Andy Cole

Fifth-highest Premier League goalscorer and Treble winner with Manchester United.

Andrew Alexander Cole (born 15 October 1971) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. His professional career lasted from 1988 to 2008, and is mostly remembered for his time with Manchester United, who paid a British record transfer fee to sign him from Newcastle United. Cole spent six years with Manchester United and won nine trophies, including five Premier League titles and the Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in 1999.

Quick Facts

Full name: Andrew Alexander Cole
Born: 15 October 1971
Birthplace: Nottingham, England
Position: Striker

Lore & Background

Cole is the fifth-highest goalscorer in Premier League history with 187 goals, and used to hold the Premier League records for most goals scored in a 42-game season (34), the fastest player to score 50 goals (65 matches), and the first player to top both the Premier League's goalscoring and assist charts in the same season (1993–94). Cole has the distinction of having won every top-level team competition in English football at least once, as well as the primary European competition, the UEFA Champions League. As an individual he has won the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Cole was capped 15 times for the England national team between 1995 and 2001, scoring once against Albania in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Reader's Guide

Cole began his career as a youth player for Arsenal on leaving school in 1988, signing professional in 1989. He made his only league appearance for Arsenal, aged 19, as a substitute against Sheffield United at Highbury during a First Division match on 29 December 1990. He also made a substitute appearance against Tottenham Hotspur in the Charity Shield in 1991. The following season, Cole was loaned to Fulham in the Third Division, where he scored three goals in 13 matches.

Cole joined Second Division Bristol City on loan in March 1992 before signing in a £500,000 permanent deal in the summer of 1992. In February 1993, Division One leaders Newcastle United broke their club transfer record by paying £1.75 million to sign Cole. He then scored 12 goals in as many league matches as Newcastle cruised to the Division One title and won promotion to the Premier League. Cole scored 34 goals in 40 matches during Newcastle's first Premier League season as they finished third.

On 10 January 1995, Cole was sold to Manchester United for a deal worth £7 million – £6 million cash plus £1 million-rated Keith Gillespie going in the opposite direction, setting a new record for the most expensive British transfer. Despite joining halfway through the 1994–95 season, Cole still managed to score 12 goals in just 18 Premier League matches for United. This included his first, the winner in a 1–0 victory over Aston Villa on 4 February at Old Trafford and five in the 9–0 rout of Ipswich Town, making him the first player to score five goals in a Premier League match.

Cole's first full season in 1995–96 with Manchester United proved to be difficult, as Cole struggled to find his trademark form. However, Cole picked up his form in the final stages of the season and scored crucial goals including the equaliser in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea. He then collected his first Premier League title winners medal and scored the second goal in United's 3–0 defeat of Middlesbrough on the final day of the season. He also played in United's FA Cup final victory to become part of England's first ever side to win the double twice.