Johnny Phillips: John Coleman’s legacy will live long after Stanley heroics
John Coleman is one of the greatest ever managers to work in the lower leagues.
As the dust settles on his sacking from Accrington Stanley it is worth recalling the achievements of a remarkable career at a club fighting above its weight for so long.
After 24 years of service across two spells at the East Lancashire outfit, he was dismissed this week along with his long-time assistant Jimmy Bell following defeat at League Two promotion chasers Wrexham.
Coleman was a prolific non-league striker in his day, spending almost two decades firing in goals around the north-west of England.
He was appointed as Accrington player-manager in 1999 by the club’s legendary chairman Eric Whalley. Then in Northern Premier League Division One, Coleman set about taking the club up the leagues.
He was still a part-time employee in football, combining his role with a teaching post in Liverpool throughout the early years. But that all changed when the club joined the professional ranks when they won promotion to the Conference.
A third promotion as champions came in 2006 when Accrington returned to the Football League.
It was a promotion steeped in romanticism after the famous club had lost its league status in 1962 and subsequently folded.
