{{short description|British field hockey player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox field hockey player |name= Bernie Cotton |image= |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|6|30|df=y}} |birth_place= Hitchin, England |death_date = |death_place = | height = 180 cm | weight = 73 kg | position = Wing half |clubs1= Cambridge University |years1= 1970–1971 |clubs2= Southgate |years2= 1971–1980 |nationalteam1= England |nationalyears1= 1970-1978 |nationalcaps(goals)1= 73 (?) |nationalteam2= Great Britain |nationalyears2= 1970-1978 |nationalcaps(goals)2= 54 (?) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Field hockey }} {{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }} {{MedalComp | Champions Trophy }} {{MedalBronze | 1978 Lahore | Team competition }} }}

'''Bernard James Cotton''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MBE}} (born 30 June 1948) is a field hockey coach and former player and captain. He won 73 caps for England and 54 for Great Britain, representing the country at the 1972 Summer Olympics.<ref name=EH>[http://www.englandhockey.co.uk/news.asp?section=22&sectionTitle=News&itemid=4774 Former England & GB International Bernie Cotton Awarded MBE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716085448/http://www.englandhockey.co.uk/news.asp?section=22&sectionTitle=News&itemid=4774 |date=2011-07-16 }} England Hockey</ref> He went on to serve as Great Britain's assistant manager at the 1988 Summer Olympics, where the team won a gold medal, and as manager at the 1992 Summer Olympics, where they finished sixth.

== Biography == Having gained a degree in Geography at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he became the captain of the Cambridge hockey team.<ref name="cotton2">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=43750967258|title=Fitzwilliam College Honours Congratulations|year=2009|publisher=Fitzwilliam College Facebook|accessdate=2010-09-21}}</ref> He worked as a geography teacher at Bishop's Stortford College for six years in the late 1960s and 1970 and then taught at Bedford School before returning to Bishop's Stortford College during the 1990s. He left the school to work as a performance director for the British Olympic Association, later becoming Performance Manager.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120904185559/http://www.harlowstar.co.uk/harlowstar-sport/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=335925 Bernie boosts Britain in Beijing] Harlow Star, 31 July 2008</ref> In 2009 he was appointed MBE for services to sports.<ref name=EH/>

Cotton initially played club hockey for Cambridge University, becoming captain of both Cambridge and England in 1970.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005765/19750628/237/0020 |title=Jolly jet-setters |work=Evening News (London) |date=28 June 1975 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref> and then joined Southgate Hockey Club in the Men's England Hockey League. He was part of the Southgate team that won the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup for three successive years in 1976, 1977 and 1978.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005765/19780512/427/0049 |title=Europes's other champions chase a hat-trick too |website=Evening News (London) |date=12 May 1978 |access-date=3 July 2025}}</ref>

Cotton captained the England team at both the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005475/19741219/013/0013 |title=England name hockey squad |work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=19 December 1974 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://hockeymuseum.org/hat-tricks-hospitality-and-honour-recalling-the-1975-mens-hockey-world-cup/|title=Hat-tricks, hospitality and honour: recalling the 1975 men's Hockey World Cup |website=The Hockey Museum |date=19 March 2025 |access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref> and at the 1978 Men's Hockey World Cup in Buenos Aires.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19780215/347/0012 |title=England select Taylor but Mallett waits |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=15 February 1978 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref> He was part of and also captained the bronze medal winning Great Britain team that competed at the inaugural 1978 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy, in Lahore, Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19781024/528/0024 |title=Gregg gets G.B. Call-up |work=Belfast Telegraph|date=24 October 1978 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref>

Cotton was selected as captain for the Great Britain team for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, but subsequently did not attend due to the boycott.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sikhsinhockey.com/Default.aspx?id=723076|title=Moscow 1980 Olympic Games: Great Britain Team |website=Sikhs in Hockey |access-date=25 July 2025}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{sports links}} *[http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=911 Bernard James Cotton] British Olympics Association

{{Great Britain FH Squad 1972 Summer Olympics}} {{England FH Squad 1973 World Cup}} {{England FH Squad 1975 World Cup}} {{England FH Squad 1978 World Cup}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1978 Champions Trophy}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1980 Champions Trophy}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1986 Champions Trophy}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1987 Champions Trophy}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1988 Summer Olympics}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1990 Champions Trophy}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1992 Summer Olympics}} {{Great Britain FH Squad 1992 Champions Trophy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cotton, Bernie}} Category:1948 births Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Category:English men's field hockey players Category:Olympic field hockey players for Great Britain Category:British men's field hockey players Category:Field hockey players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Category:English field hockey coaches Category:Schoolteachers from Hertfordshire Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:Living people Category:Southgate Hockey Club players