Colin Todd
A commanding central defender who anchored Derby County's championship sides and was voted the best player in England by his peers in 1975.
Born 1948 (age 78)·English football manager and former player·Birthday: December 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Colin Todd's career is a masterclass in defensive excellence and quiet leadership. Emerging from Sunderland's youth system, he found his true home at Derby County under the management of Brian Clough. There, as a composed and intelligent centre-back, he formed a formidable partnership with Roy McFarland, providing the steel that propelled Derby to their first-ever League titles in 1972 and 1975. His peers recognized his supreme quality, voting him the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1975—a rare honor for a defender. While his 27 England caps perhaps understate his ability, due to fierce competition, his club influence was undeniable. After a distinguished playing career spanning several clubs, he moved into management, known for his disciplined approach and deep understanding of the game's tactical nuances.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Colin was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Colin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two First Division (now Premier League) championships with Derby County in 1972 and 1975.
- Awarded the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1975.
- Earned 27 caps for the England national football team.
- Made over 600 appearances in the English Football League across a 19-year playing career.
Did You Know?
He was the first player to win the PFA Players' Player of the Year award while playing for a club outside London or the northwest of England.
He played in the North American Soccer League for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1979.
His son, Andy Todd, also became a professional footballer and played in the Premier League.
He briefly served as assistant manager to Fabio Capello with the England national team.
“A clean sheet is not just a statistic; it's the foundation you build from.”
