Neill Collins

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Neill Collins bigraphy, stories - Professional footballer

Neill Collins : biography

2 September 1983 –

Neill William Collins (born 2 September 1983) is a Scottish footballer, who currently plays as a defender for League One side Sheffield United. Born in Troon, Scotland, he is a former Scotland U21 and Scotland B international. Collins started his playing career in his native Scotland with Queen’s Park before moving to Dumbarton. A transfer to English side Sunderland followed in 2004 but he failed to establish himself in the first team during his three-year spell on Wearside. After loan moves to Hartlepool United and Sheffield United he was loaned to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he became a first team regular and signed a permanent deal in 2007. Following Wolves’ promotion to the Premier League Collins fell out of favour and moved on loan again, this time to Preston North End, but although they signed him permanently in 2010, Collins was never a regular and quickly moved to Leeds United, with whom he won promotion to the Championship in 2010. After losing his place the following season Collins returned to Sheffield United, one of his former loan clubs, for whom he made over 100 appearances.

Honours

Sunderland
  • Football League Championship: 2004–05
Wolverhampton Wanderers
  • Football League Championship: 2008–09
Leeds United
  • League One runner-up (promoted): 2009–10

Career

Collins began his career with Scottish amateur club, Queen’s Park, moving to Dumbarton after two seasons. During his stay at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Collins became popular with the fans and had a spell as captain and was key to the Sons’ battle to stay in the Second Division. During his time there he had trials with , , and .

Sunderland

Collins left Dumbarton for Sunderland in August 2004, for a fee of £25,000, and made 11 appearances during the first season as the club won promotion to the Premier League as champions. He never appeared in the top flight for them though, and was loaned out to League One side Hartlepool United, and Championship promotion hopefuls Sheffield United, during the 2005–06 season.

Collins returned to the Sunderland team at the start of the following campaign, but was forced to play in the unfamiliar role of right-back after injuries to team-mates Stephen Wright and Nyron Nosworthy. He was a regular under manager Mick McCarthy, but when McCarthy left the job, Collins was dropped by replacement manager Roy Keane.

Wolves

The defender was soon sent out on loan by Sunderland manager Roy Keane, whereupon Collins was reunited with his former boss Mick McCarthy at Wolves.

After his loan expired, Collins joined Wolves permanently in January 2007 for a fee of £150,000. He was a regular starter for the rest of the season as the club reached the Championship play-offs. The 2007–08 season saw Wolves miss out on the play-offs on goal difference with Collins again playing regularly.

Collins started 2008–09 strongly with Wolves but was left out of the first team with the loan arrival of Michael Mancienne from Chelsea. When Mancienne returned to Chelsea in the New Year, Collins returned to the side, partnering Richard Stearman. He contributed several important goals during this period, but was soon ousted from the side again after receiving a red card for dissent at and following the addition of Scottish international Christophe Berra. He remained out of the side for the remainder of the season as the club were promoted to the Premier League as champions, and was transfer listed in July 2009.

Preston North End

Early in the 2009–10 season Collins was loaned out to Championship side Preston North End, a move made permanent when he signed a three-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee in January 2010. Soon after Collins signed on a permanent basis however, manager Alan Irvine left the club, and the defender lost his place in the side under new manager Darren Ferguson.

Leeds United

To gain playing time, Collins moved to League One side Leeds United in March 2010, on loan for the rest of the season in a bid to help Leeds’ promotion campaign. Collins made his début for Leeds when he started against Norwich City after replacing the injured Patrick Kisnorbo. He played an instrumental part as Leeds were promoted to the Championship after finishing in second place in League One, and thus being automatically promoted.