Can we sell Neill Collins?

[Sestanovich]

Send him to Coventry.

 

[Bladesman]

Sell Neill Collins? Is this some sort of joke? Another club wouldn't take him off our hands even if we paid them.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

It would be a good idea if Collins moved on - the change would do him good, chance for a fresh start, etc.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Perhaps we could sell him to Pedigree Chum?

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Given that they're completely skint and up for sale, no. The best we can hope for with either of them is that someone will take them at 25% of their United contract and we pay the rest.

Think we might see a few of those types of deals tbh, such is the need pressed on getting us towards being a leaner more cohesive squad. Not ideal at all, but probably necessary.

Got to be the way, hasn't it?

 

[stringjunior]

The best investment that the prince can make this January is by paying off half our squad and tearing up their contracts

....and if he were to do this in the middle of a match, say at half time, in the centre circle, would that be sufficiently game changing? Especially if half the squad we're paying off are in the starting 11

 

[Slim Man]

If clough did that he'd get a statue in the car park

He'd get a statue in my living room

 

[SwissBlade]

....and if he were to do this in the middle of a match, say at half time, in the centre circle, would that be sufficiently game changing? Especially if half the squad we're paying off are in the starting 11

That is Pure genius! They could even have the sub boards and sponsor each sacking

 

[Sean Thornton]

....and if he were to do this in the middle of a match, say at half time, in the centre circle, would that be sufficiently game changing? Especially if half the squad we're paying off are in the starting 11

"Neil Collins P45 is sponsored by Clarks Mobility Scooters"

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Could we stick him on the Cast-off Conveyer-belt to Portsmouth? They must need another experienced pro that's been involved in some promotion battles.

 

[alcoblade]

Don't forget that it appears that he had a "Higginbotham clause" - a United speciality where the option to extend a player's contract lies with the player. He was supposedly out of contract at the end of last season having signed a two year extension in November 2012 but he's still here as the option to extend was taken up. Given that our manager at the time was Clough it's pretty clear that the decision was Collins'.

While my belief remains that responsibility for our current position can be traced back to the appointment of Bryan Robson; it's decisions like paying an average 4th tier centre half the wages of a bottom end 2nd tier player that are ensuring that we can't move on.

Players I'd guess are on "contracts not commensurate with our League One status":

Neill Collins (£8,000 per week)
Dean Hammond (£12,000 per week)
Chris Basham (£8,000 per week)
Billy Sharp (£10,000 per week)
John Brayford (£12,000 per week)
Paul Coutts (£8,000 per week)

The common factor linking them all is that they all signed in their mid-to-late 20s from teams at a higher level. Until we sort out our player recruitment to target younger players from the leagues above we're going nowhere. And that hurts.

Spot on.

 

[stringjunior]

That is Pure genius! They could even have the sub boards and sponsor each sacking

Puts much of tea down, stands, takes the bow, sits down, eats custard cream

 

[ziggy4001]

Off to the glue factory

 

[Worksop II]

They must need another experienced pro that's been involved in some non-promotion battles.

Fixed that for ya

 

[Worksop II]

You are all being awful

Neil Collins a Lion of Hillsborough, won there as a Blade, no greater cause hath a Blade ................. and now it comes to this

Shame on you all

 

[sitwell]

When he dropped his major bollocks on Sunday did anyone see him shouting and playing hell with himself ? No I didn't either.

 

[SwissBlade]

When he dropped his major bollocks on Sunday did anyone see him shouting and playing hell with himself ? No I didn't either.

I bet he still had a go at long afterwards for not catching the shot he tipped over the bar after Collins had laid the ball neatly into their strikers feet

And, for not stopping the cross before it got to the back post after Collins was megged by Armstrong

 

[SUFC Guy]

Don't know if already mentioned but I would have thought Pompey would be the most likely destination.

It's a shame that his feet aren't as good as his head when dealing with the ball.

 

[Ben_1982]

He'll be one of the cunts who won't accept a free transfer, loan or paying off in Jan and sit back collecting his ridiculous wage

 

[bornablade]

You've really got to look at his performance on Sunday and contemplate him using Bronco, Kay and Swan as his role models.

 

[Slim Man]

He'll be one of the cunts who won't accept a free transfer, loan or paying off in Jan and sit back collecting his ridiculous wage

Just like he did under Clough. Spare me the 'I love this club' bullshit, you love the wages you're on you fucking blood sucking parasite.

 

[Roygbiv]

 

[bladesmanluke]

Neil Collins won't be going anywhere until his contracts up. The same for the likes of McEveley and the rest that are not good enough. They'll never get a better gig than this. It's their last big pay day. With that in mind the sooner you lot give up on going on about doing something in January and let it take its course the happier you'll be. We wot get promoted with the squad we have, but we won't get relegated either. Give it up and lets go again next season when a lot of these players will have left

 

[Roygbiv]

I can't believe we gave mceverley a new contract and then a few months later moan that we have too many players on the books

 

[Balham]

I can't believe we gave mceverley a new contract and then a few months later moan that we have too many players on the books

When McEveley's contract was renewed we had, realistically, one centre half (McGahey - Collins was ostracised and Kennedy is not going to play consistently) and one left back (Harris, who was injured - Wallace was seen as a midfielder) on the books. Clough's decision was sensible if it was clear that McEveley would be back up once any transfer activity was finalised.

It's at right back, centre mid and centre forward that we're carrying too many players; not centre half or left back.

 

[Bert]

Don't forget that it appears that he had a "Higginbotham clause" - a United speciality where the option to extend a player's contract lies with the player. He was supposedly out of contract at the end of last season having signed a two year extension in November 2012 but he's still here as the option to extend was taken up. Given that our manager at the time was Clough it's pretty clear that the decision was Collins'.

While my belief remains that responsibility for our current position can be traced back to the appointment of Bryan Robson; it's decisions like paying an average 4th tier centre half the wages of a bottom end 2nd tier player that are ensuring that we can't move on.

Players I'd guess are on "contracts not commensurate with our League One status":

Neill Collins (£8,000 per week)
Dean Hammond (£12,000 per week)
Chris Basham (£8,000 per week)
Billy Sharp (£10,000 per week)
John Brayford (£12,000 per week)
Paul Coutts (£8,000 per week)

The common factor linking them all is that they all signed in their mid-to-late 20s from teams at a higher level. Until we sort out our player recruitment to target younger players from the leagues above we're going nowhere. And that hurts.

So that equates to over £3m a year in wages on just six players. Did you study the annual accounts of Sheffield United before you came up with those figures or did you just dream them up?

 

[Balham]

So that equates to over £3m a year in wages on just six players. Did you study the annual accounts of Sheffield United before you came up with those figures or did you just dream them up?

Made them up but based the estimates on snippets I've picked up. Isn't that what we do here?

Example: Collins - referenced repeatedly as still being on a Championship contract then signs an extended deal. Conclusion: lower terms but not by much.

Example 2: Brayford: on £20k+ per week at Cardiff, according to Alan Biggs (believe that or not) took a 40% pay cut to join.

I also do study the annual accounts but I don't think that they call out the wages spent on the playing staff anywhere unless I'm mistaken?

 

[Bert]

Made them up. Isn't that what we do here?

Thought so, nobody would be that stupid.

 

[Balham]

Thought so, nobody would be that stupid.

We are talking about Sheffield United. Stupid is what we do.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Made them up but based the estimates on snippets I've picked up. Isn't that what we do here?

Example: Collins - referenced repeatedly as still being on a Championship contract then signs an extended deal. Conclusion: lower terms but not by much.

Example 2: Brayford: on £20k+ per week at Cardiff, according to Alan Biggs (believe that or not) took a 40% pay cut to join.

I also do study the annual accounts but I don't think that they call out the wages spent on the playing staff anywhere unless I'm mistaken?

Overall salary figure including all staff. Only detail is the number of football related staff to admin and others.