Colin Foster (born 16 July 1964) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
Starting out at non-League club Elmstead, Foster made his league debut for Leyton Orient in January 1982 whilst still an apprentice. He moved to Nottingham Forest, for a fee of ã50,000 in May 1987, making 72 league appearances under manager, Brian Clough.
In September 1989, Foster became manager Lou Macari's second and most expensive signing for West Ham United for ã750,000. Never a regular player under Macari, he became so under new manager Billy Bonds in a team which won promotion from the second division in season 1990âÂÂ91. Foster's time at West Ham is most often associated with scoring a spectacular mid-air volley in an FA Cup Quarter-final versus Everton in March 1991. Everton were in the upper reaches of the First Division (then the top tier) while West Ham were a second-tier side. West Ham won the match 2âÂÂ1 before being knocked out in the semi-finals by Foster's old club Nottingham Forest. Three seasons broken by regular injury followed and after a projected ã400,000 move back to Nottingham Forest fell through, when Foster could not agree terms, he remained at West Ham on a weekly contract. A loan to Notts County followed before he eventually moved, for a fee of ã100,000, to Watford in March 1994.