| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1940-05-18)18 May 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Taunton, England | ||
| Date of death | 31 October 2025(2025-10-31) (aged 85) | ||
| Place of death | Hereford, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward,midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1957–1961 | York City | 87 | (28) |
| 1961–1966 | Nottingham Forest | 160 | (62) |
| 1966–1967 | Arsenal | 28 | (9) |
| 1967–1971 | Sheffield United | 94 | (22) |
| 1971–1973 | Hereford United | 44 | (6) |
| Total | 413 | (127) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1971–1974 | Hereford United (player-manager) | ||
| 1975–1976 | Durban City | ||
| 1976–1977 | Notts County (assistant) | ||
| 1977–1978 | Newport County | ||
| 1979 | West Bromwich Albion (assistant) | ||
| 1979–1982 | Derby County | ||
| 1982–1985 | Newport County | ||
| 1985–1986 | Al-Ahli (Doha) | ||
| 1986–1987 | Celta Vigo | ||
| 1987–1988 | West Bromwich Albion (assistant) | ||
| 1988–1989 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| 1990 | Cádiz | ||
| 1990–1991 | Hereford United | ||
| 1992–1993 | Al-Arabi Kuwait | ||
| 1993–1994 | Cádiz | ||
| 1995–1996 | Badajoz | ||
| 1996–1998 | Merthyr Tydfil | ||
| 1999–2000 | Scarborough | ||
| 2000–2001 | Yeovil Town | ||
| 2001–2002 | Swansea City | ||
| 2002–2003 | Forest Green Rovers | ||
| 2004 | Barry Town | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Colin Addison (18 May 1940 – October 2025) was an English professionalfootball player and manager.
Addison was born inTaunton, Somerset. He started his playing career withYork City before moving toNottingham Forest,Arsenal andSheffield United. His managerial career started when he took the post of player-manager ofHereford United in 1971 during their famous 1971–72 FA Cup run, which saw them defeatNewcastle United.
Later, Addison managed a wide variety of clubs in the UK, as well as in Spain, South Africa, Kuwait and Qatar.
Addison was born inTaunton[1] but brought up inYork. He joinedYork City as an amateur and turned professional in May 1957.[1]
In his second season, he scored 10 league goals helping York win promotion to the recently created Third Division, and midway through the 1960–61 season he was transferred to First Division sideNottingham Forest for £12,000, a then-record fee for City.[2]
Addison was a regular at theCity Ground scoring 62 goals in 160 league appearances, before being signed by Bertie Mee'sArsenal in 1966 for £45,000. His time at Highbury was hampered by injury and, after scoring an average of one goal in every three games for the Gunners, he was sold to First Division sideSheffield United at the end of the 1967 season.
Addison joined United on the recommendation of assistant managerAndy Beattie[2] who he had played with whilst atNottingham Forest, signing for £40,000.[2] Signed as a centre forward and to provide goals, he remained a first-team regular until the 1971 season, when he opted to move into management, joining leading non-league sideHereford United as player-manager.[2]
Addison arrived atHereford United in October 1971, succeeding the legendaryJohn Charles as player-manager. He inherited a strong group of players which he led through the club's famous giant-killing FA Cup run and ultimately election to the Football League.
In the Second Round, Addison and his team needed two replays to get pastNorthampton Town but it was worth the effort as a trip to top-flightNewcastle United awaited. After going 2–1 down in the tie, it was Addison who hit the 25-yard equaliser to take the Magpies to the return fixture atEdgar Street.
In front of a capacity crowd and on a quagmire of a pitch, Addison and Herefordwon 2–1 after extra time with Radford and George scoring. They went on to takeWest Ham United to another replay in the Fourth Round before eventually losing 3–1 atBoleyn Ground.[3]
Hereford were elected to the Football League at the end of Addison's first season as a manager, and the success continued the following season when Hereford finished as runners-up in Division Four.[4]
Addison carried on playing until November 1973, but with a broken leg, he proceeded as manager until 1974 when he left to manage South African sideDurban City F.C.
He returned to England in December 1975, joiningNotts County as assistant toRonnie Fenton. His next managerial position was atNewport County achieving the 'Great Escape' of the1976–77 season[5] before he returned toWest Bromwich Albion as assistant manager toRon Atkinson.
After two seasons in charge atDerby County, Addison departed in 1982, returning toNewport County where he led the team to their highest post-war league finish in the 1982–83 season. In May 1985 Addison moved to Qatar to guideAl-Ahli to second position in the Qatari league. Subsequently, Addison tookCelta Vigo into 'La Liga' First Division in his first season in charge.
A second spell atWest Bromwich Albion as assistant manager to Ron Atkinson followed, before he and Atkinson departed forAtlético Madrid in October 1988. However, Atkinson left after only two months, with Addison taking over the leadership of the club. Addison departed Atlético Madrid leaving the capital's side fifth in La Liga, moving toCádiz CF, where he garnered a string of victories to ensure Cadiz's position in the First Division. Addison then moved to Kuwait where he won the league withAl-Arabi, finishing above the second-placed team managed by Felipe Scolari. Returning to the UK, Addison once again took up the reins atHereford United.
Later management roles includedYeovil Town,[6][7]Swansea City and theConference National sideForest Green Rovers, leading the club to their highest league finish at the time. He was manager ofScarborough in the1998–99 season, when goalkeeperJimmy Glass scored a memorable goal forCarlisle United that changed the course of the season in the dying minutes, subsequently relegating Scarborough.[8]
Addison was a pundit onBBC Radio Wales until 2008.[9]
Addison resided in the city ofHereford.[10] His death there at the age of 85 was announced on 31 October 2025 .[11][12]
Colin Addison managerial positions | |||||||
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