Colin Webster

Colin Webster (17 July 1932 – 1 March 2001) was a Welsh footballer and Wales international. A striker, he played his club football for Manchester United, Swansea Town and Newport County and was part of the Wales squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden.

Colin Webster
Personal information
Full name Colin Webster[1]
Date of birth (1932-07-17)17 July 1932
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales
Date of death 1 March 2001(2001-03-01) (aged 68)
Place of death Swansea, Wales
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950–1952 Cardiff City 0 (0)
1952–1958 Manchester United 65 (26)
1958–1963 Swansea Town 157 (66)
1963–1964 Newport County 31 (4)
Total 253 (96)
National team
1957–1958 Wales 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Webster began his career at his home town club Cardiff City but, despite playing regularly for the reserve side while also working as a part-time motor fitter,[2] he was unable to break into the first team. He was later brought to the attention of Manchester United by Jimmy Murphy and signed for the club in May 1952.[3]

He was playing for Manchester United at the time of the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958, but did not travel with the team due to ill health.[4] He remained at the club for one year after the tragedy and played in the 1958 FA Cup Final, collecting a runners-up medal as United were defeated by Bolton Wanderers. In 1958, he moved to Swansea Town for a fee of £7,5000 where he spent five years,[5] finishing as top scorer for the club in the 1959–60 and 1960–61 seasons and winning the Welsh Cup in 1961.[6]

Webster finished his professional career in 1964 with Newport County,[7] later playing non-league football for Worcester City and Merthyr Tydfil.[2]

International career

Webster made his debut for Wales on 1 May 1957 in a 1–0 win over Czechoslovakia. The following year, he was named as part of the Wales squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He played in 1–1 draws against Hungary and Mexico during the group stages and later replaced the injured John Charles in the quarter-final against Brazil,[3] missing an easy chance to level the score and thus ensuring Wales's elimination.

After retirement

Webster later ran a scaffolding business and later spent nine years working as a park ranger in Swansea. After breaking his leg in a fall, Webster took early retirement.[2] He died from lung cancer on 1 March 2001 at the age of 68.[4]

Honours

Manchester United

Swansea Town

References
  1. "Search 1984 to 2006 – Birth, Marriage and Death indexes". Findmypast.com. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  2. Ponting, Ivan (14 March 2001). "Colin Webster". London: The Independent. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  3. Hayes, Dean P. (2004). Wales The Complete Who's Who of Footballers Since 1946. Sutton Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7509-3700-9.
  4. "Busby babe passes away". BBC Sport. 2 March 2001. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  5. "Past players". Swansea City A.F.C. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  6. "Swansea Town 3–1 Bangor City". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  7. "Colin Webster". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
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