Colin Todd
The Rams' classiest defender
| Full name: | Colin Todd |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | December 12, 1948 |
| Clubs played for: | Sunderland, Derby, Everton, Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, Oxford, Vancouver Whitecaps, Luton |
| Clubs managed: | Middlesbrough, Bolton, Swindon, Derby, Bradford, Randers, Darlington |
Club Career
Born in Chester-le-Street, Colin Todd was one of the classiest England defenders of the 1970s. Compared by many to Bobby Moore because of his composure on the ball and his ability to pass his way out of defence, he started his career with Sunderland, but it was a 1971 move to Derby that really set his career alight.
Signed by the legendary Brian Clough, who’d been his youth team coach at Sunderland, Todd formed a brilliant central defensive partnership with Roy McFarland which became the bedrock of the side that won the First Division in 1972 and 1975.
Todd left the Rams for Everton under controversial circumstances, being offloaded by new manager Tommy Docherty in 1978, and ended his career as an itinerant playing for a number of clubs, including Oxford, where he picked up a Second Division Championship medal.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966-71 | Sunderland | 173 | 3 |
| 1971-78 | Derby | 293 | 6 |
| 1978-79 | Everton | 32 | 1 |
| 1979-82 | Birmingham | 93 | 0 |
| 1982-84 | Nottingham Forest | 36 | 0 |
| 1984 | Oxford | 12 | 0 |
| 1984 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 8 | 0 |
| 1984 | Luton | 2 | 0 |
International Career
Todd made his England debut in a 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland, but it would take almost two whole years and the national team’s failure to qualify for the 1974 World Cup before he would be recalled. Between 1974 and 1977, Todd was a regular performer in the heart of the English defence, often alongside his Derby defensive partner Roy McFarland.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-77 | England | 27 | 0 |
Managerial Career
Todd’s managerial career started at Middlesbrough in 1990, and since then, he's been both assistant and manager at a number of clubs – including one in Denmark. His biggest success came when leading Bolton to the First Division title in 1997 and his longest spell in charge was at Bradford. Todd is currently in charge of League Two side Darlington.
Key Games
Derby 1-0 Liverpool (First Division, May 1, 1972)
Derby took on title rivals Liverpool in their last game of the season knowing that nothing less than victory would keep their title aspirations alive. In a tense game at the Baseball Ground, John McGovern’s 63rd-minute strike separated the two sides. But it was a majestic defensive performance from Todd, providing “immaculate covering whenever Liverpool threatened to break forward”, that gave Brian Clough’s side the platform for victory.
England 2-0 West Germany (International friendly, March 12, 1975)
Despite not playing alongside his Derby team-mate Roy McFarland in this match, Todd turned in a superb display partnering Sunderland’s Dave Watson as England took on and beat world champions West Germany 2-0 at Wembley. The best the Germans had to offer simply wasn’t good enough to beat Todd.
Derby 4-1 Real Madrid (European Cup 2nd round 1st leg, October 22, 1975)
Derby faced the Spanish giants of Real Madrid in the first leg of a European Cup tie with a place in the quarter-finals at stake and duly swept aside their opponents with a majestic display. Charlie George scored a hat-trick, Todd marshalled the defence superbly; Derby were surely through. But incredibly, a 5-1 reverse in the away leg in Madrid saw the Rams crash out.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Derby | League Championship | 1972, 1975 |
| Oxford | Second Division Championship | 1985 |
| Bolton (as manager) | First Division Championship | 1997 |
Did You Know...?
Derby manager Brian Clough famously stated, “We’re not signing Colin Todd. We can’t afford him.” Clough then signed the player later the same day!
Todd was voted PFA Player of the Year by his fellow professionals at the end of the 1974-75 season.
Todd's son Andy is also a professional footballer and has played for a number of clubs including Derby and Charlton.
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