Who is Neill Collins?
Neill William Collins is a Scottish football manager and former professional player. He is currently serving as the head coach of League One club Barnsley. Collins had a successful career as a centre-back and represented Scotland U21 and Scotland B teams during his playing days.
Collins began his football journey at Queen's Park and later played for Dumbarton before joining Sunderland in 2004. Although he faced challenges in establishing himself in the first team, he gained experience through loan spells at Hartlepool United and Sheffield United. It was at Wolverhampton Wanderers where he found success, becoming a regular starter and signing a permanent deal in 2007.
Following Wolves' promotion to the Premier League, Collins had loan spells at Preston North End before making a significant contribution to Leeds United's Championship promotion in 2010. He later returned to Sheffield United, making over 100 appearances for the club. In 2015, he had a loan stint at Port Vale before moving to the United States to play for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2016. Throughout his playing career, Collins scored 35 goals in 583 league and cup appearances.
In May 2018, Collins transitioned from player to head coach when he took on the role at the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He achieved notable success in the 2021 season, receiving two USL Championship Coach of the Month awards and being named Coach of the Year. Under his leadership, the team secured the Eastern Conference title and reached the playoffs' runners-up position.
Neill Collins Leaving Rowdies to Coach at Barnsley FC
After an impressive six-year stint as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Neill Collins has decided to embark on a new challenge as the head coach of Barnsley FC in the English Football League One. With a track record of success, Collins leaves the Rowdies with a sense of pride and gratitude from the club's ownership and management.
During his time with the Rowdies, Collins led the team to numerous victories and playoff appearances, establishing himself as an exceptional coach in the USL Championship league. Now, he is eager to bring his expertise and passion to Barnsley, aiming to guide the club to success and make a positive impact on the team and its devoted fanbase.
Barnsley's chief executive, Khaled El-Ahmad, is confident that Collins' appointment will prove instrumental in the club's quest for promotion back to the Championship. The club is excited to welcome Collins and emphasizes the importance of allowing him to settle in, build strong relationships with the staff and players, and prepare for the upcoming season. With Collins at the helm, Barnsley is poised to embrace a new era of success and growth under his leadership.
https://twitter.com/BarnsleyFC/status/1676923985789956098
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Why is Neill Collins Leaving Rowdies?
Neill Collins' departure from the Tampa Bay Rowdies is driven by his aspiration for new challenges and personal growth in his coaching career. After an incredibly successful six-year tenure with the Rowdies, Collins believes the time is right to embark on a fresh opportunity and continue his coaching journey in a different environment.
He expresses gratitude to the Rowdies for the experiences and opportunities they provided, while recognizing the need for personal and professional development. Collins leaves behind a legacy of success at the Rowdies, with a remarkable record of victories and playoff appearances. The club acknowledges his contributions with pride and wishes him the best as he takes on the head coaching role at Barnsley FC.
Neill Collins Career
Neill Collins has had a successful career both as a player and a coach. As a player, he started his journey with Queen's Park and went on to play for clubs like Dumbarton, Sunderland, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He made over 100 appearances for Sheffield United and also had loan spells at Hartlepool United and Preston North End.
In May 2018, Collins transitioned from player to manager when he was appointed as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Despite facing challenges, he guided the team to a 12th place finish in the 2018 season and a fifth place finish in the 2019 season. The Rowdies had an outstanding 2020 season, finishing at the top of the table, but were unable to play the Championship final due to COVID-19 cases.
Collins' coaching abilities were recognized when he was named the USL Championship Coach of the Year in 2021. He led the Rowdies to the playoff final in both 2021 and 2022, showcasing his talent and strategic acumen. In July 2023, Collins returned to England to take on the role of head coach at Barnsley, a League One club. With a successful playing career and a promising coaching career ahead of him, Neill Collins continues to make a significant impact in the world of football.
Neill Collins Stats
|
Club |
Season |
League |
National cup |
League cup |
Other |
Total |
||||||
|
Division |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
||
|
Queen's Park |
2000–01 |
Scottish Second Division |
4 |
0 |
— |
— |
— |
4 |
0 |
|||
|
2001–02 |
Scottish Third Division |
28 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
0 |
|
|
Total |
32 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
35 |
0 |
||
|
Dumbarton |
2002–03 |
Scottish Second Division |
33 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
38 |
2 |
|
2003–04 |
Scottish Second Division |
30 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
34 |
2 |
|
|
Total |
63 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
72 |
4 |
||
|
Sunderland |
2004–05 |
Championship |
11 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
— |
14 |
0 |
|
|
2005–06 |
Premier League |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
1 |
|||
|
2006–07 |
Championship |
7 |
1 |
— |
1 |
0 |
— |
8 |
1 |
|||
|
Total |
18 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
— |
24 |
2 |
|||
|
Hartlepool United (loan) |
2005–06 |
League One |
22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
25 |
0 |
|
Sheffield United (loan) |
2005–06 |
Championship |
2 |
0 |
— |
— |
— |
2 |
0 |
|||
|
Wolverhampton Wanderers |
2006–07 |
Championship |
22 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
— |
2 |
0 |
27 |
2 |
|
|
2007–08 |
Championship |
39 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
— |
42 |
4 |
||
|
2008–09 |
Championship |
23 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
— |
27 |
4 |
||
|
2009–10 |
Premier League |
0 |
0 |
— |
1 |
0 |
— |
1 |
0 |
|||
|
Total |
84 |
9 |
7 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
97 |
10 |
||
|
Preston North End |
2009–10 |
Championship |
21 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
22 |
1 |
|
|
Leeds United |
2009–10 |
League One |
9 |
0 |
— |
— |
— |
9 |
0 |
|||
|
2010–11 |
Championship |
21 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
— |
23 |
0 |
||
|
Total |
30 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
— |
32 |
0 |
|||
|
Sheffield United |
2010–11 |
Championship |
14 |
0 |
— |
— |
— |
14 |
0 |
|||
|
2011–12 |
League One |
42 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
54 |
2 |
|
|
2012–13 |
League One |
39 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
45 |
5 |
|
|
2013–14 |
League One |
44 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
55 |
2 |
|
|
2014–15 |
League One |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
2015–16 |
League One |
30 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
34 |
4 |
|
|
Total |
177 |
12 |
18 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
11 |
0 |
214 |
14 |
||
|
Port Vale (loan) |
2014–15 |
League One |
7 |
0 |
— |
— |
— |
7 |
0 |
|||
|
Tampa Bay Rowdies |
2016 |
NASL |
22 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
— |
— |
24 |
1 |
||
|
2017 |
USL |
30 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
— |
2 |
0 |
33 |
2 |
||
|
2018 |
USL |
9 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
— |
— |
10 |
0 |
|||
|
Total |
61 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
67 |
3 |
||
|
Career total |
517 |
30 |
38 |
2 |
22 |
2 |
20 |
0 |
597 |
34 |
||
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