Colin Pates
George Colin Pates ( born August 10, 1961 in Carshalton, London ) is a former English footballer. As a classic central defender who could be used in addition to occasional forays into midfield as " left-footed " on the left -back position, he was for many years at Chelsea with Joe McLaughlin, the central defense and later was still active for the London rivals Charlton Athletic and Arsenal. At the end of the 1990s, he also collected at semi-professional club experience as a coach.
Sports career
Chelsea FC (1979-1988)
After he had joined in August 1977, the youth department of FC Chelsea and signed the first professional contract in July 1979, debuted Pates on 10 November 1979 in a second division match against FC Orient, which ended with a spectacular 7-3 victory. He benefited from an injury with regular central defender Micky Droy and after his first Substitutes he came in the season 1979/80 still in 16 league matches for use. Positive aspects were especially pronounced at a young age his game intelligence and flexibility with trainer Geoff Hurst made him a popular " temporary player ". In his 15 league appearances during the 1980/81 season he came on all defense positions in the back four for the course before the new coach John Neal developed the idea for a Innenverteidigerduo with Droy and Pates - while Pates struck by single combat and aerial ability to Droy showed technically skilled. Pates graduated in the season 1981/82 all 42 league games, but the personal climax he experienced in February 1982 in a 2-0 upset win against Liverpool in the FA Cup, where he successfully helped out in midfield.
In a sporty difficult 1982/83 season Pates moved steadily and its position between defense and midfield, after several weaknesses in the team the club brought in almost relegation to the third tier as needed. With only two points difference in the league has been accomplished and extensive cadre restructuring was the result. An important decision in this regard was the obligation of the Scots Joe McLaughlin, with the Pates henceforth formed the central defense. The duo harmonize it so well right away that the days of Mickey Droy - then acting captain and " legend" of Chelsea - were numbered. After Christmas 1982 Partes was then himself team leader and in this role he led the team to the second division title and promotion to the First Division. In his first season in the English top flight Chelsea took a surprisingly good sixth place and Pates ' importance to the team was particularly evident during his brief absence and thereby defeats against Coventry City and Ipswich Town. His first goal in the First Division, he managed a 4-3 victory against the eventual champions FC Everton.
The positive trend continued in the 1985/86 season from now, when Chelsea was at times can even be found in the extended circle of contenders and end with the Full Members Cup was awarded a not insignificant trophy. Pates ' consistently reliable performances even gave reason to hope that this could be called into the England team for the upcoming 1986 World Cup in Mexico, which ultimately not fulfilled. Coach John Hollins, who steered the fortunes of the club since 1985, finally undertook with Steve Wicks a new central defender and Pates moved to the beginning of the 1986/87 season surprisingly on the left-back position. As Wicks, however injured, Pates initially returned to its traditional post back later helped out in midfield and prevented in the last games of the disappointing running game time to descend on the defensive position. The problems increased from then to continue, as Pates initially lost the captaincy and failed to October due to surgery. Chelsea maneuvered simultaneously in a downward spiral and as the season went into the decisive phase, Pates reported injured again in March 1988. Finally, the season ended after a play-off defeat against Blackburn Rovers with the bitter relegation to the Second Division. There Pates moved by the commitment of Graham Roberts back into midfield before he moved the end of October 1988 Charlton Athletic and thus to the First Division returned.
Recent career stations (1988-1995)
After a first season 1988/89 for the " Addicks ", which ended with the league and 21 league appearances for Pates, the club engaged in the summer of 1989, Joe McLaughlin and so the old Innenverteidigerduo was reunited. However, this only lasted five months before Pates farewells to Arsenal in January 1990 - Charlton rose ultimately cut off from the table next to last.
In the " Gunners " Pates was primarily intended as an additional protection for the key players in case of injury and so he came up to the summer of 1993, only three league operations, for which only a game in the championship season 1990/91 counted. Instead, he came on loan from February 1991 at the second division Brighton & Hove Albion on 17 league operations and after a short series at Arsenal October-November 1991, a total of seven league operations in the 1992/93 season he joined the end of August 1993 to a fixed contract basis to Brighton.
In the " seagulls " acted Pates speak as a central defender and on the left wing. In the 1994/95 season he had to involuntarily terminate his active professional career due to persistent knee problems. After that he was in the semi-professional range with Crawley Town and FC Romford busy with, he held the post of player coach in Crawley. Between 1998 and 1999 he was the coach of Wingate & Finchley, after which he moved to Croydon on the Whitgift School in 2001.
Title / Awards
- Full Members Cup ( 1): 1986
- UEFA youth tournament ( 1): 1980