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Blast From The Past – Russell Coughlin |
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Russell Coughlin. Legend. When I think of Coughlin, I think of the good-old days of football. Players sinking 10 pints and a curry on a Friday night, carrying on the festivities in some player’s house until the early hours, then staggering to the ground the next day for the match still in their glad rags, buying a pair of togs and a towel in Gilesports on the way with what was left of last night’s Poker winnings, and still being able to spray inch perfect passes around the pitch for 90 minutes before starting all over again on Saturday night. I think of a time when it was actually cool to have a moustache. I’m sure Coughlin was more professional than this in reality, but that’s the impression he gave me as I watched on. Coughlin was born in Swansea on the 15th Feb 1960, but moved up to the north-west to begin his professional career, starting at Man City before moving on to Blackburn Rovers and Carlisle. Swans manager Terry Yorath signed the then 30 year old Coughlin from Blackpool for £30,000 in 1990, and in his 3 years at the club went on to make 125 legendary appearances, scoring a whole 2 goals in the process. Make no mistake, Coughlin OWNED the vetch centre-circle, prowling around it like a territorially-outraged Rhino, revelling in meaty tackles and scrambles in the middle of the pitch – the meatier the better. He’d emerge from the scrum with the ball, porn star moustache dripping with sweat and blood, look up to see which player was in the most space, then ignore him and spread a 57 yard pass into the feet of the player in the least space, just because he could, before retreating to the centre to assume position for the next battle. Russell rarely got close enough to the opposing goal to score goals, but that’s just how he liked it. Scoring goals was for nancy boys without moustaches. His epic goals per game ratio of 0.016 whilst with us is in danger of being wiped off the record books by the current goal-shy midfield duo of Martinez and O’Lairy. They are not worthy. The summer of 1993 saw the high-profile departures of Andy Legg and Des Lyttle to Nottingham, and, much to my personal despair, the moustachioed legend also left the Vetch that summer to move south to Exeter on a free transfer. Seemingly intent on moving ever further away from where he started his career in the north-west with every move he made, Coughlin then moved even further south to the ‘English Riviera’ club Torquay in 1995. Unable to find himself a move further south than Torquay he decided to pack it all in in 1996 after his one season with the Gulls. He ended having made a total of 531 league starts during an 18-year career. As with many players from the early 90s, my memories of them playing are little hazy. With strikers, attackers and goalies it is easy to roll off great individual moments, great goals and great saves, but with players like Coughlin it’s more to do with his all round attitude and consistency. Overall, his ability to be both highly combative and able to spread the ball around the park accurately was something only matched by John Cornforth in recent years. They don’t make Russell Coughlins anymore. Unfortunately. Submitted By Ed Rowlands
Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.
 
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