About Mitchell Cole
Mitchell James Cole (6 October 1985 – 30 November 2012) was an English footballer who played as a winger. He retired from professional football in 2011 after being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that made it unsafe for him to continue playing competitively. After beginning his career in the West Ham United academy, Cole joined Grays Athletic in 2004 and helped the club win the Conference South title and FA Trophy. He signed for Southend United in July 2005 and contributed to the club's promotion to the Championship as League One champions in his debut season. Cole transferred to Stevenage Borough in January 2007, scoring in the first competitive final at the new Wembley Stadium as the club won the FA Trophy. He won the competition again in 2009 and helped Stevenage secure promotion to the Football League as Conference Premier champions during the 2009–10 season. Cole signed for Oxford United in June 2010, making six appearances before retiring from professional football in February 2011 due to his heart condition. He subsequently returned to semi-professional football, playing for Stotfold, Hitchin Town, Biggleswade Town, Arlesey Town, and Basildon United, making his final appearance for the club in September 2012. Internationally, he earned 14 caps and scored seven goals for the England C team, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the team's history. Cole died on 30 November 2012 while playing football with family and friends, with his death linked to his pre-existing heart condition. He was subsequently offered a contract by manager Mark Stimson and played regularly during the 2004–05 season, making 47 appearances and scoring nine goals as Grays won the Conference South title.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.