Colin Webster
{{short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Colin Webster
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|7|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Cardiff, Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|2001|3|1|1932|7|17|df=y}}
| death_place = Swansea, Wales
| height =
| position = Inside forward
| years1 = 1950–1952 |clubs1 = Cardiff City |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1952–1958 |clubs2 = Manchester United |caps2 = 65 |goals2 = 26
| years3 = 1958–1963 |clubs3 = Swansea Town |caps3 = 157 |goals3 = 66
| years4 = 1963–1964 |clubs4 = Newport County |caps4 = 31 |goals4 = 4
| totalcaps = 253 | totalgoals = 96
| nationalyears1 = 1957–1958 |nationalteam1 = Wales |nationalcaps1 = 4 |nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
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.
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,{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/colin-webster-728927.html |title=Colin Webster |work=The Independent |date=14 March 2001 |accessdate=24 March 2010 | location=London | first=Ivan | last=Ponting}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} 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.{{Cite book | title = Wales The Complete Who's Who of Footballers Since 1946 | first = Dean P. | last = Hayes | publisher = Sutton Publishing Limited | year = 2004 | isbn = 0-7509-3700-9}}
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.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/wales/1198363.stm |title=Busby babe passes away |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 March 2001 |accessdate=24 March 2010}} 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,{{Cite web |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/page/PastPlayers/0,,10354~1597298,00.html |title=Past players |publisher=Swansea City A.F.C. |accessdate=24 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110133526/http://www.swanseacity.net/page/PastPlayers/0%2C%2C10354~1597298%2C00.html |archive-date=10 January 2011 |url-status=dead }} finishing as top scorer for the club in the 1959–60 and 1960–61 seasons and winning the Welsh Cup in 1961.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wfda.co.uk/welshcup_final_detail.php?id=74 |title=Swansea Town 3–1 Bangor City |publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive |accessdate=24 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426232156/http://wfda.co.uk/welshcup_final_detail.php?id=74 |archive-date=26 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}
Webster finished his professional career in 1964 with Newport County,{{Cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/colinwebster.html |title=Colin Webster |publisher=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database |accessdate=24 March 2010}} later playing non-league football for Worcester City and Merthyr Tydfil.
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, 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. He died from lung cancer on 1 March 2001 at the age of 68.
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wales squad 1958 FIFA World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Webster, Colin}}
Category:Footballers from Cardiff
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Manchester United F.C. players
Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players
Category:Newport County A.F.C. players
Category:Worcester City F.C. players
Category:Merthyr Tydfil F.C. players
Category:Wales men's international footballers
Category:1958 FIFA World Cup players
Category:English Football League players