Bargain Coleman 'a great story'

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"Sixty grand, sixty grand Seamus Coleman, playing football the Everton way."

It's a song that has echoed around the terraces at Goodison Park - and later Hill Dickinson Stadium - for 17 years.

After 433 matches in blue, Seamus Coleman's famous £60,000 transfer fee from Sligo Rovers works out at about £140 a game.

The Republic of Ireland full-back's long Toffees career will soon come to a close after he confirmed he will leave when his contract expires this summer.

It's one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history, but it wasn't always a straightforward success story.

Coleman moved to Everton in January 2009 and made his debut nine months later against Benfica in the Europa League, taking on the likes of Angel di Maria, Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo.

It was a baptism of fire in a 5-0 defeat, but the player Everton fans would come to love was on show again a few days later.

The teenager was introduced as a sub for his Premier League debut against Tottenham as Everton rescued a 2-2 draw.

After notching up his first assist, Coleman was named man of the match.

"I was sitting there thinking, 'three years ago that young lad was playing for me', and now I was watching him changing the game on 'Super Sunday' on the TV," said Brian Dorrian, who coached a young Coleman and remained close with him throughout his career.

"Back then, if you were to tell me where he is now - I would have said no, and that's with no disrespect to him. He'd tell you that himself, but it's brilliant for him and a great story."