Obituary - Colin Coldspring

Corinthian-Casuals are sad to learn of the death of Colin Coldspring – a former player who notched up 161 appearances with the club in the early 1980s. Our sincerest condolences are extended to his family and friends.

For three seasons between 1981 and 1984, Colin Coldspring was virtually ever present in the club’s 1st team. A tall, powerful, central defender, Colin was signed by manager Billy Smith from Sunday football - where he played for Croydon Municipal Offices FC - in the 1981 close season. He made his debut on 15th Aug 1981 against Letchworth Garden City (away) in the Isthmian League and that he didn’t miss a first team match that season. He was rewarded by being voted Club ‘Player of the Year’. 1982/83 was the Club’s centenary season and Colin made 51 appearances and scored 3 goals. He took part in the Sheriff of London Shield match against Watford at Vicarage Road in March 1983.

His last season - 1983/84 - was momentous in several ways: in July the Club arranged to play Queen’s Park (Glasgow) and the players paid their own expenses to get to the game, played at the historic Hampden Park ground. Then followed a successful F.A. Cup run that took Corinthian-Casuals to the 1st round proper - only the second occasion on which that stage has been reached (previously 1965). Colin played in the 0-0 draw against Bristol City at Dulwich Hamlet; the South London Press reported that “The crowd of 2216 who turned up to see a giant-killing act, were also treated to a lion hearted display from central defender Colin Coldspring, who battled on with a head injury which needed four stitches.” He recovered to line up for the replay at Ashton Gate, which Bristol City won 4-0. In that season he played in 61 1st team games, scoring 4 times.
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His team-mates were also very complimentary of him. Alan Pardew, former FA Cup finalist with Palace and later Premier League Manager said " Colin Coldspring was my enforcer in that team. I was very, very skinny – my body didn’t really come until I was 22 or 23. I was just filling out a little bit when I got to Casuals, but if anyone kicked me or got near me, because I was a bit flirty around it, thought I was a bit of an Eric Cantona-type – well, he would go and smash them, or make it very clear to them to leave me alone." Pardew described them as 'great friends' long after their Casuals days together.
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His Corinthian-Casuals career record is 161 appearances with 7 goals. He was employed as a technical officer with British Telecom. Colin went onto play for Dulwich Hamlet and become part of the management team with Coney Hall FC in the early 2000s, winning the Combined Counties League Division One with the club.

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