstone...
in 1968. It took another three seasons for Boulton to get his chance in the first team. Boulton kept 23 clean sheets during the Championship-winning 1971–72 season.
In September 1976, Boulton joined Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
on loan for a month, as manager Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy MBE is a retired English football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton Football Club...
had lost confidence in Ian Turner (who had helped "the Saints" win the FA Cup
FA Cup
The 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...
only a few months earlier) and reserve 'keeper Steve Middleton. He played five games for The Dell club, winning two and losing two, including a 6–2 defeat at 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 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
by the same scoreline; in his five games, he conceded 11 goals.
Boulton went on to make 344 first team appearances for Derby County before a move to America where he played for Tulsa Roughnecks and Los Angeles Aztecs between 1979 and 1980.
Boulton's final team was back in England, where he played for Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
. However in his fourth game he sustained an injury that was to end his playing career.
On 2 March 2009, it was announced that Boulton had been voted the greatest goalkeeper in Derby County's history.
Later career
On retiring from football, he initially returned to his original career as a police officer, but by the mid 1990s, he was working for a HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
-based sports company.
Honours
Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
- Football League champions: 1971–1972, 1974–1975