TAMESIDE’S football clubs are united in grief after the death of former player and manager Ged Coyne.
Hyde United – who he played for between 1981 and 1984 and managed – will pay tribute to the father of current assistant manager Martin at their New Year’s Day match at home to Macclesfield.
Ged died in his sleep on Friday, December 27 aged 68 in Malta, where he lived.
And his loss will be felt at Curzon Ashton – where he played and managed, Mossley AFC, where he was manager, and the clubs he played for, including Ashton United, Stalybridge Celtic and Dukinfield Town.
Ged was born in Manchester and played for Manchester Boys.
He was at Manchester City in the early 1970s before being bought by Tommy Docherty in 1975 and taken to Manchester United.
He spent a year at Old Trafford but made no first team appearances.
His management career began at Manchester League East Manchester in the mid-1980s.
He was appointed Mossley boss in February 1992 but that October replaced Cliff Roberts at Hyde United.
Credited with bringing through talent such as the discovery of talented attacking players in ‘dazzling’ Darren Thornton and one of the Tigers’ all-time greats in Ged Kimmins and getting the best from players already at the club such as Phil Chadwick and David Nolan, he arguably helped to set the foundations for the better years to come.
His managerial spell is remembered fondly by Hyde fans due to the attacking style of play which resulted in many entertaining matches.
Hyde sacked him after 13 months and he then spent three years at Glossop North End. Renowned Tameside football expert Mike Pavasovic said: “As a manager, Ged did much better than the stats would suggest.
“Although he never won a trophy, you have to take into account that he was always involved with struggling clubs.
“Financial problems meant Mossley had been in decline since 1983-4 and they were relegated from the NPL Premier Division in 1992-3.
“Hyde also had problems and although Ged was somewhat harshly sacked after only a year – he made some top-class signings.
“He did very respectably at Glossop, getting them back on an even keel after they almost went out of business and Curzon were in freefall, heading for the Northern Counties East League and the second division of the North West Counties League.”
Ged was part of a football dynasty. He was the brother of Peter, who played for England Schoolboys, Manchester United, Crewe, Ashton United, Hyde United, Swindon Town, Colne and Glossop) and uncle of respected coach Tony.
In the 1990s, Ged worked at Manchester Airport and lived in Gee Cross.