Dons love George

[Booker4]

I’ve no vendetta against him (by all accounts he’s a good bloke), but his tenure coincided with the worst period of our entire history. He was adequate for a while in league 1 and that’s the best I can do.

Same with Doyle. Both panic signings on a downward curve.

Oh, and GLTTL, obvs...

I'm only 39 but I would say going from the 6th in the top division in 1975 and then at the end of 1980 - 1981 season we were in division 4 as being the worst period of our history? Then when we got back to the second division in the early 80's we stagnated and then got relegated in 1988 back to the dreaded 3rd division at a time when the Pigs were back in the top flight. Had it not being for Harry Bassett who knows what would have happened.

But for some with short memories Doyle and Collins are the worst players ever to play for us and ironically they were the ones that gave their all in that era. If Collo shouted at Long at least he chuffing cared and that was evident throughout his time and Doyles. And we did amass 91 points in Wilson' first season - that's not a bad total is it!?

 

[Stretch]

George got some stick but I have seen other players get a lot worse. Of all the positions on the field however I would argue that GK is the toughest to crack mentally, so the last thing you need as a young keeper is spending 45 minutes never being more than 20 yards away from the bloke calling you everything under the sun.

Chuffed for the lad anyway.

 

[JohnDenver]

I'm only 39 but I would say going from the 6th in the top division in 1975 and then at the end of 1980 - 1981 season we were in division 4 as being the worst period of our history? Then when we got back to the second division in the early 80's we stagnated and then got relegated in 1988 back to the dreaded 3rd division at a time when the Pigs were back in the top flight. Had it not being for Harry Bassett who knows what would have happened.

But for some with short memories Doyle and Collins are the worst players ever to play for us and ironically they were the ones that gave their all in that era. If Collo shouted at Long at least he chuffing cared and that was evident throughout his time and Doyles. And we did amass 91 points in Wilson' first season - that's not a bad total is it!?

This was the longest spell outside the top two divisions so I’m ok with that description when viewed as an era even if we didnt drop into division 2.

As for Doyle and Collins, I don’t dislike them but they were limited players that defined the era (along with the epitome of professionalism, our Jose).

Two steady lower league performers whom we kept for far too long and paid far too much.

I wish them luck but will never associate them with good footballing times.

 

[Booker4]

This was the longest spell outside the top two divisions so I’m ok with that description when viewed as an era even if we didnt drop into division 2.

As for Doyle and Collins, I don’t dislike them but they were limited players that defined the era (along with the epitome of professionalism, our Jose).

Two steady lower league performers whom we kept for far too long and paid far too much.

I wish them luck but will never associate them with good footballing times.

I agree they were limited John but what I don't get is that for some they seem to asscioate them with an awful period and yet we finished with 91 points and we got to two semi finals as a third division club with Doyle featuring in both and Collo the FA cup semi. We were skint at the time and several managers played them regularly and they got extensions to their original contracts so how bad were they?! Players like Axel Smeets, Darius Henderson, Jostein Flo, Lee Hendrie, Jordan Stewart, Mark Blount and Mark Foran are the sorts I'd list as either awful, limited or vastly overpriced whereas for me Doyle and Collo were full value for their contract, although I accept that Collo stayed one season, possibly two too long but that's not his fault.

Doyle got the player of the season for Pompey when he left us and I believe he's due for it this season. They were granted both in League 2 but not many 35 plus players achieve that.

 

[JohnDenver]

I agree they were limited John but what I don't get is that for some they seem to asscioate them with an awful period and yet we finished with 91 points and we got to two semi finals as a third division club with Doyle featuring in both and Collo the FA cup semi. We were skint at the time and several managers played them regularly and they got extensions to their original contracts so how bad were they?! Players like Axel Smeets, Darius Henderson, Jostein Flo, Lee Hendrie, Jordan Stewart, Mark Blount and Mark Foran are the sorts I'd list as either awful, limited or vastly overpriced whereas for me Doyle and Collo were full value for their contract, although I accept that Collo stayed one season, possibly two too long but that's not his fault.

Doyle got the player of the season for Pompey when he left us and I believe he's due for it this season. They were granted both in League 2 but not many 35 plus players achieve that.

Fair points - they’re just associated with a bad era.

 

[The Crab]

Does this thread have to turn into another thread criticising Neill Collins. I agree he shouldn't have shouted to George Long and yes he made mistakes but he was a decent centre half for League One in his first 2 seasons but we failed to get out of League One and then he started to get slower and older .For 150,000 grand I didn't think he was a bad buy at all. He also got the club ad loved his time with us.

Fair play Booker lad, but I don't agree. I felt he peaked at "average" and dropped off from there.

But the past is a different country, we have moved on and we are better.

As for George, personally I didn't feel he was ever really going to improve with us. Has he found his level at Wimbledon, or is it that he needed to take a step back in order to take two forward? Time will tell, I wish him well.

 

[Booker4]

Fair points - they’re just associated with a bad era.

Many agree mate but for me Doyle and Collo were decent servants in a tough era not helped by bad managerial appointments or bad timed sackings and a lack of funding for the team/selling better players, all of which is understandable given the clubs position but not Doyles and Collo's fault.

 

[Booker4]

Fair play Booker lad, but I don't agree. I felt he peaked at "average" and dropped off from there.

But the past is a different country, we have moved on and we are better.

As for George, personally I didn't feel he was ever really going to improve with us. Has he found his level at Wimbledon, or is it that he needed to take a step back in order to take two forward? Time will tell, I wish him well.

I get sick of defending Doyle and Collo but I actually really liked them both!

I agree on George, he has done well at the Dons but we need a commanding keeper and I doubt that's changed in his time at the Dons.

 

[Gimli]

I thought this was going to be a thread about MK Dons appreciation of George Baldock

 

[Bladesthorpe]

He's found his level with a team that sits 18th in league 1 having conceded 53 goals. He wasn't good enough and still isn't good enough, it's a cruel game move on.

 

[The Crab]

I get sick of defending Doyle and Collo but I actually really liked them both!

I agree on George, he has done well at the Dons but we need a commanding keeper and I doubt that's changed in his time at the Dons.

Fair play. If I'm honest if I was a League 2 Manager then Doyle has enough to do it there. You're not going to sway me on Collo Tampa Bay soon found him out and that's a level me and you could get a game at

 

[Booker4]

Fair play. If I'm honest if I was a League 2 Manager then Doyle has enough to do it there. You're not going to sway me on Collo Tampa Bay soon found him out and that's a level me and you could get a game at

He's 37 now I think but when we signed him at 29 he was a decent player but he wasn't playing in a decent team. In League One he hardly gave the ball away. I'll not bother trying on Collo but again he was decent for the first two seasons, Maguire said that too and how much of a influence he was on him.

 

[The Crab]

He's 37 now I think but when we signed him at 29 he was a decent player but he wasn't playing in a decent team. In League One he hardly gave the ball away. I'll not bother trying on Collo but again he was decent for the first two seasons, Maguire said that too and how much of a influence he was on him.

Just opinions at the end of the day mate. Whatever I think, collo has had a more stellar career than I have, that's for sure

 

[Houston_Blade]

Many agree mate but for me Doyle and Collo were decent servants in a tough era not helped by bad managerial appointments or bad timed sackings and a lack of funding for the team/selling better players, all of which is understandable given the clubs position but not Doyles and Collo's fault.

Servants are low paid staff who work hard for the cause, that is not how I’d describe those two. A cockney walk and blubbering in an interview got both of them off the hook with some for the utter dirge that came before and after.

 

[andy m]

Does this thread have to turn into another thread criticising Neill Collins. I agree he shouldn't have shouted to George Long and yes he made mistakes but he was a decent centre half for League One in his first 2 seasons but we failed to get out of League One and then he started to get slower and older .For 150,000 grand I didn't think he was a bad buy at all. He also got the club ad loved his time with us.

Sorry but he was utter wank

 

[super_pig]

I can't help remembering when Collins shouted at him during that woeful performance at Gillingham some years ago.

Very unfair and counter productive, for a seasoned professional to chastise a clearly rattled and nervous young player.

HH

yeah that was disgraceful. i briefly considered running on the pitch

 

[Chali 2na]

were a tiny vocal minority

I don't think they were tiny, in fact I'm not even sure they were a minority at times...

Doyle and Collins are the worst players ever to play for us and ironically they were the ones that gave their all in that era.

That's very subjective. I didn't think they gave their all.

 

[The Crab]

I don't think they were tiny, in fact I'm not even sure they were a minority at times...



That's very subjective. I didn't think they gave their all.

I tend to find that in football, as in life, you may very well give your all, but if you're not very good it still might not be enough.

 

[mosbolad]

Collins used his berating of others to cover up his own ever increasing footballing inadequacies.

It was pathetic at times. You could see him make an error and look around as to who he could pin it on which was inevitably the keeper.

Far from him mentoring Harry Maguire as was often trotted out I feel it was Harry who made Collins look adequate (I hesitate to say good).

A limited footballer now earning his crust in the American lower leagues. GLTTL..........

 

[Speedracer]

Good luck to George, I hope he goes on & has a good career, nothing against him but to me he just isn't good enough for where I want us to be going. I didn't mind Collins to be honest, limited yes but he had passion & did his best & definitely helped young Harry develop, although I agree the bullying of George was stupid, he should have known better than that. Doyle on the other hand was bloody awful, as a captain & as a player.

 

[Booker4]

Just opinions at the end of the day mate. Whatever I think, collo has had a more stellar career than I have, that's for sure

I've said all I wanted to on it mate. It'll come up again no doubt and hopefully I'll not bother defending them because its already being done. But if I ever saw Collo or Doyle I can look them in the eye knowing that they gave their all in difficult circumstances and they gave some decent service in my view. Its players like Jose, Che Adams, Dean Hammond and Martyn Woolford that should be getting more stick in my mind from that era. I accept that Hammond and Woolford are criticised but I've noticed more threads on Doyle's and Collo's merits than those two, probably because we can all agree Hammond and Woolford were dire!

 

[Houston_Blade]

I don't think they were tiny, in fact I'm not even sure they were a minority at times...



That's very subjective. I didn't think they gave their all.

If that was their all, I wouldn't have liked to have seen them if they weren't trying.

Doyle is one who I can gladly get on my soapbox about as he was seen as a tough tackling midfielder but he never put a tackle in, he couldn't pass, control, head or shoot either. He was good at pointing and shouting at others though. He was basically a wank version of Monty playing 1 or 2 leagues below where Monty played.

Collins gets some slight credit for slotting in that time when we beat the Pigs 2-1 but his permanent spell was rubbish.

 

[The Crab]

I've said all I wanted to on it mate. It'll come up again no doubt and hopefully I'll not bother defending them because its already being done. But if I ever saw Collo or Doyle I can look them in the eye knowing that they gave their all in difficult circumstances and they gave some decent service in my view. Its players like Jose, Che Adams, Dean Hammond and Martyn Woolford that should be getting more stick in my mind from that era. I accept that Hammond and Woolford are criticised but I've noticed more threads on Doyle's and Collo's merits than those two, probably because we can all agree Hammond and Woolford were dire!

Oh I have a special stick for those fuckers

 

[Davalon]

I don't think they were tiny, in fact I'm not even sure they were a minority at times...

I'm 100% absolutely cast iron certain that there wasn't anything from 9,000 to 11,000 fans booing George Long.

No worse than the shit Squinny and Cressie got from a few idiots.

200 people booing sounds loud enough when there's no other noise in the ground.

 

[stringer]

Far from him mentoring Harry Maguire as was often trotted out I feel it was Harry who made Collins look adequate (I hesitate to say good).

Yet Maguire himself (now an England international and a Prem regular) is full of praise for Collins after playing alongside him countless times. Go figure

 

[The Crab]

Yet Maguire himself (now an England international and a Prem regular) is full of praise for Collins after playing alongside him countless times. Go figure

Just opinions mate at the end of the day. If mine were any good, I'd be an actual Football Manager instead of pretending to be one on my laptop

 

[mosbolad]

Yet Maguire himself (now an England international and a Prem regular) is full of praise for Collins after playing alongside him countless times. Go figure

Recently Danny? Of course he said so at the time, young players always are complementary about senior pros. I've heard it myself in various interviews from years ago. Doesn't alter my opinion of the bloke (Collins not Harry).

What's your thoughts of his berating and bullying of young inexperienced player. Do you think this assisted them in their development? Brought out the best in them?

Oh and thanks for pointing out that Harry is now an England international and Prem player as that had completely escaped my notice.......

 

[stringer]

Recently Danny? Of course he said so at the time, young players always are complementary about senior pros. I've heard it myself in various interviews from years ago. Doesn't alter my opinion of the bloke (Collins not Harry).

What's your thoughts of his berating and bullying of young inexperienced player. Do you think this assisted them in their development? Brought out the best in them?

Oh and thanks for pointing out that Harry is now an England international and Prem player as that had completely escaped my notice.......

I wasn’t at Gillingham, which goal did he berate him after? Bullying is a strong accusation so I’ll leave that alone.
Just to be clear, was it aimed at a fellow, grown, pro footballer or the young mascot at the game?

Edit; yes, recently - after both moved on, so no compulsion whatsoever to do so.

 

[The Crab]

I wasn’t at Gillingham, which goal did he berate him after? Bullying is a strong accusation so I’ll leave that alone.
Just to be clear, was it aimed at a fellow, grown, pro footballer or the young mascot at the game?

Well, when Alan Wright played for us it was difficult to distinguish between the two

 

[Revolution]

Collins had good years in League one 2011-12 and 2012-13. He wasn't bad in 2013-14.

Anyone who thinks he was always terrible for us doesn't have a very good memory. We could not have had such good defensive records in 2012 and 2013 if he was useless.