On LFW, it's said he's an agent
That's also what it said on Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_CotonAnd also here and presumably elsewhiere
"...The 6ft 3in Huddersfield-born [Alex] Smitthies , also 19, has been a regular in the England international youth teams up until last season and
his agent, the former Manchester United goalkeeping coach Tony Coton.
Coton, who used to play for Manchester City, watched Smithies in action during the Exeter game when he was in the directors' box with former Maine Road manager and teammate Reid."
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/leagueone/huddersfield/6315635/Huddersfield-tell-Premier-League-big-boys-star-youngsters-are-not-for-sale.htmlProfile of Coton from couple years ago
[1997-2007 goalie coach at Man Ut]
Manchester Evening News Stuart Mathieson
Coton keeps up tradition
January 15, 2008 Tony Coton
TONY Coton believes United's goalkeeping department is in safe hands following his enforced retirement as its guru.
The ex-City No 1 who has spent the last 10 years on Sir Alex Ferguson's staff was forced to retire last week as a result of a degenerative knee condition.
The popular 46-year-old has worked with some of the world's top keepers from Peter Schmeichel to Fabien Barthez and Edwin van der Sar.
He has travelled the world scouting for the Reds but, as he leaves that era of his life behind, Coton insists the strength of the goalkeeping at Old Trafford is as powerful as ever.
"The role is in very good hands at the moment," Coton said.
"Edwin van der Sar appears to be playing as well as he has ever done and it's great he's recently signed a contract extension.
"Tomasz Kuszczak is an able deputy and hasn't let anyone down.
"Ben Foster has previously proved how good he can be and I am just disappointed I won't have the opportunity to work with him because he's a good prospect.
"He's had his cruciate knee ligament injury and I watched him recently and he is close to getting back. When he returns the depth of the senior keepers and age range is excellent.
"United have some very good young keepers coming through as well. Though it is an ever-changing scenario, I have to say at present it is strong."
Coton moved across the city from Maine Road for a brief period as deputy to Schmeichel in 1996.
He moved to Sunderland but returned to the Reds to work with the big Dane and then, after Schmeichel quit in 1999, to help produce his possible successors.
Infamous
That work was initially on the training ground but the infamous August `99 £4.5m signing of four-match flop Massimo Taibi from Venezia saw Coton's job description adjusted to add `scout' to his duties.
"You can't pin the Taibi one on me!" Coton joked.
"It was after that, that I spoke to the manager about the situation and he allowed me to get more involved in the scouting and recommending of goalkeepers.
"That shows a measure of the man because he agreed with what I was saying and told me I was right and gave me my head.
"From that I suppose the big disappointment was Tim Howard. I went over to America and got videos and reports on him every week and then we acted.
"I was disappointed that he didn't come through. He was fantastic in his first season but then didn't kick on in his second. Sadly that's football. Ultimately you have to be very consistent at United to succeed."
Howard, however, moved on to find success at Everton.
Coton's own Old Trafford chapter has closed following advice from his surgeon and the Reds medics that his right knee wouldn't take any more training ground punishment.
"I have had problems with both knees over the years," Tony explained. "I cannot even count the number of ops I have had on the knees. I have had two in quick succession recently on the right knee.
"I had one in September and one in November. I was advised by the surgeon after the first one that I would be in and out of hospital with the condition unless I didn't ease up. But I wasn't even able to get back out on to the training ground after that September op as I broke down during rehab.
"I was advised immediately that, if I didn't want to suffer long-term problems and to give me quality of life, it would be in my best interests to retire from goalkeeping coaching. That was the stark reality.
"In layman's terms I have to have a knee replacement when I am old enough. That will be 10 to 15 years down the line.
Memories
"They don't like to do two knee replacements on the same knee and the life expectancy of a knee replacement is 15-20 years so I have to wait.
Coton leaves after a decade with a scrapbook full of memories from his `dream' job.
"I can't thank the club enough for the 10 years. I have seen and witnessed unbelievable things," he said.
"They are memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. Whoever takes over my job is in for an absolute ball. It will be a special treat. All the staff from top to bottom are fantastic. I have to say the manager has been absolutely superb. It has been a joy to work with him.
"I have learnt so much from working closely with, and getting to know, the real Alex Ferguson. He is a fantastic person who enjoys a joke, a singsong when it is time to relax.
"But he is a hard taskmaster and he expects everybody in the club to work as hard as he does and that takes some doing to keep up with him.
"The highlight of my time has to be the Champions League final success. But I am not talking about the game itself.
"What was even better than that was the homecoming. Sir Alex let me ride on the open top bus and I still get goose pimples when I watch it now.
Unbelievable
"To witness the noise, people hanging out of windows, up drainpipes, over bridges was unbelievable, the one highlight I will never ever forget."
So what will be next on Tony Coton's CV?
"I am going to work in sports management or an agent if you like," he said.
"I have contacted the PFA about sitting my agent's exam.
"I have 30 years of experience as a player and coach and I want to share that with young players and point them in the right direction.
"I have seen how Manchester United perceives an agent should act.
"I can't stress enough that if a player is good enough the rewards will come with performances. It is not about getting rich quick and that is what I will stress as an advisor. That will be my philosophy.
"I will guide them. I have been through it all as a player. I know what it is like when you are up and when you are down. I can be the sympathetic ear.
"My ultimate aim will be the interests of the player and the player only.
"I will gladly work alongside the club he represents."
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1032051_coton_keeps_up_tradition_
