Behind Enemy Lines. Despatches from Collins

[Booker4]

Sorry I can't agree here. I wouldn't ever put Collins and Doyle in the same bracket as Monty. Monty was far superior to both and played in a PL team as well as the promotion winning Championship side, he knew his role and played it well (tin hat time), this is the role that Doyle was supposed to do but didn't do effectively at all. If you remember Doyle when he came in was one of the overpaid idiots who ended up getting us relegated, the only reason he wasn't on the same money when he left is because he consistently proved himself to be crap and the pay cuts followed. He did a cockney walk at West Ham though so all is forgiven for some.

Doyle and Collins are the type of player who I wouldn't even bother commenting on, however they get lauded on here for being Bladey Blades. At the end of the day both were more than adequately paid for the terrible job they did in one of the worst teams we've had in modern history. The fact that since they've gone they feel the need to show how much they love the club could have done with being on show at the time they played here in the form of good performances.

To compare them to the likes of Morgan, who was a good servant and wasn't overpaid in relation to his contribution to the club or Gage, who played in an era where we existed on a shoestring and still managed to have a good side with solid battlers like Gage, Nilsen, Gayle to name a few.

Another way of putting the promotion year is that despite having 35 goals from Ched, more goals from Quinn and Williamson in midfield and great young talents like Lowton and Maguire at the back they still managed to squander promotion. It wasn't the likes of those I mentioned in the last sentence that caused it, it was the footballing retards like Collins and Doyle.

It's a good article and I'll praise him for that, he defended well in the game at Hillsborough I'll praise him for that, but not much else.

Don't take every comparison I made literally mate. I'm not saying Collo and Doyle are in the same bracket as Gage and Morgan in terms of their quality within their retrospective team. Doyle and Collo weren't the best players we had and nor was Monty and Morgan. We had far more talented players in the team and also in their position in other United teams - in my view - but as I said Morgan wasn't the best centre half we've ever had either! He was good don't get me wrong, but I'd say Jagielka, Holdsworth, O'Connell, Kilgallon, Cahill - loan admittedly - Maguire were all better and that's just off the top of my head. But Morgan will come out on top in many fans favourite teams because he played for so long for us and became a fan favourite for his gutsy displays.

Collo and Doyle weren't as likeable as players because they weren't as good as Morgan or have an obvious passion like Morgs did. But in terms of their affinity with the club, they got it, they loved playing for the club, and to say stuff like Collo and Doyle are the idiots for getting us relegated, are you forgetting we were in the bottom three when they arrived!?

Collo and Doyle got singled out because they were the new signings and were expected to be better than what we had but sadly they weren't. But they proved their worth, in League One, and as I said, had a genuine affection for the club that many better players haven't, or at least haven't expressed, but that mat well be due to not been on twitter etc.

We'll have to disagree here on Collo. If you can only think of one match that he played well for us than I think that is ridiculous to be honest. He played his part, as the squad did as a whole in the season we got 91 points, and in the seasons after, including the cup run under Clough. He also scored some crucial goals, was decent in the air and could carry the ball out of defence. Compare Collo to say Mark Morris, Brian Gayle, Paul Beesley, who were part of successful Blades teams and I would say Collo was a far better footballer and defender than those three, but they don't get the stick that Collo did.

 

[The Crab]

I have to say, the blogs I've seen, including this one, are pretty good. My thoughts on him as a player, well not so good really to put it mildly. But for me, he was part of the decline rather than the cause of it, the finger points in more directions than just him.

Never met him so I don't know whether he is a nice guy or not, but from what people on here say, then he probably is. But I'm a nice guy too, doesn't mean I wasn't a bang average player when I played

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Quick question for all the Collins detractors.

Playoff Semi final vs Swindon - would you have started him?!

 

[Houston_Blade]

But in terms of their affinity with the club, they got it, they loved playing for the club, and to say stuff like Collo and Doyle are the idiots for getting us relegated, are you forgetting we were in the bottom three when they arrived!?

They were under performers from the word go and therefore overpaid. I can't have fond memories of this type of player.

But they proved their worth, in League One

Did they, they were poor players in a team that couldn't get out of League One, all they did was prove that they were bang average (at best) League One player, who were initially brought in on Championship contracts.

Compare Collo to say Mark Morris, Brian Gayle, Paul Beesley, who were part of successful Blades teams and I would say Collo was a far better footballer and defender than those three, but they don't get the stick that Collo did.

Gayle and Beesley played at a better standard than League One and more than held their own, therefore I consider them as better players. There might be some sentiment in that as I was young at the time and like most youngsters thought all of our players were great, as a miserable 30 something now I see that this is not the case.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Seems Collins is a better writer than a footballer. Unfortunately, his name will be synonymous with a low point in our history, down there with Jose Baxter, Don Givens, Derek Richardson and Tony Moore.
Funnily enough, if Givens is still around, I'd love to read what he has to say about what was racing through his mind as he stepped up to take that fateful penalty.

 

[Good Pinch Of Snuff]

Quick question for all the Collins detractors.

Playoff Semi final vs Swindon - would you have started him?!

when we went to Swindon at the start of the 2015 season we were 2nd after 5 games and he played well that day and even scored. I will just remember him for his emotional outburst at Morecambe right at the end

 

[Booker4]

They were under performers from the word go and therefore overpaid. I can't have fond memories of this type of player.



Did they, they were poor players in a team that couldn't get out of League One, all they did was prove that they were bang average (at best) League One player, who were initially brought in on Championship contracts.



Gayle and Beesley played at a better standard than League One and more than held their own, therefore I consider them as better players. There might be some sentiment in that as I was young at the time and like most youngsters thought all of our players were great, as a miserable 30 something now I see that this is not the case.

I disagree with pretty much all of that mate, to be honest. I'll respond to one or two points. We amassed 91 points the season you say that Collo and Doyle were bang average. They played a part in that, not as big as Ched, Quinny and McDonald maybe not, but still a vital role.

The standard of football has dramatically changed and improved from Harry's time, I think most will agree on that and if you don't, just go and watch the videos and in particular the defending. Beesley, Gayle and Morris - I love them still to this day - weren't as good in my view as Collo but played for a successful United team whereas Collo didn't, but as I say 91 points is actually more than United got when we got promoted in both 89 and 90.

Collo wasn't the best defender we ever, neither was he the worst by a long shot, but my main point isn't on his merits as a defender but his affinity to the club. That doesn't make him a fans favourite, but likewise with Gage, how many Blades can say he was their favourite in his time or was even one of the more popular players? I would say that Deane, Kelly, Bryson, Bradshaw, Cowan, Mike Lake, Whitehouse, Hodges, Cork and Tracey were the popular ones - albeit Lake's time as a favourite was brief. Yes he did get a player of the season in the now Championship and he served us well too, but I think his role in recent years on twitter and the Radio has made him more popular now than he was as a player.

The last bit is my point re Gage. We shouldn't deride Collo because he has a clear affinity for the club with comments like he was still a shit player, who was over paid! Can't we just say its great that Collo takes the time to express his opinion and affinity over United without people criticising his shortcomings as a player!?

 

[Good Pinch Of Snuff]

FYI Collo reads this forum

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Seems Collins is a better writer than a footballer. Unfortunately, his name will be synonymous with a low point in our history, down there with Jose Baxter, Don Givens, Derek Richardson and Tony Moore.
Funnily enough, if Givens is still around, I'd love to read what he has to say about what was racing through his mind as he stepped up to take that fateful penalty.

You're an effing wanker, Matthews. And the rest of you yer cowardly feckers.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I disagree with pretty much all of that mate, to be honest. I'll respond to one or two points. We amassed 91 points the season you say that Collo and Doyle were bang average. They played a part in that, not as big as Ched, Quinny and McDonald maybe not, but still a vital role.

The standard of football has dramatically changed and improved from Harry's time, I think most will agree on that and if you don't, just go and watch the videos and in particular the defending. Beesley, Gayle and Morris - I love them still to this day - weren't as good in my view as Collo but played for a successful United team whereas Collo didn't, but as I say 91 points is actually more than United got when we got promoted in both 89 and 90.

Collo wasn't the best defender we ever, neither was he the worst by a long shot, but my main point isn't on his merits as a defender but his affinity to the club. That doesn't make him a fans favourite, but likewise with Gage, how many Blades can say he was their favourite in his time or was even one of the more popular players? I would say that Deane, Kelly, Bryson, Bradshaw, Cowan, Mike Lake, Whitehouse, Hodges, Cork and Tracey were the popular ones - albeit Lake's time as a favourite was brief. Yes he did get a player of the season in the now Championship and he served us well too, but I think his role in recent years on twitter and the Radio has made him more popular now than he was as a player.

The last bit is my point re Gage. We shouldn't deride Collo because he has a clear affinity for the club with comments like he was still a shit player, who was over paid! Can't we just say its great that Collo takes the time to express his opinion and affinity over United without people criticising his shortcomings as a player!?

I did, I said it was a good article. He seems to have a liking for the Blades and I'm glad about that, however I won't elevate him to a status he doesn't deserve because of it.

 

[speedymcgeady]

Like weak paint stripper. If you want an overproof rum, you'll not get much better than this stuff. Difficult to get here, but worth the effort. Not my thing really, but it is more than just a massive alcohol hit.


http://www.saintluciarums.com/denros-strong-rum.html

I'll give it a try..

 

[Booker4]

FYI Collo reads this forum

I hope he doesn't based on some of the views on here. Thankfully its obvious that Collo is a very intelligent guy and has played enough football to know that no footballer pleases everyone. He took so much stick at his time at United, often totally unwarranted in my view, and came back fighting and at no time either during his stay or after, has he criticised the fans, although any footballer that does, rightly or not, is playing with fire!

I did, I said it was a good article. He seems to have a liking for the Blades and I'm glad about that, however I won't elevate him to a status he doesn't deserve because of it.

His status should be that of a guy who loved his time at United and got the club and the fans and gave his all. He'll never have the popularity of a Blades favourite like a Bob Booker but he should be remembered fondly in my view. I can name so many players, but won't, that I wouldn't be complimentary about that have played many games for us, and with distinction at times, but they didn't conduct themselves with the dignity or the love in their actions towards the club, that Collo did and does.

As a player, you are very critical of Collo as if he was a wage thief and didn't justify his wages. Firtsly and player, via their agent, will get the best deal they can for the player. If the club is willing to pay those wages than whether that player delivers or not, its the clubs fault, not the player, that the player doesn't offer value for money, based on the wages. Collo gave every he could, if he hadn't I could have agreed with you on a player not giving value for money.

As I say we got 91 points, and it was Collo who was the first of our players to score a pen in the shoot out, as did Doyle I might add. Collo had the bottle to stand up and be counted and take and score that pen - he was one of the delegated first 5 takers. His character based on his time at United is impeccable in my view and as player he was very harshly treated at times by fans like you.

 

[SwissBlade]

i do enjoy a lot of your posts, but jesus you can be an arrogant twat at times, just like collins i guess

I can't disagree with that, although i don't know about Collins being Arrogant, just a twat.

And there's no need to call me Jesus, i may walk on water, but that shit he did with the bread and fish is even beyond me.

 

[Kenilworth]

I hope he doesn't based on some of the views on here. Thankfully its obvious that Collo is a very intelligent guy and has played enough football to know that no footballer pleases everyone. He took so much stick at his time at United, often totally unwarranted in my view, and came back fighting and at no time either during his stay or after, has he criticised the fans, although any footballer that does, rightly or not, is playing with fire!



His status should be that of a guy who loved his time at United and got the club and the fans and gave his all. He'll never have the popularity of a Blades favourite like a Bob Booker but he should be remembered fondly in my view. I can name so many players, but won't, that I wouldn't be complimentary about that have played many games for us, and with distinction at times, but they didn't conduct themselves with the dignity or the love in their actions towards the club, that Collo did and does.

As a player, you are very critical of Collo as if he was a wage thief and didn't justify his wages. Firtsly and player, via their agent, will get the best deal they can for the player. If the club is willing to pay those wages than whether that player delivers or not, its the clubs fault, not the player, that the player doesn't offer value for money, based on the wages. Collo gave every he could, if he hadn't I could have agreed with you on a player not giving value for money.

As I say we got 91 points, and it was Collo who was the first of our players to score a pen in the shoot out, as did Doyle I might add. Collo had the bottle to stand up and be counted and take and score that pen - he was one of the delegated first 5 takers. His character based on his time at United is impeccable in my view and as player he was very harshly treated at times by fans like you.

^^^^^^^^*
This

 

[Houston_Blade]

I hope he doesn't based on some of the views on here. Thankfully its obvious that Collo is a very intelligent guy and has played enough football to know that no footballer pleases everyone. He took so much stick at his time at United, often totally unwarranted in my view, and came back fighting and at no time either during his stay or after, has he criticised the fans, although any footballer that does, rightly or not, is playing with fire!



His status should be that of a guy who loved his time at United and got the club and the fans and gave his all. He'll never have the popularity of a Blades favourite like a Bob Booker but he should be remembered fondly in my view. I can name so many players, but won't, that I wouldn't be complimentary about that have played many games for us, and with distinction at times, but they didn't conduct themselves with the dignity or the love in their actions towards the club, that Collo did and does.

As a player, you are very critical of Collo as if he was a wage thief and didn't justify his wages. Firtsly and player, via their agent, will get the best deal they can for the player. If the club is willing to pay those wages than whether that player delivers or not, its the clubs fault, not the player, that the player doesn't offer value for money, based on the wages. Collo gave every he could, if he hadn't I could have agreed with you on a player not giving value for money.

As I say we got 91 points, and it was Collo who was the first of our players to score a pen in the shoot out, as did Doyle I might add. Collo had the bottle to stand up and be counted and take and score that pen - he was one of the delegated first 5 takers. His character based on his time at United is impeccable in my view and as player he was very harshly treated at times by fans like you.

That's the thing, when he did play I accepted him for what he was, an average and unspectacular League one player and he never bothered me. I rarely criticise a player during a game (unless they are terrible, which Collins wasn't). I don't consider him a wage thief but he was overpaid for his level of a League One player in my view, bully for him and his agent.

It's since he left and has been cast a hero just for writing a blog and showing some loyalty to the team he spent the latter part of his career at, earning good money in the process. Good on the lad for being loyal, more fool the fans for elevating him to Bladey Bladeness.

Doyle on the other hand was a wage thief!

 

[Booker4]

^^^^^^^^*
This

I assume you're saying bollocks, although you're one letter short?!

That's the thing, when he did play I accepted him for what he was, an average and unspectacular League one player and he never bothered me. I rarely criticise a player during a game (unless they are terrible, which Collins wasn't). I don't consider him a wage thief but he was overpaid for his level of a League One player in my view, bully for him and his agent.

It's since he left and has been cast a hero just for writing a blog and showing some loyalty to the team he spent the latter part of his career at, earning good money in the process. Good on the lad for being loyal, more fool the fans for elevating him to Bladey Bladeness.

Doyle on the other hand was a wage thief!

I'd just be repeating the same views if I said more on Collo and how I see him is clearly different to you, both as a player, and now in terms of his status as a Blade, which he clearly is.

For everything I've said on Collo the same can be said on Doyle. Both served us with their all and they both left with their heads held high. Doyle should have stayed a year longer than he did, based on Adkins signing Hammond and Doyle then getting the player of the season for Portsmouth in his first season. We're poles apart on our views on the two, each to his own though.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I assume you're saying bollocks, although you're one letter short?!


I'd just be repeating the same views if I said more on Collo and how I see him is clearly different to you, both as a player, and now in terms of his status as a Blade, which he clearly is.

For everything I've said on Collo the same can be said on Doyle. Both served us with their all and they both left with their heads held high. Doyle should have stayed a year longer than he did, based on Adkins signing Hammond and Doyle then getting the player of the season for Portsmouth in his first season. We're poles apart on our views on the two, each to his own though.

Player of the year in League 2. I could go on forever about Doyle but I really can't be arsed as I've said it all before. I'm going to watch a film with the kids before bed instead.

 

[Booker4]

Player of the year in League 2. I could go on forever about Doyle but I really can't be arsed as I've said it all before. I'm going to watch a film with the kids before bed instead.

Aye I've said all I want to but I feel you base your view on them as players whereas I am focusing more on their merits as a professional to the club and the fans and how much they respected and bonded with the club and the fans. You never hear Bobby Davison come up with the stuff like Doyle and Collo do, but obviously Davison is a bigger favourite. That's not a pop at Davison either, but Collo and Doyle go out of their way to say what they think about the club, and their love for the club.

 

[Kenilworth]

I assume you're saying bollocks, although you're one letter short?!

No, ya Cockwomble.

I was agreeing with everything you wrote in your post. They're arrers pointing to your well written prose

Don't forget it was my OP.

* Spurious asterisk due to chody thumbs.

 

[BushBlade]

Not interesting in debating whether he was a good player for us, done that, but that was a very good read.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Aye I've said all I want to but I feel you base your view on them as players whereas I am focusing more on their merits as a professional to the club and the fans and how much they respected and bonded with the club and the fans. You never hear Bobby Davison come up with the stuff like Doyle and Collo do, but obviously Davison is a bigger favourite. That's not a pop at Davison either, but Collo and Doyle go out of their way to say what they think about the club, and their love for the club.

Makes perfect sense, I'll start basing my views on players not on what they do on the pitch but on how much they declare their love for the club when they've left.

 

[Booker4]

Makes perfect sense, I'll start basing my views on players not on what they do on the pitch but on how much they declare their love for the club when they've left.

I'll ignore the sarcasm mate. I'm not saying you should love Collo or Doyle but you're views on them are very critical in my view and nobody is making Collo into a Blades legend or favourite, just saying that he writes a decent article and clearly loves United, or the very least has a big soft spot for us, and then you get fans saying he stole a wage, when that's not even the point of the OP?!

 

[Bergen Blade]

There was a similar debate in the summer after another interesting Collins-article. SwissBlade 's refusal to even read it seems out of character to me.

Regarding him as a player, opinions will differ, but Collins was a part of both our decent sides in League One; Wilson's first season, and Clough's first. In the circumstances, these were quite successful and enjoyable times and Collins was fine. His contract should probably have ended after the latter, let alone the next one, but we shouldn't just remember the bad times.

 

[SwissBlade]

There was a similar debate in the summer after another interesting Collins-article. SwissBlade 's refusal to even read it seems out of character to me.

Regarding him as a player, opinions will differ, but Collins was a part of both our decent sides in League One; Wilson's first season, and Clough's first. In the circumstances, these were quite successful and enjoyable times and Collins was fine. His contract should probably have ended after the latter, let alone the next one, but we shouldn't just remember the bad times.

I can't forget those bad times.

 

[Harrisblade]

I can't forget those bad times.

Being a Blade must be a living hell for you then!

 

[bettsyblade86]

Sorry I can't agree here. I wouldn't ever put Collins and Doyle in the same bracket as Monty. Monty was far superior to both and played in a PL team as well as the promotion winning Championship side, he knew his role and played it well (tin hat time), this is the role that Doyle was supposed to do but didn't do effectively at all. If you remember Doyle when he came in was one of the overpaid idiots who ended up getting us relegated, the only reason he wasn't on the same money when he left is because he consistently proved himself to be crap and the pay cuts followed. He did a cockney walk at West Ham though so all is forgiven for some.

Doyle and Collins are the type of player who I wouldn't even bother commenting on, however they get lauded on here for being Bladey Blades. At the end of the day both were more than adequately paid for the terrible job they did in one of the worst teams we've had in modern history. The fact that since they've gone they feel the need to show how much they love the club could have done with being on show at the time they played here in the form of good performances.

To compare them to the likes of Morgan, who was a good servant and wasn't overpaid in relation to his contribution to the club or Gage, who played in an era where we existed on a shoestring and still managed to have a good side with solid battlers like Gage, Nilsen, Gayle to name a few.

Another way of putting the promotion year is that despite having 35 goals from Ched, more goals from Quinn and Williamson in midfield and great young talents like Lowton and Maguire at the back they still managed to squander promotion. It wasn't the likes of those I mentioned in the last sentence that caused it, it was the footballing retards like Collins and Doyle.

It's a good article and I'll praise him for that, he defended well in the game at Hillsborough I'll praise him for that, but not much else.

Pretty sure i've never agreed with a post as much as this. Absolutely concur with every word

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

There was a similar debate in the summer after another interesting Collins-article. SwissBlade 's refusal to even read it seems out of character to me.

Regarding him as a player, opinions will differ, but Collins was a part of both our decent sides in League One; Wilson's first season, and Clough's first. In the circumstances, these were quite successful and enjoyable times and Collins was fine. His contract should probably have ended after the latter, let alone the next one, but we shouldn't just remember the bad times.

Spot on. He was part of some good performances, and was prepared to put his head or the rest of his body in harm's way, which usually earns the respect of fans, even if we recognise that he was not the most naturally gifted player. In the play-off final he was part of a defense which did not concede in 120 minutes, and then he scored his penalty. Circumstances conspired to prevent him being part of a promotion-winning team. And as a small footnote: when my grandson was mascot at the Lane, Collo came across as the best in that team at dealing with kids. To a grandad, that matters.

 

[Booker4]

No, ya Cockwomble.

I was agreeing with everything you wrote in your post. They're arrers pointing to your well written prose

Don't forget it was my OP.

* Spurious asterisk due to chody thumbs.

Sorry mate, I did realise after that it was your post! I'm not the best on this computer lark to be honest and I'm 38 so can't use the excuse of age!

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Regarding him as a player, opinions will differ, but Collins was a part of both our decent sides in League One; Wilson's first season, and Clough's first.

I know it might have slipped under the radar, but I think there was one other decent side we had in League One...

 

[Hamburg Blade]

Surely if a player is, in your view, not good enough to be in the team, the person who gets the blame should be the manager - or at least the club. Why hate a player? And why continue it after he has left? There are a few who deserve it, I suppose, the journeymen who take the cash and don't care, the ones who stick two fingers up at us, leave us in the shit because someone's offered a few quid more - but anyone who's given us what he can, for as long as he's been asked to, has to be undeserving of some of the stuff posted on this thread just because he didn't have the ability you think he should have had. Blame the manager.