England international rugby union footballer & business owner (born 1947)
Rugby player
Fran Cotton
Birth name
Francis Edward Cotton
Date of birth
(1947-01-03) 3 January 1947 (age 77)
Place of birth
Wigan, England
Height
1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight
105 kg (16 st 7 lb)[1]
School
Newton-le-Willows Grammar School
University
Loughborough University
Occupation(s)
businessman
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years
Team
Apps
(Points)
? to ? ? to ? ? to ?
? to ?
Liverpool R.F.C. Loughborough Colleges Sale Coventry R.F.C. County side: Lancashire[2]
()
Correct as of 1 Sept 2006
International career
Years
Team
Apps
(Points)
1971-81 1974, 1977, 1980
England British Lions
31 7
(4) (0)
Correct as of 1 September 2006
Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a former rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a clothing company. In 2007, Cotton returned to his former club Sale as a member of the club's board.[3]
Cotton was born in Wigan, Lancashire, and went to Loughborough University to study physical education. Cotton was ahead of his time in terms of physical preparation. It was during these years that Cotton would win the Glengarth Sevens at Stockport Rugby Club along with Steve Smith and Clive Rees.
Cotton made his England debut against Scotland in 1971, and played for them 31 times. He also captained the English team three times.
He represented the Lions on their tours to South Africa in 1974, New Zealand in 1977 and South Africa in 1980. It was during the game against the Junior All Blacks on the 1977 tour that the famous 'Mudman' image of Cotton, waiting for the ball at a lineout while caked head-to-toe in mud, was taken. Captured by Colorsport's Colin Elsey, it became one of the most iconic images of rugby union.
Cotton was the Tour Manager for the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa.[4]
With Steve Smith he founded the clothing company Cotton Traders in 1987. In 2008 Cotton Traders was forced to pull out of Burma after an investigation by the Burma Campaign UK uncovered the company was sourcing clothing from Burma. Clothing exports generate significant income for the Burmese dictatorship.[5]
^"History - the History of the British & Irish Lions".
^COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP HONOURS BILL BEAUMONT, By Simon Mills, Community Rugby Media Manager
^Union legend Cotton returns to Sale Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^Fordyce, Tom. "British and Irish Lions: The inside story of Living with Lions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a former rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry...
1987 by former England national rugby union team captains FranCotton and Steve Smith. Cotton Traders' range of products commercialised include clothing...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
Cotton may refer to: Francis Cotton (politician) (1857–1942), Australian politician Francis Ridgley Cotton (1895–1960), American bishop FranCotton (Francis...
Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023. FranCotton; Chris Rhys (1985). The Book of rugby disasters & bizarre records. London:...
notable players include Ivor Preece, Peter Jackson, David Duckham, FranCotton and Danny Grewcock. From 1921 to 2004, the club played at Coundon Road...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
College RFC and Scotland) Sandy Carmichael (West of Scotland and Scotland) FranCotton (Coventry and England) Mike Burton (Gloucester and England) Locks Willie...
Derek Quinnell had toured New Zealand in 1971 and 1977; Andy Irvine and FranCotton had toured South Africa in 1974 and New Zealand in 1977 while Bruce Hay...
Beaumont (c.) Phil Blakeway Tony Bond John Carleton Maurice Colclough FranCotton Paul Dodge Dusty Hare John Horton Nigel Horton Tony Neary Nick Preston...
to South Africa) William Michael Patterson (1959) Peter Stagg (1968) FranCotton (1977 & 1980) Steve Smith (1980 & 1983) Jason Robinson (2001 & 2005)...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
producer 1946 – Michalis Kritikopoulos, Greek footballer (d. 2002) 1947 – FranCotton, English rugby player 1947 – Zulema, American singer-songwriter (d. 2013)...
during the Junior All Blacks game that the famous 'Mudman' image of FranCotton, waiting for the ball at a line-out while caked head-to-toe in mud, was...
Beaumont (c.) Mike Burton David Caplan Maurice Colclough Barrie Corless FranCotton Robin Cowling Peter Dixon Paul Dodge Dusty Hare Alastair Hignell Nigel...
Bennett Mike Burton Peter Butler David Cooke Martin Cooper Barrie Corless FranCotton David Duckham Alastair Hignell Mark Keyworth Mike Lampkowski Andy Maxwell...
are the 1973 Five Nations Championship squads: Head coach: John Elders FranCotton Dick Cowman Sam Doble David Duckham Geoff Evans Tony Jorden Peter Larter...
coach: John Burgess Bill Beaumont Neil Bennett Mike Burton Martin Cooper FranCotton (c.) Peter Dixon David Duckham Nigel Horton Tony Jorden Alan Morley Tony...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
Utley and against Alan Old and Warfield (Yorkshire) and Tony Neary, FranCotton, Bill Beaumont and Mike Slemen (Lancashire). With several of these he...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
Head coach: Peter Colston Bill Beaumont Martin Cooper Barrie Corless FranCotton Robin Cowling Peter Dixon Alastair Hignell Nigel Horton Charles Kent...
Nations Championship squads: Head coach: Don White Tony Bucknall (c.)* FranCotton Dick Cowman David Duckham Keith Fairbrother Peter Glover Charlie Hannaford...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin Jan–Feb 1975: FranCotton Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary May 1975: John Pullin Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary...
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