- Neill Collins
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For those of a similar name, see Neil Collins and Neal Collins.
Neill Collins Personal information Full name Neill William Collins Date of birth 2 September 1983 Place of birth Troon, Scotland Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Playing position Centre back Club information Current club Sheffield United Number 15 Youth career Queen's Park S-Form Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2001–2002 Queen's Park 32 (0) 2002–2004 Dumbarton 63 (4) 2004–2007 Sunderland 18 (1) 2005–2006 → Hartlepool United (loan) 22 (0) 2006 → Sheffield United (loan) 2 (0) 2006–2007 → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) 3 (1) 2007–2009 Wolverhampton Wanderers 83 (8) 2009–2010 → Preston North End (loan) 16 (0) 2010 Preston North End 5 (1) 2010 → Leeds United (loan) 9 (0) 2010–2011 Leeds United 21 (0) 2011– Sheffield United 32 (0) National team‡ 2005 Scotland U21 7 (0) 2007 Scotland B 2 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:38, 20 November 2011 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16:26, 12 May 2010 (UTC)Neill William Collins (born 2 September 1983) is a Scottish footballer defender who currently plays for Championship side Sheffield United. He is a former Scotland U21 international and has also represented Scotland B side.
Contents
Career
Collins, born in Troon, Scotland, 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 Falkirk, Hibernian, Rangers and Charlton Athletic.[1][2]
Sunderland
He left Dumbarton for Sunderland in August 2004,[3] 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, after being loaned out to, first, League One Hartlepool United,[4] then Championship promotion hopefuls Sheffield United,[5] during the 2005–06 season.
He 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 McCarthy left the job, and after a slow start to the Championship season caretaker manager Niall Quinn was replaced by Roy Keane as Sunderland manager.
Wolves
The defender was soon sent out on loan by the Sunderland's recently-appointed manager Roy Keane, whereupon he reunited with his former boss Mick McCarthy at Wolves.[6]
After his loan expired, Collins joined Wolves permanently in January 2007 for a fee of £150,000.[7] He was a regular starter for the rest of the season as the club reached the Championship play-offs. The 2007–08 season saw the side 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 Reading and 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 by the club in July 2009.[8]
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 on 5 January 2010.[9] Soon after signing on a permanent basis, manager Alan Irvine left the club, Collins lost his place in the side under the new manager Darren Ferguson where Collins wasn't part of his plans.
Leeds United
To gain playing time, he moved to League One promotion chasers Leeds United in March 2010 on loan for the rest of the season in a bid to help Leeds promotion campaign.[10] Collins made his début for Leeds when he started against Norwich after replacing the injured Patrick Kisnorbo in the line-up. He played an instrumental part as Leeds were promoted to the Football League Championship after finishing in second place in League One and thus being automatically promoted.
Collins signed a three year deal with Leeds on 7 July 2010 for an undisclosed fee.[11] Collins started the Championship season as one of Leeds' first choice defenders with Patrick Kisnorbo still being out with a long term injury. After some indifferent performances early on in the season, Collins scored an own goal in Leeds' 5–2 thrashing against Barnsley.[12] and was dropped to the bench by the end of October after being previously starting every game for Leeds.[13]
Sheffield United
On the following transfer deadline day, Collins signed for Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee[14] and made his début in a 3-0 defeat to Ipswich Town a few days later. In the 2011-12 campaign Collins established a defensive partnership with Blades centre-back Harry Maguire; Collins was awarded supporters Player of the Month for September 2011.[15]
International career
Collins is a former Scotland U21 international and has also represented Scotland B side.
Honours
- Sunderland
- Football League Championship: 2004–05
- Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Football League Championship: 2008–09
- Leeds United
- League One runner-up (promoted): 2009–10
References
- ^ "Sara fails to win move". BBC Sport. 2003-03-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/2886357.stm. Retrieved 2003-03-25.
- ^ "Charlton want Collins". BBC Sport. 2003-04-21. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2964803.stm. Retrieved 2003-04-21.
- ^ "Collins Deal Done". SAFC.com. 2004-08-13. http://www.safc.com/news/collins-deal-done.html. Retrieved 2003-04-21.
- ^ "Collins joins Hartlepool on loan". BBC Sport. 2005-08-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hartlepool_united/4146610.stm. Retrieved 2005-08-12.
- ^ "Sheff Utd sign defender Collins". BBC Sport. 2006-02-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/4727302.stm. Retrieved 2006-02-18.
- ^ "Wolves loan Black Cat". Sky Sports. 2006-11-02. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11695_2394200,00.html. Retrieved 2006-11-02.
- ^ "Sunderland's Collins joins Wolves". BBC Sport. 2007-01-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/6233857.stm. Retrieved 2007-01-05.
- ^ "Collins put up for sale by Wolves". Express & Star. 2009-07-14. http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/07/14/collins-put-up-for-sale-by-wolves/. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
- ^ "Preston North End sign Wolverhampton's Neill Collins". BBC Sport. 2010-01-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/preston/8441305.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
- ^ "Leeds sign Preston defender Neill Collins on loan". BBC Sport. 2010-03-23. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/8583766.stm. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ "United sign central defender". leedsunited.com. 2010-07-07. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20100707/united-sign-central-defender_2247585_2086236. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
- ^ "United crash to defeat at Oakwell". leedsunited.com. 2010-09-14. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20100914/united-crash-to-defeat-at-oakwell_2247585_2153942. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
- ^ "Scunthorpe Live". leedsunited.com. 2010-10-30. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20101030/scunthorpe-live_2247585_2200860. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
- ^ "Defender moves to Bramall Lane". leedsunited.com. 2011-01-31. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110131/defender-moves-to-bramall-lane_2247585_2281153. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
- ^ "Neill nets monthly award at the Lane". thestar.co.uk. 2011-10-07. http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/neill_nets_monthly_award_at_the_lane_1_3847675. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
External links
Sheffield United F.C. – current squad 1 Simonsen · 2 Lowton · 3 Jean-François · 4 Montgomery · 5 Morgan · 6 Ertl · 7 Mendez-Laing · 8 Doyle · 9 Evans · 11 Flynn · 13 Aksalu · 14 Williamson · 15 Collins · 16 Taylor · 17 Cresswell · 18 Harriott · 19 Maguire · 20 McAllister · 21 Porter · 23 Conneely · 24 Tønne · 25 Long · 27 McDonald · 28 Quinn · 30 Williams · 33 Parrino · — Chapell · — Gárdos · — Kennedy · — Warren · Manager: Wilson
Categories:- 1983 births
- Living people
- People from Troon
- Scottish footballers
- Scotland under-21 international footballers
- Scotland B international footballers
- Association football defenders
- The Football League players
- Queen's Park F.C. players
- Dumbarton F.C. players
- Sunderland A.F.C. players
- Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
- Hartlepool United F.C. players
- Leeds United A.F.C. players
- Preston North End F.C. players
- Sheffield United F.C. players
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