Background
Coleman was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, and first played for local non-league sides, Kettering Town and then Northampton Town in 1901.
Coleman was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, and first played for local non-league sides, Kettering Town and then Northampton Town in 1901.
Coleman made his debut against Preston North End on 6 September 1902, and in his first season was top scorer with 17 goals in 30 matches, as Arsenal finished third.
He was signed by Second Division Woolwich Arsenal in the summer of 1902, and immediately became a regular goalscorer for the club Coleman found 1905-1906, his first season at the top, tough going (he only scored five goals), but the following season he scored 15 in 34 matches. Despite their success on the pitch, Woolwich Arsenal were suffering from financial difficulties, and willingly accepted a bid of £700 for Coleman from Everton in February 1908, near the end of the 1907-1908 season.
In total, Coleman had played 196 games for Arsenal, scoring 84 goals.
Coleman was a regular during the two and a half seasons he spent at Goodison Park, helping the Toffees to runners-up spot in 1908-1909, and scoring 30 goals in 71 league appearances. While at Everton, he was notable for being one of the few players, along with most of the Manchester United side, to maintain their membership of the Players" Union (the forerunner of the Professional Football players" Association), in defiance of Football Association rules.
After a standoff, the FA backed down. Coleman later had spells at Sunderland (1910-1911), Fulham (1911-1914) and Nottingham Forest (1914-1915).
With the advent of World War I and the suspension of first-class football, Coleman retired from the professional game, although he still played in non-league football, most notably for Tunbridge Wells Rangers, finally retiring in 1921.
He later worked as a coach & manager for Maidstone Utd, and moved to the Netherlands. He died in November 1940, at the age of 59.