Colin Miles

Colin Miles
Personal information
Full nameColin Ian Miles
Date of birth6 September 1978
Place of birthEdmonton, England[1]
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing positionDefender
Youth career
Watford
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1996–2000Watford1(0)
2000Greenock Morton4(0)
2000Stevenage Borough3(0)
2000Hayes4(0)
2000–2001Dover Athletic10(0)
2001–2006Yeovil Town149(8)
2006–2008Port Vale32(0)
2008–2009Woking30(1)
Total233(9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Colin Ian Miles (born Colin Pluck on 6 September 1978) is an English former football defender.

He began his career with Watford between 1996 and 2000, though would play little role in the club's rise from the Second Division to the Premier League. After a stint with Greenock Morton in 2000, he moved on to non-league Dover Athletic later in the year following spells with Greenock Morton and Stevenage Borough. In 2001 he signed with Yeovil Town; he would become a cult figure at the club over his five-year stay, helping them win promotion from the Conference National to League One.[2] He spent two years from 2006 with Port Vale, before ending his career with Woking at the end of the 2008–09 season.

Playing style

"Charming, quiet and almost reserved off the pitch, one rarely had long to wait for his er 'special song' to ring out from the terrace when he was on it. "Colin Miles is a f***ing mentalist!" didn't leave anything to the imagination about his style of play: wholehearted and sometimes rugged, he added steel in a side that could be too cultured for its own good on occasion."
—A writer at independent Yeovil Town fan site Ciderspace explains the defender's popularity at Huish Park.[2]

Playing career

Miles began his career with Watford, making his senior debut on 20 September 1997 at the Priestfield Stadium, he was replaced by the veteran Nigel Gibbs on 69 minutes and watched the "Horns" play out a 2–2 draw with Gillingham. On 9 December, he played 90 minutes of a 1–0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage in the first round of the Football League Trophy. Watford won the Second Division championship that season, before winning promotion to the Premier League in 1998–99. Not cut out for the top tier, this spelt the end of Miles' time at the club. In February 2000, he signed with Greenock Morton, playing five games in their 1999–2000 campaign, before heading back to England with Stevenage Borough in March. From the Premier League to the Scottish First Division, he finished the season in the Conference National, playing three games of the 1999–2000 Conference season. He spent part of October and November 2000 with Conference strugglers Hayes – scoring an own goal on his debut,[3] before signing with Dover Athletic in December. He played eleven games for Dover, before departing at the end of the season.

When, in June 2001, Miles ended up at Yeovil Town,[4] he had finally found stability in his career. Playing thirty games in the 2001–02 season, his first senior goal came 21 minutes into a 17 November fixture with Margate, in what was the only goal that night at Hartsdown Park.[5] His second goal came on 29 January, seven minutes into a 2–2 home draw with Forest Green Rovers. On 12 May, he played in the FA Trophy final against Stevenage at Villa Park, Yeovil winning 2–0. In 2002–03, the "Glovers" stormed to the Conference title, seventeen points clear of Morecambe. Miles scored against both Stevenage[6] and Kettering Town,[7] but it was his bookings that got him attention. He had been booked twelve times in 38 games, as well as being sent off against Telford United. Miles and Yeovil's rise to the Football League was a spectacular one, as they finished a healthy 8th. Miles played 41 games, 36 of which were in League Two. He scored six goals, an impressive total for a defender, his goals coming against York City,[8] Wrexham,[9] Lincoln City,[10] Barnet,[11] Cambridge United[12] and Bristol Rovers[13] – all at home. He was again frequently in trouble with referees, picking up eight bookings, including a run of four cards in four games.

In 2004–05, Yeovil won the league, though Miles made just 24 appearances, including three in the FA Cup. He scored against Darlington in the cup[14] and was sent off in the league against Shrewsbury Town.[15] In February he tore a knee liagement, keeping him out of action for a few weeks.[16] At the end of the season he signed a new one-year deal with the club.[17] The 2005–06 season was his last with Yeovil. He made 30 League One appearances, as well as five cup appearances. In June he signed with League One rivals Port Vale, sensing the Burslem club were "going places".[18]

Martin Foyle played him 33 times in 2006–07, including him in the League Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane that finished 3–1 to "Spurs". He was sent off against Bradford City on 16 September,[19] but kept his yellow card tally down to a respectable four. He took the field just five times in 2007–08 as he struggled with poor form and a swollen knee. New manager Lee Sinnott chose against offering Miles a new deal in the summer.[20] In August he returned to Conference football with Woking.[21] Woking suffered relegation in 2008–09, seven points off the safety spot occupied by Barrow. Miles played thirty games, scoring on his final appearance, in a 2–2 draw with Mansfield Town at Kingfield Stadium on 18 April.[22] He was dismissed from the pitch twice in the season, in away games at Eastbourne Borough (for foul and abusive language[23]) and Barrow.[24] He was released upon the season's conclusion.

Personal life

He changed his surname from Pluck to Miles in 2004, for family reasons.[2]

Statistics

Season Club Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[25] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1996–97WatfordSecond Division0000000000
1997–98[26]1000001020
1998–99First Division0000000000
1999–2000[27]Premier League0000000000
Total 1000001020
1999–2000[27]Greenock MortonFirst Division4010000050
Total 4010000050
1999–2000[27]Stevenage BoroughConference National3000000030
Total 3000000030
2000–01[28]HayesConference National4010000050
Total 4010000050
2000–01[28]Dover AthleticConference National100000010110
Total 100000010110
2001–02[29]Yeovil TownConference National262000040302
2002–03[30]362100010382
2003–04[31]League Two364320020416
2004–05[32]210310000241
2005–06[33]League One300301010350
Total 1498103108016811
2006–07[34]Port ValeLeague One290201010330
2007–08[35]3010100050
Total 320302010380
2008–09[36]WokingConference National301000000301
Total 301000000301
Career total 23391533011026212

Honours

with Watford
with Yeovil Town

References

  1. ↑ Hugman, Barry J. (ed) (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Colin Miles: Player Profile". ciderspace.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  3. ↑ "Hayes 0-3 Doncaster". BBC Sport. 14 October 2000. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Keeper Sheffield joins Yeovil". BBC Sport. 11 July 2001. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  5. ↑ "Margate 0-1 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 17 November 2001. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  6. ↑ "Yeovil 2-1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 21 December 2002. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  7. ↑ "Yeovil 4-0 Kettering". BBC Sport. 13 February 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  8. ↑ "Yeovil 3-0 York". BBC Sport. 13 September 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  9. ↑ "Yeovil 4-1 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 8 November 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "Yeovil 3-1 Lincoln City". BBC Sport. 29 November 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Yeovil 5-1 Barnet". BBC Sport. 6 December 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  12. ↑ "Yeovil 4-1 Cambridge". BBC Sport. 28 February 2004. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  13. ↑ "Yeovil 4-0 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 13 March 2004. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  14. ↑ "Darlington 3-3 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 13 November 2004. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Yeovil 4-2 Shrewsbury". BBC Sport. 3 January 2005. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  16. ↑ "Miles set for spell on sidelines". BBC Sport. 22 February 2005. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  17. ↑ "Miles agrees new deal at Yeovil". BBC Sport. 11 May 2005. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  18. ↑ "Vale snap up Miles and Whitaker". BBC Sport. 28 June 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  19. ↑ "Bradford 2-0 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 16 September 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  20. ↑ "First summer signings for Sinnott". BBC Sport. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  21. ↑ "Miles and Vernazza sign for Cards". BBC Sport. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  22. ↑ "Woking 2-2 Mansfield". BBC Sport. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  23. ↑ "Eastbourne 0-0 Woking". BBC Sport. 15 November 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  24. ↑ "Barrow 0-1 Woking". BBC Sport. 4 April 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  25. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Football League Trophy.
  26. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 "Games played by Colin Miles in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Games played by Colin Miles in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  31. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  32. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  33. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  34. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  36. ↑ "Games played by Colin Miles in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 September 2011.

External links