Chris Coleman

After calling time on his playing career in October 2002, Chris Coleman made history when in May 2003, he became Fulham Football Club's and The Premiership's youngest ever manager.

A strong, tall and commanding centre-back, he began his career with Manchester City in 1986 but did not make his professional debut until moving to his home town club, Swansea City. After spending four years with City, a move to Crystal Palace followed, where his five year's of fantastic service caught the eye of then Premiership Champions Blackburn Rovers, who paid £2.8 million for him in 2005. However, injury limited his appearances to just 28 games and he showed the kind of bravery which he has demonstrated throughout his career when he dropped down two divisions to join Fulham, a club fired with new ambition since the take-over by Mohammed Al Fayed.

After a horrific car crash in January 2001 which ultimately ended his playing career, he began coaching at Fulham and then, following the departure of Jean Tigana in April 2003, was handed the role of caretaker manager. He successfully staved off the threat of relegation and was duly handed the manager's role on a permanent basis. In his very first season in charge he led Fulham to their highest ever League finish.

Chris then moved on to manage Real Sociedad in Spain, accepting the challenge of trying to take the club back up to La Liga. He left Real midway through his first season after a change in the hierarchy and took over at Coventry City where he crucially kept the club in the Championship on the last day of the 2007/8 season.

Visit Soccerbase's Chris Coleman managerial statistics and playing statistics

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