Bobby Coy

Robert Anthony Coy (born 30 November 1961) is an English former footballer who played as a defender in the Football League for three clubs in the 1980s.

Bobby Coy
Personal information
Full name Robert Anthony Coy[1]
Date of birth (1961-11-30) 30 November 1961[1]
Place of birth Birmingham,[1] England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1978–1979 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1984 Wolverhampton Wanderers 43 (0)
1984–1986 Chester City 93 (2)
1986–1988 Northampton Town 17 (0)
1987 → Altrincham (loan) 2 (0)
1988–1989 Aylesbury United 57 (0)
1989–1992 Moor Green
1992–1993 Armitage
1993–1997 Boldmere St Michaels
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Coy began his career as an apprentice with Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing professional forms in November 1979. He had to wait until the 1981–82 season for his league debut, which he made on 12 September 1981 in a 0–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

He went on to make 21 top-flight appearances during his first season. Although Wolves were relegated at the end of the season, Coy was involved in them winning promotion in 1982–83. However, he only played five times the following season (when Wolves were once again relegated) and in March 1984 he joined Division Four's bottom side Chester City in a joint loan deal with David Wintersgill. Coy's loan was quickly made permanent.[3] He played in all of Chester's final 14 games of the season, including a spell at centre forward.[4]

Coy became an established figure in a defence including future England international Lee Dixon, Andy Holden, Martin Lane and Peter Zelem and he went on to make 35 league appearances in 1984–85. This increased to 44 in 1985–86, when Chester were Division Four runners-up and Coy was named as player of the season.[5] But Coy was then surprisingly released by manager Harry McNally[6] and he joined Northampton Town.

He enjoyed another promotion as the Cobblers won Division Four in 1986–87, but he made just 17 appearances for them and did not play again after promotion. After a spell on loan with Altrincham, Coy joined Southern League side Aylesbury. Once more there was promotion joy for Coy, and he played in their solitary season in the GM Vauxhall Conference.

Coy then played lower down the non-league pyramid for Moor Green, Armitage and Boldmere St Michaels, before he retired at the end of the 1996–97 season.[7] Away from football he has worked in insurance and as a sales rep.[8]

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Chester City

Northampton Town

Aylesbury United

References
  1. "Bobby Coy". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997. pp. 99–100. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  4. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997. pp. stats section. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  5. "Club Records". www.chester-city.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 January 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
  6. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997. p. 103. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  7. Steve Whitney (1997). The Ultimate Book of Non League Players: 1997-98. p. 74. ISBN 0-9531258-0-7.
  8. Chester City vs. Northampton Town matchday programme, 20 November 1993
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