Colbeck more than an average Joe

1:44pm Friday 25th April 2008

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There is something ironic about tomorrow afternoon's Valley Parade swansong against champions-elect MK Dons.

And four days after being crowned City's player of the year, it will not be lost on Joe Colbeck.

His shock coronation as the choice of the fans is a shining example of someone simply refusing to give up when the chips are down.

As the saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Everybody loves a trier - and none have tried harder to bounce back in the public's eyes than Colbeck.

Which brings us back to City v MK Dons part one in October.

At that stage, Colbeck was no more than a bit-part player in Stuart McCall's plans.

Four days on from that notorious home tonking by Accrington, Colbeck again found himself on the bench.

With City hanging on for a decent 0-0, he got the call for action with 20 minutes to go. By the final whistle, the team had gone down 2-1 with Colbeck at fault for both goals.

It seemed life could not get any lower for the youngster. Within a week, our back page carried the headline that he was available to go out on loan - the biggest name of the fringe pack who were all surplus to requirements.

Colbeck was "gutted" by his manager's decision but he was also determined to show McCall that this story could still have an improbably happy ending.

And the proof of that was the grin plastered from ear to ear across Colbeck's face when he was announced for the top award this week. When he later described it as the best day of his life, you knew he wasn't kidding.

So expect an extra big cheer when he steps out against the Dons for the final home game of the season - a far cry from the derision heaped his way against the same opponents six months ago.

It's not just the FA Cup which has favoured the underdog this year. Colbeck's rise from zero to hero has been every bit as dramatic locally as a Wembley final without one of the top-four cartel.

Colbeck's success should provide an incentive that anything is possible if the will and dedication is there.

When Darlington offered a temporary bolt hole last autumn, it would have been easy for him to decide that the grass is greener and eye a fresh start.

Like the kid being told by their parent to jump straight back on the bike after a painful tumble, the obvious temptation would have been to shrug his shoulders and walk away.

Did he need the hassle from the boo boys who were on his case? After all, he had been there before.

Twelve months ago, the wheels had come off with his petulant red card against Oldham. His late dismissal on Easter Monday was compounded with an even later Latics equaliser as three desperately-needed points in the scrap to beat the drop were suddenly slashed to one.

Colbeck became public enemy number one in the eyes of many at Valley Parade as City's slump into the basement division was confirmed.

He came back in pre-season chastened but determined to make a positive impact under the new leadership of McCall. Instead, a few months in, he was heading up the A1 and seemingly out of Valley Parade for good.

How wrong we all were. City's dramatic revival since the new year has been epitomised by the blossoming form of their right winger, whose all-action game has now discovered the end product and cutting edge that had been lacking.

McCall can see his own fighting spirit in Colbeck's revival. "The player that gives everything deserves everything," was how he greeted the news of the youngster's trophy.

Of course, there are still going to be off days - that comes with a winger's territory - but there are more and more days when Colbeck gets it right and proves himself a key component in McCall's battle plans for a real promotion push next term.

Colbeck is the good news story of City's season. He's shown himself to be more than an average Joe.

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