Colin Heath
Birth date31 December 1983 (age 42)
Birth placeChesterfield, England
PositionStriker
Youthclubs 1Darley Dale
Youthyears 21995–1998
Youthclubs 2Leeds United
Youthyears 31998–2000
Youthclubs 3Manchester United
Years 12000–2006
Clubs 1Manchester United
Caps 10
Goals 10
Years 22003–2004
Clubs 2Royal Antwerp (loan)
Caps 213
Goals 20
Years 32004–2005
Clubs 3Cambridge United (loan)
Caps 36
Goals 30
Years 42005
Clubs 4Swindon Town (loan)
Caps 411
Goals 41
Years 52006
Clubs 5Chesterfield
Caps 54
Goals 50
Years 62006–2007
Clubs 6Macclesfield Town
Caps 625
Goals 64
Years 72007–2008
Clubs 7Farsley Celtic
Caps 713
Goals 72
Totalcaps72
Totalgoals7

Colin Heath (born 31 December 1983) is an English former footballer who played as a striker or attacking midfielder for Cambridge United, Swindon Town, Chesterfield and Macclesfield Town[1] and for Belgian club Royal Antwerp.

Career

Heath was born in Chesterfield, grew up in Birchover, and played for Darley Dale as a boy. He joined Leeds United's youth system as an 11-year-old, and moved to Manchester United at 14.[2] He earned his professional contract at the end of 2000. He joined Royal Antwerp of the Belgian First Division on loan in January 2003; he played 13 league games in the 2003–04 season, but saved his goalscoring for friendly matches.[3] He then joined Football League Two side Cambridge United on a month's loan in late 2004, and made his English first-team debut on 7 December in a 2–1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United.[4] He spent the first half of the 2005–06 season on loan to Swindon Town, but scored only once, against Yeovil Town in his home league debut, and struggled to maintain a first-team place.[5]

He returned to Manchester United in January 2006 and was released, to join Chesterfield until the end of the season.[2][6] He moved on to Macclesfield Town, linking up with former Manchester United colleague Tommy Lee,[7] but was released by manager Paul Ince after just one season.[8] In September 2007, after an extended trial with Chester City, he signed for Farsley Celtic of the Conference National.[9] Heath struggled to hold down a first-team place due to the form of Damien Reeves.[citation needed] After a handful of appearances, including helping Farsley to reach the last 16 of the FA Trophy for the first time,[10] he left the club.

Although no longer a professional, Heath still plays football in the Northern Counties East League Division 1 for Knaresborough Town.[11] He plays cricket for Heslington CC in York.

References

  1. ^ "Colin Heath". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  2. ^ Mitchell, Geoff (3 February 2006). "I Will Put Myself About". Chesterfield F.C. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Colin Heath" (in Dutch). Royal Antwerp F.C. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Cambridge vs Scunthorpe". Cambridge United F.C. 7 December 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Colin Heath". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  6. ^ Bartram, Steve (1 February 2006). "Heath leaves/Heaton on loan". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Lee backs Heath to be success". Macclesfield Express. 2 August 2006. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Ince rings changes at Moss Rose". BBC Sport. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  9. ^ Turner, Neil (13 September 2007). "Accomplished display from Chester reserves". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  10. ^ "Farsley Celtic set up a plum home tie". Farsley Today. Johnston Press. 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  11. ^ "Knaresborough Town urged to keep concentration". Wetherby News. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.