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Mitchell Cole
English association football player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mitchell James Cole (6 October 1985 – 30 November 2012) was an English footballer who played as a winger. He retired from professional football in 2011 after being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that made it unsafe for him to continue playing competitively.
After beginning his career in the West Ham United academy, Cole joined Grays Athletic in 2004 and helped the club win the Conference South title and FA Trophy. He signed for Southend United in July 2005 and contributed to the club's promotion to the Championship as League One champions in his debut season. Cole transferred to Stevenage Borough in January 2007, scoring in the first competitive final at the new Wembley Stadium as the club won the FA Trophy. He won the competition again in 2009 and helped Stevenage secure promotion to the Football League as Conference Premier champions during the 2009–10 season.
Cole signed for Oxford United in June 2010, making six appearances before retiring from professional football in February 2011 due to his heart condition. He later had brief spells with Stotfold, Hitchin Town, Biggleswade Town, and Arlesey Town. Cole died on 30 November 2012 while playing football with family and friends, with his death linked to his pre-existing heart condition.
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Early life
Born in London, Cole attended Moorfield Primary School.[2]
Club career
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Early career
Cole began his football career at Norwich City's centre of excellence, based in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire,[4] before joining West Ham United's academy when the centre closed.[4] He went on to the pitch at Upton Park to sign his first professional contract with West Ham.[5] Shortly thereafter, he collapsed three times and was diagnosed with the genetic heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.[5] West Ham honoured his contract but subsequently released him, citing the risk to his health.[5] Cole did not play for a year, briefly contemplated retiring to become a black cab driver, and put on a stone in weight.[6]
Grays Athletic
Despite his diagnosis, Cole continued to pursue a career in football, as little was then known about the condition and he felt able to manage it himself.[7][8] In the summer of 2004, after meeting chairman Mick Woodward on a family holiday, Cole was invited to train with Conference South club Grays Athletic.[5] He was subsequently offered a contract by manager Mark Stimson and played regularly during the 2004–05 season, making 47 appearances and scoring nine goals as Grays won the Conference South title.[6][9][10][11] Cole also started in the 2005 FA Trophy final on 23 May 2005, in which Grays defeated Hucknall Town on penalties;[12] he was observed by scouts from Arsenal during the match.[4][5]
Southend United
Cole's performances for Grays earned him a move to League One club Southend United for an undisclosed fee on 13 July 2005.[6][13] He made his debut in the opening match of the 2005–06 season, starting in a 2–1 defeat against Port Vale at Roots Hall.[14] He noted that the management style of Steve Tilson at Southend was similar to that of former manager Mark Stimson, which helped him settle quickly at the club.[6] Cole scored his only goal for Southend in a 3–1 victory over local rivals Colchester United,[15] and made 31 appearances that season,[6][16] as the team secured promotion to the Championship as League One champions.[17]
Having made two appearances for Southend in the opening month of the 2006–07 season,[18] Cole sought more regular playing time.[19] Although Tilson was reluctant to let him leave, he allowed Cole to join League One club Northampton Town on a one-month loan.[19] He made his debut in a 3–1 defeat to Tranmere Rovers at Sixfields,[18][20] and scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 away victory over Millwall on 24 September 2006.[18][21] The loan was extended for a further month on 11 October 2006,[22] with Cole making nine appearances in total before returning to Southend in November 2006.[18] He featured three more times for the club that season before his run in the first team was curtailed by injury.[18][23]
Stevenage Borough
Cole joined Conference Premier club Stevenage Borough for a five-figure fee on 26 January 2007,[24] reuniting with former Grays manager Mark Stimson.[24] He made his debut as a substitute in a 1–1 draw at Ebbsfleet United two days later,[25] and went on to make 23 appearances that season, scoring three goals.[18] His first came in a 4–4 away draw against Forest Green Rovers on 9 April 2007.[18][26] The following month, Cole scored Stevenage's opening goal in a 3–2 victory over Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium, as the club came from two goals down to become the first team to win a competitive final at the new stadium in front of 53,262 spectators.[27][28] At the start of the 2007–08 season, Cole sustained a knee injury in a match against Histon,[29] ruling him out for six weeks.[30] He made 27 appearances that campaign, scoring twice.[30] Under new manager Graham Westley in the 2008–09 season, Cole scored 14 goals, including the first competitive hat-trick of his career in a 4–2 away win at Salisbury City on 24 January 2009.[31][32] He signed a two-year contract extension on 22 April 2009.[33]
During the 2009–10 season, Cole scored his first goal of the season in a 2–0 victory over Kidderminster Harriers on 5 December 2009.[34][35] He was briefly deployed at left-back in January 2010,[36] before recording his second career hat-trick the following month, scoring three goals in seven minutes as a substitute in a 6–0 victory at Eastbourne Borough on 2 March 2010.[37] He made 42 appearances and scored four goals that season, helping Stevenage earn promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history as Conference Premier champions.[34][38][39] Cole left the club in June 2010, having made 146 appearances and scored 23 goals across three and a half seasons.[40]
Oxford United
Cole joined newly promoted League Two club Oxford United on a two-year contract on 14 June 2010.[41] He made his debut as an 81st-minute substitute in a 2–1 home defeat against Bury on 14 August 2010,[42][43] and his first start came ten days later in a 1–0 League Cup defeat to former club West Ham United.[42][44] Cole made six appearances in all competitions, with his last appearance coming in a 3–2 defeat to Macclesfield Town on 16 October 2010.[42][45]
Retirement
In February 2011, Cole was forced to retire from professional football on medical advice after his heart condition had worsened.[7] He had begun experiencing shortness of breath during training and matches in late 2010, and a cardiologist advised that continuing to play competitively carried a serious risk to his health.[7] Reflecting on his retirement, Cole stated: "It's like being hit by a ton of bricks because football is all I've ever known. I've managed to get eight years out of the professional game which I am extremely happy with".[7]
Return to semi-professional football
Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Cole appeared in a number of pre-season friendlies for Stotfold of the Spartan South Midlands League and played in the club's opening match of the season, a 2–0 home win over Oxhey Jets on 13 August 2011.[46][47] Two days later, he joined Southern League Premier Division club Hitchin Town on non-contract terms,[48] making his debut for the club on the same day in a 3–0 home victory against Hemel Hempstead Town.[49] As Cole had signed for Hitchin on a non-contract basis, he was available to play for Stotfold in a 2–1 home win against St. Margaretsbury the following day.[50] Cole scored his first goal for Hitchin in a 3–1 away victory over Bedford Town on 29 August 2011, and left the club on 17 November 2011 after 15 appearances and one goal.[51][52]
Cole then signed for Southern League Division One Central club Biggleswade Town, making his debut on 19 November 2011 as a substitute in a 1–1 home draw with Slough Town.[53] He scored once in six appearances[54][55] before joining Arlesey Town on 7 January 2012,[56] where he scored twice in 11 appearances.[51] Cole stopped playing competitively in March 2012 after witnessing Fabrice Muamba's cardiac arrest, informing Arlesey's director of football Gary King that he would not play again.[8][57]
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International career
Cole represented England at schoolboy level.[58] He was called up to the England C team, who represent England at non-League level, in February 2005 for a friendly against the Netherlands. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Finland C in June 2007,[59] and went on to score the match-winners in games against Wales XI and Gibraltar in 2008.[60][61] Cole was subsequently selected for the England C tour of the Caribbean in June 2008,[62] playing in both games against Grenada and Barbados.[63][64] With seven goals in 14 appearances, Cole is the second-highest goalscorer in the history of the non-League national team.[65]
Style of play
Cole was deployed primarily as a left winger and was known for his pace, ability to take on players, and strong left foot.[6][66][67] England C manager Paul Fairclough compared his playing style to that of Ryan Giggs,[67] while manager Mark Stimson stated he had the ability to play at the highest level, highlighting his positional sense and capacity to beat opponents.[6] His brother-in-law, Joe Cole, later noted that, although restricted by his heart condition, he remained technically gifted, quick, and highly talented.[66]
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Personal life
Cole had three children with his wife, Charly, who is the sister of fellow professional footballer and England international Joe Cole.[68] Their third child, daughter Leni, was born on 7 December 2012, just a week after Cole's death.[2] Following his retirement, he served as an ambassador for the Cardiomyopathy Association, raising awareness on the condition in the United Kingdom and the United States.[5][69][8] His younger brother, Ben, helped establish The Mitchell Cole Memorial Tournament in his honour, raising funds for the charity Cardiomyopathy UK.[70][71][72]
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Death
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Cole died on 30 November 2012, aged 27,[2][57] while playing football with family and friends.[5] His death was linked to his pre-existing heart condition.[2][5][57]
Tributes
Tributes were widely paid to Cole following his death.[57][73][74][75][76][77] His first club, Grays Athletic, remembered him for his "rampaging runs down the left wing, and for scoring some spectacular goals".[74] Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace stated: "It's such a sad, tragic loss of a young life. Mitch was a key figure for us in the seasons that saw us enjoy a lot of success".[78] Former England C manager Paul Fairclough highlighted Cole's talent, humour, and approachability.[67][79] Clubs and supporters paid tribute with moments of silence, black armbands, and applause in the minute corresponding to his squad number,[80][81][82][83][84][85][86] while former teammates, including Jack Midson and Steve Morison, dedicated goals to him.[82][87] He was also commemorated during the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.[88]
A benefit match, 'Match for Mitch', was held on 7 May 2013 at Broadhall Way between a Mitchell Cole XI and a Stevenage XI, with proceeds going to his family and The Cardiomyopathy Association.[78][89][90] The match was attended by 2,306 spectators.[66][91] Participants included his brother-in-law Joe Cole, Andy Carroll, James Collins, Gary Hooper, Matt Jarvis, and Kevin Nolan,[91] alongside numerous former teammates from his previous clubs.[92][66]
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Career statistics
- Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy
- Appearance(s) in the FA Trophy
- Two appearances in the FA Trophy, one appearance and one goal in the Southern League Cup
- One appearance and one goal in the Bedfordshire Senior Cup
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Honours
Grays Athletic
- Conference South: 2004–05[10]
- FA Trophy: 2004–05[12]
Southend United
Stevenage Borough
References
External links
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