[2] Coleman came to Britain from Cork in 1959 and started working in offices at Millwall Dock for the flour millers McDougalls.

[1] Soon afterwards, he began his career in UK greyhound racing when he started working for John Bassett at Clapton Stadium.

He then secured the lease of the Chantilly Kennels owned by Jimmy Clubb and took out a private trainers licence in May 1966.

His first big race success was Ace of Trumps who won the 1969 Scurry Gold Cup.

[3] In 1972 he switched from Romford to Wembley, taking the place of Jack Harvey who had retired.