pat welton - fact file

1969 - 1980        coach

FULL NAME :   PATRICK ROY WELTON

Born on 3rd May 1928 in Chislehurst, Kent, England.

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Pat Welton was an influential youth coach and spent a large part of the 1970s at Tottenham Hotspur, where he was one of Bill Nicholson's back-room team.

Beginning his playing days at his local Chislehurst club, Welton joined Leyton Orient as a goalkeeper in May 1949 straight from being a PE teacher at a school in Highbury and during the 1950s played more than 280 games for the Brisbane Road club (263 League appearances; 18 FA Cup appearances) as first choice for nearly six years, before moving to QPR in March 1958 for just three appearances before retiring from playing.  During his time at Orient, he won the Division Three South title with the club and was an eevr-present when the O's got promoted to Division 1.

Was appointed as manager of St. Albans in January 1959, before taking charge at Clapton and Walthamstow Avenue, before, in the early 1960s, he managed/coached the England Youth team as they hosted a UEFA international tournament which England won, beating Northern Ireland 4-0 at Wembley in the 1963 final, with Pat Jennings in goal for the losing side and David Pleat having featured for England earlier in the competition.

When Pat was a coach at Leyton Orient, he was a member of a panel of lecturers visiting boys clubs and youth clubs with a non-party organisation called the Economic League.  His lectures promoted the idea of team spirit and when he offered a glimpse behind the scenes of the professional game, this always went down well.

In the early 1960s managed/coached the England Youth team as they hosted a UEFA international tournament which England won, beating Northern Ireland 4-0 at Wembley in the 1963 final, with Pat Jennings in goal for the losing side and David Pleat having featured for England earlier in the competition.  The team won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award for Team of the Year.

A further appointment as a manager came his way with Corinthian Casuals and he was the football coach at Forest School in Woodford.  Welton became the first full time Spurs youth team manager in August 1969 and was at the helm when the Youth team won the FA Youth Cup twice in the early 1970s.  His impressive handling of the younger sides brought him to the attention of Keith Burkinshaw when he was manager and he promoted Pat to Reserve Team manager in 1974 and then to be his assistant between the years of 1976 and 1980.

Pat linked up with Burkinshaw again later that decade, when Keith was manager of the Bahrain national team.

Pat Welton died on 28th June 2010 after a battle with cancer.

 

NICKNAME : 


Honours
Division Three South Championship winners medal 1955-56  (Leyton Orient)

Milestones
- appearance

           

1977



Played for Chislehurst before turning professional with Orient in 1949.

Ever present in 1955-56 Third Division championship winning team.

Fully qualified FA Staff Coach.

Was England's Youth team coach for several years, while PE Master at Forest School, Snaresbrook and managing Walthamstow Avenue.

Lives in Walthamstow.

Joined Spurs in close season of 1969 as youth team manager and coach.  Won FA Youth Cup in first season and then again in 1974.

Appointed as assistant manager in summer 1976.


Starts day at 09:00.
Looks at papers and deals with post, then works out groups for Keith Burkinshaw's morning sessions training requirements at Cheshunt.
Afternoons are spent back at the Lane, where there are more sessions for youngsters.  Additional first team players who need extra sessions join in on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Midweek evenings are spent watching other teams, but Thursdays Pat is back at the Lane to watch the schoolboy training sessions.
Some Sunday mornings are set aside for schoolboy trials at Cheshunt.
“Keith and I discuss the various problems that arise and there are times when, after seeing future opposition in advance, I am able to contribute to our tactical talks.”
Saturdays see Pat in charge of the Reserves, but he is disappointed that crowds are not bigger to see the next generation of players.
“Thousands watch reserve matches at, say Newcastle or Manchester United, but our players have to perform to meagre crowds.  Professionals like an audience and better support at reserve matches would provide some atmosphere and encouragement for them.”
 

 

 


 
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Books by Pat Welton
"The Professionals' Book of Football Skills & Tactics"
by Ken Jones and
Pat Welton
Published by Marshall Cavendish
    1973
ISBN 10: 0856850241; ISBN 13: 9780856850240
 

 

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