Colin Irwin (footballer)

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Personal information
Colin Irwin
Full name	Colin Thomas Irwin
Date of birth	February 9, 1957
Place of birth	Liverpool, England
Position	Defender
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1977-81 1981-84	Liverpol Swansea City	29 (3) 48 (0)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

For other people named Colin Irwin, see Colin Irwin.

Colin Irwin (born February 9, 1957 in Liverpool) was a professional footballer of the early 1980s. A defender, able to play at left-back or in the centre, Irwin came through the youth ranks at Liverpool, and his first call-up to the first-team squad came, remarkably, in the 1978 European Cup final. Irwin didn't get on, but Liverpool won the game, and Irwin collected a winners medal. He was not involved in the first-team squad at all in the 78/79 season, but he made his debut early the following season, against West Bromwich Albion, and went on to make 14 appeareances throughought the season. 1980/81 saw a revamp of Liverpool's squad, with many young players given their chance, of which Irwin was one. Although not an automatic first-team selection, he made 30 appearances and was a regular squad member as Liverpool won the League Cup and European Cup. However, the summer of 1981 saw Liverpool sign Mark Lawrenson, which made Irwin surplus to requirements. He moved on to Swansea, managed by John Toshack, and with a team full of ex-Liverpool players for £340,000, which remains the club's record transfer paid. He was made captain, but suffered a knee injury in 1983 which forced him to retire. Following retirement, he served as a coach at Bolton Wanderers, under former team-mate Phil Neal, from 1985 to 1987.