Andy Cole
Premier League legend and fifth-highest scorer in history.
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
- Role
- Centre-forward; Striker
- Nationality
- English
- Hometown
- Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham
- Most iconic club
- Manchester United
- Famous partnership
- Eric Cantona
- Major honour (era)
- 1999 Treble (Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League)
- Playing style
- Pace
- power
- clinical finishing
- aerial dominance
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). He has the distinction of having won every top-level team competition in English football at least once, as well as 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 as a substitute against Sheffield United on 29 December 1990. He also made a substitute appearance against Tottenham Hotspur in the Charity Shield in 1991. He was loaned to Fulham in the Third Division, where he scored three goals in 13 matches. Cole joined Bristol City on loan in March 1992 before signing permanently for £500,000. In February 1993, Newcastle United paid £1.75 million to sign Cole. He scored 12 goals in 12 league matches as Newcastle won the Division One title. In the 1993–94 Premier League season, Cole scored 34 goals in 40 matches as Newcastle finished third. He scored 41 total goals in all competitions, breaking the club's goalscoring record. Cole was voted PFA Young Player of the Year for that season. On 10 January 1995, Cole was sold to Manchester United for £7 million (£6 million cash plus Keith Gillespie), setting a new British transfer record. He scored 12 goals in 18 Premier League matches for United in the remainder of the 1994–95 season, including five in a 9–0 win over Ipswich Town. In 1995–96, Cole collected his first Premier League title winners medal and scored in the FA Cup final victory. Before the 1996–97 season, Cole was offered to Blackburn Rovers as part-exchange for Alan Shearer, but the deal fell through. He was handed the number 9 shirt. The arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjær and two broken legs suffered after a tackle by Neil Ruddock restricted his first-team chances, but he recovered by December 1996.
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