Name: Robert CollinsBorn:
Died:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Outside-Left
Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1922), 4 Amateur Caps (1921-1925).
Club Career:
Teams
|
Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
|
League
|
FA Cup
|
Other
|
Dundela
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Broadway
Young Men
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Linfield
Rangers
|
20/21
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
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-
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Cliftonville
|
21/22-22/23
|
-22
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Amateur
|
-
|
-
|
-
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Barn
|
23/24
|
-23
|
-
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-
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-
|
-
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Linfield
|
-
|
-24
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
TOTALS
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-
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£-
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-
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-
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-
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Biography:
Bob Collins had a remarkable 1921/22 season, his first in senior football. Still a teenager he was a "deserving" selection at outside-left for Ireland's Amateur international against England in November 1921. Although a player of small stature, he had "plenty of pluck" and "never shirk[ed] a back no matter how big or strong he may be". A "polished" player who's pace allowed him to push a ball past defenders with ease to deliver "deadly centres", during his early career he was also criticised for his inconsistency and inclination to "dally".
Despite these flaws, at the close of that first campaign Collins was included in a "mixed" Ireland panel that travelled to Norway. He played in the opening match, a 2-1 international defeat, but was the only player who featured in that match not to make the line-up for the second game of the tour, a representative fixture against the Norwegian FA.
It was as a left-half that Collins first played his football, though he showed his attacking qualities while with Dundela. With Broadway Young Men he was used as "an extreme left-winger", the position in which took him into senior football. It was after joining Linfield Rangers that Collins first drew the attentions of Irish league teams, Cliftonville the first to react to the favourable reports of his capabilities. As already noted, Collins made the step-up with relative ease, holding "his own with more experienced opponents".
Collins had returned to the half-back line by the time he joined Barn in 1923 for their first season in the Irish League and he continued in a similar role when he signed for Linfield. The Blues were suffering a hang-over from their successes earlier in the decade and the major honours eluded Collins. He did maintain his amateur status and continued to feature for Ireland Amateurs during his stay at Windsor Park.
Away from the football field, Collins was a keen tennis player, "ever alert, and quick at getting into the action." He was also a keen motorist, deriving "much pleasure out of his jaunts, either by cycle or car."
Ireland Cap Details:
22-05-1922 Norway...... A L 1-2 FR
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.
Ireland Amateur Caps:
14-11-1921 England..... A L 1-4
10-11-1923 England..... A L 0-3
08-11-1924 England..... H L 2-3
11-05-1925 Irish League H D 2-2
Summary: 4/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 3.
Picture kindly supplied by Roy Cathcart. Biographical details from an ISN profile provided by Jim Murphy.
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