Behind Enemy Lines. Despatches from Collins

[Kenilworth]

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!

I wish I was still 38


Ya chabby git

 

[Blade1771]

I don't think anyone can state that Neill Collins was one of the best players we have ever had, but when times were hard, and we was going through some turbulent times, and produced a lot of results and performances that stank the place out, he was a part of that, however he was one of the few players that still looked like they was bothered and still went out there and put his head on the line for the cause. I can think of several players more worthy of our scorn and bitterness. Players like Dean Hammond and Fabien Brandy were the worst in terms of attitude and stealing a wage. I was critical of Neill Collins a lot of the time, as at times i just didn't think he was good enough, some players aren't, but at times we had nobody better, and whilst he probably won't ever be lauded as one of our best players and will probably be remembered as part of the worst team in my living memory, i still think he does deserve credit for being one of the few who didn't hide.

I enjoy reading a lot of football reportage, books and blogs. Some of it is absolute dross. Curtis Woodhouse is a prime example, openly boasting in his book of earning a big wage and not giving a toss about keeping himself in shape and telling stories of what he got up to, and how drunk he got on his nights out whilst employed as a professional footballer, and yet some laud him as some kind of hero.

I enjoy Neill Collins blog, as it is all stuff he has written himself, it is well written, insightful and has a lot of balance, puts a lot of things in to context. It is also very candid as it recounts his recollections of certain events that happened during his time at the Lane, and also from different parts of his career. It is a bit of an eye opener, and the post he writes about being ostracised by Nigel Clough is particularly eye opening, especially as we went in to the second leg of the play off against Swindon without a proper centre half in the side. His blog is well worth a read.

I also find it pleasing that he does have an obvious affinity for the Blades, I've seen plenty of players come and go, and have feathered their own nest at the expense of the Blades, whilst probably currently having absolutely no interest in us. It is always nice to see former players still have that interest and affinity for us.

 

[Jehovah]

I think he comes across as a good bloke. He will interact with you on Twitter if you message him. We had a brief chat about the blades promotion chances last season. Cool penalty in the play off final and a good memory of him equalising at Scunny when we only had 9 men.

 

[diode_blade]

Cracking article best bit of it for me is this

"My new mates were all arriving and I was greeted by the formidable figure of Ade Akinbiyi, who shook my hand and asked if I was ready. I nonchalantly replied ‘yes’ before he gripped my hand tighter, gave me the death stare and repeated “ARE YOU READY?” It was his way of making sure I knew this was for real. Do or die."

Might not have been the most gifted player but he gave his all.

 

[Tezza1889]

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.

One of the best ever posts I've seen on any forum, you nailed it perfectly.. the retard comment isn't very pc, but I forgive that on the grounds of passion, that's how I saw the Doyle and collins era too..

 

[Booker4]

One of the best ever posts I've seen on any forum, you nailed it perfectly.. the retard comment isn't very pc, but I forgive that on the grounds of passion, that's how I saw the Doyle and collins era too..

Cannot you not see that whilst Doyle and Collo weren't the best players we've had that they had the right attitude and gave their all and in my view in the first two seasons in League One did a good job? That alone should mean they escape the bitter assessment from some. Doyle didn't suddenly become a Blades legend after the cockney walk, but fans realised that he did care, got the history and the importance of that game and for those that listened to his interviews over the years, and Collo's they both gave their all and cared about the club. It wasn't just a job or another club to them.

Some on here put Collo in the same bracket as a Hammond or Martyn Woolford. Now they were consistently crap, hardly ever had a good game and were a waste of money - stealing a wage if you want. As I did say we did amassed 91 points that first season and then the better players were sold,bar Maguire, and we were top of the league up till Christmas of the following season with Doyle and Collo playing until again we lost key players. But apparently Collo and Doyle were crap?! Doyle also did well under Clough, as did Collo in Clough's first season but then age and injuries caught up with him and Adkins should have signed another centre half to replace Collo by that stage but that's history now.

Just re your comments of the Collo and Doyle era are you and Derekacorah saying you didn't enjoy the 91 point season or the cup runs under Clough which Collo played in one and Doyle both? Were they really the worst Blades teams we've ever seen?! And were they really the worst seasons we've ever had?! I think not. The team we had under Harry in 1995/96 was awful - not Harrys fault - and was distended for relegation until we spent millions on it. Before that, the teams in the late 70's in Division 3 that got relegated to division 4?! I don't recall a 91 points for those teams or two semi finals?

I suppose you and Derekacorah think that it was Collo and Dole's fault we missed out in promotion that season? Nothing to do with Ched going down - now wrongly of course. No blame for Simmo's inept goal keeping that season and missing the pen? I don't like making scapegoats but if you wanted one Simmo on high Championship wages is the one you want to be looking at not Collo or Doyle.

 

[Harrisblade]

'As long as the players give their all on the pitch our crowd will support them'

That concept didn't last long