Long service award for Wolves referee turned scout

Mr Coleman's career in the game has been split in two very different directions. He spent more than 25 years as a referee in the West Midlands amateur leagues, before turning his attention to scouting with both Wolves and Aston Villa.

His first foray into the game came as a school teacher at the start of the 1960s.

"People were always criticising the referee, so I thought if I took a turn as ref, they couldn't criticise me," said the 80-year-old from Sedgley.

He enjoyed the experience so much he decided to continue refereeing until hanging up his whistle in 1989.

But through his connections in the game he was able to make the transition from keeping order as the man in the middle to searching for the stars of tomorrow.

It was at Wolves where his scouting career began, towards the end of Graham Turner's reign as manager. But he soon moved on to Aston Villa, where he spent 18 years as a talent spotter.

The most notable gem he unearthed while at Villa was Danny Batth.

He said: "I found Danny at nine years of age playing Sunday football. He was such a big lad, even then.

"His father sent me a letter and it was unusual – you would get letters from mothers saying their child was the greatest thing since sliced bread all the time. I just happened to go on the off chance, on an instinct I had.

"I took him to Villa, he fell through the net and went to Wolves aged 11."

Mr Coleman left Villa last year but still has an influence in the game, remaining on committees for Wolverhampton City Council and the JW Hunt Midlands cup competition.

Now, after racking up 50 years in the game he is the latest recipient of the Football Association's long service award.

He said: "I knew they give an award for 50 years but you don't expect it, you just keep your fingers crossed."