Roddy Collins

Roddy Collins

Personal information
Full name	Roderick Collins
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Floriana

Roddy Collins (born 7 August 1961 in Dublin), is an Irish former professional football player and manager, television pundit and was most recently appointed manager of Floriana F.C. [1] He is the brother of acclaimed former boxer, Steve Collins.

Early career

Roddy Collins began his career at local club Bohemian F.C. making his debut in September 1979 away to Finn Harps and made 2 appearances in European competition for the club before going on to play for Home Farm F.C., Athlone Town (where he scored in the European Cup), Drogheda United and Dundalk from where he joined Mansfield Town in December 1985. He left to join Newport County in August 1987, playing seven times in their ill-fated 1987-88 season which would see them lose their place in the Football League amid a growing financial crisis. Collins then went on to play once for Cheltenham Town.

Noel King signed him then for Shamrock Rovers in September 1988 and he made a scoring debut against his first club on the 30th in a 3-1 derby win. He also scored in his last game for the club at Cork City on the 21st of April 1989. Despite being sent off in Derry on Halloween he was top scorer in that 1988-89 season.

He subsequently played for Dundalk again, Sligo Rovers, Crusaders, Glentoran, Bangor, Cliftonville, Larne and Home Farm F.C.. He made one Leinster Senior Cup (association football) appearance for Bohs in December 1995. His last club was St Francis where he played in their first ever game in senior football in a League of Ireland Shield game in September 1996 [2].

Collins' first foray into management came at Bangor in 1994/95 which despite saving them from relegation, was relatively brief. In 1998 He found himself thrust into the spotlight when he was surprisingly appointed as Joe McGrath's successor at Bohemians.

Bohemians

Bohemians were a side which, despite being tipped as outside contenders for the title at the start of the year, were facing a relegation dogfight when Collins arrived in the 98/99 season. Collins' start to his reign as Bohs' manager was relatively impressive, and new signings such as Kevin Hunt eventually dragged the side out of relegation trouble and to safety. However, a poor run of results at the end of the season saw the Gypsies, which has never been outside of the top tier of Irish football, plummet back into relegation trouble, and were forced to take part in a play-off with Cobh Ramblers. Bohemians won the play-off convincingly, 7-0 on aggregate. He remained as manager during the close-season, though he was under pressure from both the supporters and the committee at Bohemians.

During the close-season Collins oversaw a massive change in personnel at the club, with old stalwarts such as Brian Mooney, Tommy Byrne and Peter Hanrahan being released, and new signings such as Glen Crowe, Mark Dempsey, Wayne Russell and Avery John coming in. Bohemians started the season brightly, and it was evident that this side would not be fighting relegation. Bohemians eventually finished 3rd in the league, and were beaten in a replay of the final of the FAI Cup by Shelbourne FC.

The following season, 2000/01, was to become one of the most remarkable, and controversial, in the history of Bohemians. Collins again brought in several new players during the summer break, with Simon Webb, Dave Hill among others joining record signing Trevor Molloy at the club.

Bohemians' opening game was an away tie in the UEFA Cup against Aberdeen FC, which was to be the first time that the club had fielded a starting eleven consisting entirely of full-time professional players. Despite being written off by the local press, Bohs produced one of the all-time great Irish performances in Europe to come from a goal down to defeat the Scots by two goals to one. Bohemians were beaten 1-0 in the return leg, due to an own-goal, but progressed on the away goals rule and faced German giants Kaiserslautern in the next round.

Despite putting in an impressive display, Bohemians were beaten by 3 goals to 1 in Tolka Park in the first leg, and suffered from some careless defensive lapses and a controversial red card. In Germany, Bohemians shocked the hosts by winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Glen Crowe, and were unlucky not to score more (even having a goal ruled out for off-side). Bohemians were out of Europe, and had made history by achieving successive away victories in European competition.

In the league that season Bohs were showing good form, though with Glen Crowe emerging as a phenomenal goal-scorer and Kevin Hunt marshalling the midfield. Once out of Europe, results began to dip, and Collins found himself under pressure. Shelbourne were clear leaders at the top, and a huge investment in the Bohemians playing side looked set to fail to reap just rewards. In January 2001, Collins was under huge pressure as Bohemians travelled to Santry to take on fierce rivals Shamrock Rovers. At half time, Bohemians were trailing the game by 3 goals, as Rovers scored 4 to Bohs 1. It looked certain that a new manager would be appointed folliwing the game. However, in one of the most remarkable come-backs in Irish football, Bohemians put 5 past a shell-shocked Rovers side in the second half and won 6-4. That result, coupled with a break for several weeks due to the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK and Ireland, gave Bohemians the momentum to mount a late challenge for the league.

Bohemians went into the last game of the season trailing Shelbourne by 1 point, as the Gypsies travelled to Kilkenny on the final day. Meanwhile, Shelbourne were hosting Cork City in a game which the hosts were expected to win comfortably. To win the league, Bohemians needed to win and hope that Cork could achieve at least a draw in Tolka. Bohemians won 5-0, while Cork shocked Shelbourne by defeating them on their home patch. Bohemians were crowned champions, and the aftermath of the result would shape the rest of Roddy Collins career.

Fall out from Bohemians

Following winning the title, Collins launched an astonishing ad hominem attack on the lofty upper echelons of Bohemians in the Irish media. Citing a lack of support, organisation and ambition, Collins challenged the club to carry him on their strong financial shoulders as he bidded to take Bohs to the next level. If they refused, he said that he would leave, for all eternity.

This outlandish request caused huge controversy at the club. It divided the fan-base straight down the middle into two opposing factions. Many felt that Collins had a point, and rallied behind him. However others felt that it was wildly inappropriate in terms of both timing and to criticise those individuals who work voluntarily for the club.

The following weekend Bohemians beat Longford Town in the FAI Cup Final. After this Collins was supposedly set to discuss a new contract with the Bohemians committee. During this time the club announced that Pete Mahon would be taking over the reins at Bohemians. This ended Collins' association with the club.

To the present day Roddy Collins' name is sure to spark intense debate amongst the Bohemians faithful, with some fans opposing and supporting the former manager. He managed the club for 96 league games - winning 46, drawing 23 and losing 27. They scored 136 times, conceded 81 and kept 41 clean sheets.

Carlisle United

Collins was appointed as manager of Carlisle United in July 2001, but was sacked in April 2002 after stating that he would resign unless owner Michael Knighton sold the club to John Courtenay..

Courtenay finally took control of the club in July 2002 and instantly reappointed Collins as manager..

Collins was sacked in August 2003 after Carlisle had lost their first four games of the season..

Dublin City

In July 2004 he took over as manager of Dublin City, but left in November 2004 three weeks from the end of the season, just hours before a crucial game, to manage Shamrock Rovers.

Shamrock Rovers

As manager of Shamrock Rovers, Collins struggled both on and off the pitch. Following a points deduction because the club presented fraudulant documents to the FAI licensing committee, after a season of poor results and in-fighting at the club, Shamrock Rovers faced relegation. His decision to take part in a charity boxing event in the midst of the campaign only served to further enrage the Rovers support, who questioned his commitment. His contract was terminated by Rovers in November 2005 as the club were relegated for the first time ever after losing a play-off to his previous club Dublin City. Collins later brought a claim of unfair dismissal against Shamrock Rovers to the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Dublin, the case was settled out of court in November 2006.

Post Rovers

In January 2007 he was briefly linked to the vacant Shelbourne managerial post, however the proposal was not endorsed by the board at the club. Collins was believed to have returned to his plastering trade, and aside from his weekly column in The Star on Sunday and the occasional appearance as a TV pundit Collins was no longer involved in football.

In his weekly column he continues to question the merits of the league while ironically also being retained as a pundit for the national broadcaster for live league games. In March 2008, Collins profile as a soccer pundit was raised higher in Irish football media circles through his weekly appearances on Irish state broadcaster, Radio Telefís Éireann, in their weekly league review television show, Monday Night Soccer. On the 23 November 2009 edition of MNS Collins was removed from the panel after making allegations of criminal behaviour on-air against the manager of Sligo Rovers, Paul Cook.

Collins was named as the man heading an Irish consortium to purchase SPL club Gretna on 15 March 2008 following the clubs financial crisis and possible closure. A week later (21 March 2008) Collins and his consortium were also in talks to take over at cash strapped Rotherham United, a football club in Football League Two.

After his phenomenal success at Bohemians, Collins' management career has since failed to provide any achievements worthy of comparison. Opinion of him is divided, many fans believing him to have been a lucky manager at Bohemians, while many believe him to be a victim of circumstance following his departure from Dalymount Park.

Floriana FC

On June 30th 2009 Roddy Collins was unveiled as the new Manager of Maltese Premier side Floriana F.C.. At the media conference, held in the Embassy of Malta in Dublin, Collins stated his delight at returning to the dugout and the large media presence was unheard of for a Maltese club. At the conference the Maltese Ambassador, H.E. Zammit Tabona, gave heartfelt and personal thanks to Roddy for taking up the job as the Ambassador has long standing family links to Malta's most successful and famous club. Floriana's Development Officer, Mr. Alan Moore, thanked everyone for being present on such a great occasion for the club and this was echoed by two of the clubs newly appointed Executive Directors.

However an even greater unveiling took place in Floriana itself the very next day. After meeting his players for the first time Roddy was part of Maltese football history. Never before had such an event taken place on the islands where a manager was introduced to the fans. Entering the packed auditorium, with more people unable to get inside, Roddy received a rapturous welcome that even his brother Steve would have envied. Introduced by Executive Director Tony Zahra he spoke alongside new President John Camillieri, John Borg and Alan Moore, receiving massive applause for pledging himself to making Floriana F.C. a force to be reckoned with. The fans appreciated his honesty and applauded in agreement when he told them that "we are embarking on a long term project, all of us will stand together and make this club greater still!"

Having worked as a pundit for Radio Telefís Éireann, Newstalk Radio and the The Star on Sunday Collins began pre-season with Floriana F.C. on July 2nd 2009. The club are also known as "The Irish" and footballing partners of, his former club, Shamrock Rovers and Russian side FC Volga Ulyanovsk.