View source for Colin Appleton

{{Short description|English footballer (1936–2021)}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Colin Appleton
| image = 
| caption = 
| fullname = Colin Harry Appleton<ref name="hugman">{{Hugman | 443 | Colin Appleton | access-date = 26 November 2017}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1936|3|7}}
| birth_place = [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]], [[North Riding of Yorkshire]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2021|5|31|1936|3|7}}
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position = [[Wing half]], [[centre half]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = 1951–1953
| youthclubs1 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| years1 = 1953–1954
| clubs1 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| caps1 = 
| goals1 = 
| years2 = 1954–1966
| clubs2 = [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
| caps2 = 277
| goals2 = 19
| years3 = 1966–1967
| clubs3 = [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]]
| caps3 = 28
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 1967–1969
| clubs4 = [[Barrow A.F.C.|Barrow]]
| caps4 = 43
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 1969–1973
| clubs5 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| caps5 = 
| goals5 = 
| manageryears1 = 1967–1969
| managerclubs1 = [[Barrow A.F.C.|Barrow]]
| manageryears2 = 1969–1973
| managerclubs2 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| manageryears3 = 1975–1981
| managerclubs3 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| manageryears4 = 1982–1984
| managerclubs4 = [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]
| manageryears5 = 1984
| managerclubs5 = [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]]
| manageryears6 = 1985–1987
| managerclubs6 = [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]]
| manageryears7 = 1987–1989
| managerclubs7 = [[Bridlington Town A.F.C.|Bridlington Town]]
| manageryears8 = 1989
| managerclubs8 = [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]
| totalcaps = 348
| totalgoals = 21
}}

'''Colin Harry Appleton''' (7 March 1936 – 31 May 2021) was an English [[association football|footballer]] and [[manager (association football)|manager]]. He was captain of the celebrated Leicester side nicknamed the "ice kings" which chased the double in [[1962-63 in English football|1962–63]] and he also captained the club to their first ever major honour, winning the [[1964 Football League Cup Final|1964 League Cup]].

He later played for [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]] and [[Barrow A.F.C.|Barrow]], before playing for and managing [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]. He went on to manage [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]], [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]], [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] and [[Bridlington Town A.F.C.|Bridlington Town]].

==Career==
===Playing career===
====Leicester City====
Appleton began his career as a youngster with his hometown club of [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]] before joining [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in March 1954, just days after his 18th 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 F.C.|Manchester City]], though he made just five senior appearances over the next two years as he tried to balance his football schedule with his [[national service]].

However, in the [[1956–57 in English football|1956–57]] season he began to see more first team action, helping Leicester on their to the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] title. However, it was not 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 (footballer)|Ian King]].<ref name="OFAF">{{Cite book|author=Dave Smith & Paul Taylor|title=Of Fossils and Foxes|year=2010|publisher=Pitch |isbn=978-1-905411-94-8}}</ref>

He helped Leicester reach the [[1961 FA Cup Final]] against [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]], managed by fellow 'Scarborian' [[Bill Nicholson (footballer)|Bill Nicholson]]. The Spurs side also contained [[Malton, North Yorkshire|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 in English football|1962–63]]. Though it would eventually amount to nothing as Leicester eventually collapsed at the end of the league season and ended up finishing in a disappointing 4th position, the club then lost 3–1 to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in the FA Cup final.

However Appleton did captain Leicester to their first ever major trophy, winning the [[1964 Football League Cup Final|1964 League Cup]] and also scored in the first leg of the [[1965 Football League Cup Final|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 F.C.|Charlton Athletic]] two years later after 12 years with the club.<ref>[http://www.footballzone.co.uk/colin-appleton-testimonial-leicester-city-6039.html  Colin Appleton Testimonial Leicester City 1964 ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322052751/http://www.footballzone.co.uk/colin-appleton-testimonial-leicester-city-6039.html |date=22 March 2012 }} footballzone.co.uk, retrieved 2 April 2011</ref>

====Post-Leicester City====
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 F.C.|Barrow]], before rejoining his hometown team of [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]] in 1969 as player/manager.

==Managerial career==
Appleton helped guide Scarborough to victory in the [[FA Trophy]], 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 A.F.C.|Hull City]] appoint him in 1982 and he led the club to promotion from the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]] in his first season in charge. He then almost guided the club to back-to-back promotions, finishing fourth in the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] in his second season in charge, missing out on promotion by a single goal.

[[Swansea City F.C.|Swansea City]] managed to entice him away from Hull City, though Appleton won just four 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 F.C.|Exeter City]] before a brief and unsuccessful return to Hull City before officially retiring from the game.<ref name="OFAF"/> 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.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Swan|first1=Peter|first2=Andrew |last2=Collomosse|title=Swanny: Confessions of a Lower-League Legend|publisher=[[John Blake (journalist)|John Blake]]|year=2008|isbn=978-1-84454-660-2}}
</ref>

==Death==
Appleton died on 31 May 2021, aged 85.<ref>{{cite news |last= Wobschall |first= Leon |date= 31 May 2021 |title= Former Hull City manager and Scarborough FC legend Colin Appleton passes away |url= https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/former-hull-city-manager-and-scarborough-fc-legend-colin-appleton-passes-away-3256288 |work= The Yorkshire Post |access-date= 2 June 2021}}</ref>

==Honours==
===As a player===
'''Leicester City'''
*[[Football League Second Division]]: [[1956–57 Football League Second Division|1956–57]]
*[[Football League Cup]]: [[1963–64 Football League Cup|1963–64]]; runner-up: [[1964–65 Football League Cup|1964–65]]
*[[FA Cup]] runner-up: [[1960–61 FA Cup|1960–61]],<ref name="FACRU"/> [[1962–63 FA Cup|1962–63]]<ref name="FACRU">{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354-09018-6 |page=490}}</ref>

===As a manager===
'''Scarborough'''
*[[FA Trophy]]: [[1972–73 FA Trophy|1972–73]], [[1975–76 FA Trophy|1975–76]], [[1976–77 FA Trophy|1976–77]]

'''Hull City'''
*[[Football League Fourth Division]] second-place promotion: [[1982–83 Football League Fourth Division|1982–83]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Soccerbase manager|297|Colin Appleton}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070106172305/http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/FamousPlayersDetail/0%2C%2C10274~57449%2C00.html Leicester City FC profile]

{{Scarborough F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Barrow A.F.C. managers}}
{{Scarborough F.C. managers}}
{{Hull City A.F.C. managers}}
{{Swansea City A.F.C. managers}}
{{Exeter City F.C. managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Appleton, Colin}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Scarborough, North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Scarborough F.C. players]]
[[Category:Leicester City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players]]
[[Category:Barrow A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Barrow A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Scarborough F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Hull City A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Swansea City A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Exeter City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Grimsby Town F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:English Football League representative players]]
[[Category:Bridlington Town A.F.C. managers]]