Bobby Collins (footballer) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Young Collins | ||
| Date of birth | 16 February 1931 | ||
| Place of birth | Govanhill, Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 13 January 2014 (aged 82) | ||
| Place of death | Leeds, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Polmadie Hawthorn Juveniles | |||
| Pollok | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1949–1958 | Celtic | 220 | (81) |
| 1958–1962 | Everton | 133 | (42) |
| 1960 | → Southern Suburbs (loan) | ||
| 1962–1967 | Leeds United | 149 | (24) |
| 1967–1969 | Bury | 75 | (6) |
| 1969–1971 | Greenock Morton | 55 | (3) |
| 1971 | Ringwood City | 6 | (0) |
| 1972 | Melbourne Hakoah | ||
| 1972 | Ringwood City | ||
| 1972–1973 | Oldham Athletic | 7 | (0) |
| 1973–1974 | Shamrock Rovers | 11 | (1) |
| Total | 650+ | (157+) | |
| National team | |||
| 1950–1965 | Scotland | 31 | (10) |
| 1951–1958 | Scottish League XI | 16 | (12) |
| 1958 | SFL trial v SFA | 1 | (0) |
| 1959–1960 | SFA trial v SFL | 2 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1974-1975 | Huddersfield Town | ||
| 1977–1978 | Hull City | ||
| 1984–1985 | Barnsley | ||
|
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Robert Young Collins (born 16 February 1931 – died 13 January 2014) was a famous Scottish football player. He was known for his amazing skills as a midfielder. Bobby played for several big clubs like Celtic, Everton, and Leeds United. He also proudly represented his country, Scotland, in international matches.
Contents
Playing Career
Starting at Celtic
Bobby Collins was born in Govanhill, Glasgow, Scotland. He was the oldest of six children. When he was 17, he wanted to join Everton, but after some problems with his contract, he ended up signing with Celtic instead. At the time, he was also learning to be a cobbler, which is someone who makes or repairs shoes.
He played his first game for Celtic on 13 August 1949. It was a big match against their rivals, Rangers, in the Scottish League Cup. Even though he was only about 5 feet 3 inches tall, Bobby was a very strong and hard-working player in the middle of the field. He stayed with Celtic for ten years. During this time, he helped them win the Scottish Cup in 1951. They also won both the Scottish League and Scottish Cup in 1954, which is called a "double".
Celtic fans loved Bobby and called him "the Wee Barra". He was a hero to many generations of supporters. People admired his old-school style of keeping the ball close and his energetic way of playing. He also played for the Scotland squad many times in the 1950s.
Moving to Everton
In 1958, Bobby Collins joined Everton. He played for them until 1962.
Becoming a Legend at Leeds United
In 1962, Bobby joined Leeds United. Their manager, Don Revie, thought Bobby was a brilliant signing. Bobby helped the team avoid being moved down to a lower league. Revie even said that Bobby was the best player he ever signed!
Leeds United won promotion to the top league, the First Division, in 1964. Bobby was the team captain. In 1965, he led them close to winning both the League and the FA Cup. However, they just missed out on the League title to Manchester United and lost the 1965 FA Cup Final to Liverpool.
Bobby's amazing performances at Leeds were recognized when he won the Footballer of the Year award in 1965. This award is given to the best player in English football. His great form also led to him being called back to play for Scotland after six years. He played three more international games, ending his Scotland career with 31 appearances and ten goals.
Bobby continued to be captain for Leeds until 1966. Sadly, he suffered a very bad broken leg during a game against Torino. He tried to come back from the injury, but it was tough to play at his previous high level. This injury eventually brought his time at Leeds to an end.
Later Playing Days
After leaving Leeds, Bobby Collins signed with Bury and played there for two years.
He then had a short time playing in Scotland for Greenock Morton. While there, he also helped Don Revie by scouting for new players. He recommended a young player named Joe Jordan. Joe Jordan went on to become a very successful striker for clubs like Leeds, Manchester United, and Milan, and also for Scotland.
Bobby later played as a player-coach for Oldham Athletic. He also had a brief spell playing for Shamrock Rovers in Ireland.
Managerial Career
After his playing career, Bobby Collins became a football manager. He managed teams like Huddersfield Town, Hull City, and Barnsley. He also worked with the youth teams at Leeds United in the 1970s and again in the late 1990s, helping to train young players.
Honours
Bobby Collins won many awards and titles during his career:
Celtic
- Glasgow Cup: 1950, 1956
- Scottish Cup: 1951
- Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup: 1953
- Scottish Football League First Division: 1953–54
- Scottish League Cup: 1957, 1958
Leeds United
- Football League Second Division: 1963–64
Bury
- Football League Third Division runner-up: 1967–68
Individual
- FWA Footballer of the Year: 1964–65
