Old friends
Former Cheltenham Town manager Steve Cotterill has given his own tribute to the club’s Vice-Chairman Colin Farmer, who died yesterday.
During Steve’s five years in charge at Whaddon Road, a period that brought three promotions, a Wembley final and a best-ever FA Cup run to the club, he struck up a particularly close bond with Colin, whom he described as “almost a father figure.”
Since leaving Bristol City last season Steve has been doing some scouting and speaking from a trip to Europe he said: “I woke up the news this morning and am absolutely devastated. Colin Farmer started off as one of the directors when I returned to the club in 1997 but became a close friend, a confidante and almost a father figure to me.”
Colin and Steve remained in close touch even after his departure from the club to manage Stoke City in 2002 and throughout his subsequent career in football management with a number of clubs, most notably Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth, Notts County and Bristol City.
“We spoke a lot throughout all the ups and downs of our football lives and it feels as if I have almost lost a family member,” said Steve. “We’re not the sort of people who would open up to everyone but we would open up to each other about all our hopes and fears and I will miss him greatly.
“My thoughts at this moment in time are with his children, Nick and Sarah, and his wife, Mary.”