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Ralph Coates made his England debut before the 1970 World Cup in a 3-1 Home Internationals win over Northern Ireland. He was still a Burnley player, and remained on the periphery of the final squad without quite making it to Mexico. Undeterred, the sprightly, positive midfielder with a powerful shot and declining hairline worked further at his game and earned a recall in April 1971 - a sub appearance for Alan Ball in a European Championship qualifying win over Greece - and a move to Tottenham Hotspur a month later (he is pictured above in action for Spurs).
As he signed on the dotted line, he started a qualifier against Malta at Wembley, which England won 5-1, and won a fourth cap in a goalless Home International game against Wales, but then the curtain fell suddenly; largely because his talismanic, optimistic brand of attacking football didn't necessarily guarantee him a place in the Tottenham team every week. He actually won his final two caps as a Tottenham player, even though he'd never pulled on the Spurs shirt at that stage. A bizarre England career, but Coates nonetheless emerged as a cult hero of the two clubs who employed him at the time he was fleetingly in Alf Ramsey's good books. (Matthew Rudd).
After his football career Ralph Coates worked in the leisure industry managing sports centres in Chelmsford and Boreham Wood. He also retained his connections with Spurs, working for over 20 years as one of their match-day hosts.
In early December 2010 he suffered a series of strokes. He died on 17th. December 2010 at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. At the time he lived in St. Albans.
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