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Keith Coleman joined a struggling West Ham side in September 1973 from
second division Sunderland for a fee of £20,000. The full back from
Washington, Tyne and Wear, went straight into the Hammers first team
against Burnley in a 1-0 home defeat. He was an ever present at right
back for the remainder of his first season at Upton Park, eventually
making 33 appearances, with his rival for the number two shirt, John
McDowell, being moved into midfield. Keith continued his second season
with West Ham as first choice right back. It was, of course, a campaign
that was to end in triumph for the club as they lifted the FA Cup,
winning the all London Final 2-0 against Fulham.
However, despite making
a total of 29 league appearances, Coleman was to lose his place at
right back to McDowell during the second half of the campaign, following
the return of Billy Bonds to the midfield after injury, and he was not
in the Hammers squad at Wembley. Three months later though Coleman was
to play at Wembley, coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 Charity Shield
defeat at the hands of Derby County. With Bonds and Kevin Lock sidelined
for long periods of the 1975/76 season, Keith was able to make 26
league appearances at both right back and in central defence. He also
played in West Ham's losing team in the 1976 European Cup Winners Cup
Final against Anderlecht, having also played in most of the earlier
rounds. The following season, despite McDowell missing the whole
campaign with a serious knee problem, Coleman was to become only a
fringe player with Bonds regularly filling in as right back.
Keith was
dropped after the home defeat against Ipswich in October 1976 and was to
make only a further three appearances for West Ham. He was transfer
listed towards the end of the season and played his last game for the
Hammers in a 1-1 draw against Leeds at Elland Road in April 1977.
Although he played over 100 games in the claret and blue, Coleman was
never able to fully establish himself in the first choice West Ham back
four at the time, with Frank Lampard, Tommy Taylor, McDowell and Lock
the preferred choice. In August 1977 he joined Belgian club Mechelen and
was later to return to England to play for Darlington in his native
north east for whom he played 25 games. (Mark Matthews)
He later returned to the south of England and worked at a Sports Centre in Brentwood, Essex.
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