Sam Collins (English footballer)

Samuel Jason "Sam" Collins (born 5 June 1977) is an English former footballer who played as a defender. His brother, Simon, is also a former professional footballer and manager.

He started his career with Huddersfield Town in 1997, alongside his brother, before he transferred to Bury in 1999. After three years he moved on to Port Vale, where he established himself as club captain and star defender. His performances earned him a move up to Hull City in 2006, though a series of knee injuries blighted his time at the club. Loaned to Swindon Town for a brief spell in 2007, the following year he signed permanently with Hartlepool United. Spending most of his career in the third tier of English football, he has been described as a "warrior" and as "the quintessential lower-league centre-back".^[1]

He was appointed caretaker-manager of Hartlepool United in October 2014, and then again two months later.

Playing career

Huddersfield Town

Born in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, Collins started his career at First Division club Huddersfield Town as a trainee. Brian Horton handed him his senior debut just as brother Simon, was leaving the club. He made 41 appearances in all competitions before leaving the club himself.

Bury

In 1999 he stepped down a division to join Bury, who paid the "Terriers" a £75,000 fee for his services. He played ninety games in all competitions for the "Shakers", including 82 in the Second Division, before being released at the end of the 2001–02 season, following the club's relegation into the Third Division.^[2]

Port Vale

He signed for Port Vale in June 2002, in a move that reunited him with former manager Brian Horton.^[3][4] Collins played 49 games for Port Vale and was named their Player Of The Year in the 2002–03 season, later becoming the team captain.^[5][6] In September 2003 he was given the Second Division Player of the Month award.^[7] At the end of the 2003–04 season he penned a new two-year deal,^[8] having put in a 47-game haul. He played 37 games in 2004–05, helping the club to avoid relegation to League Two.

His continuing strong performances in 2005–06 attracted interest from Plymouth Argyle boss Tony Pulis.^[9] However he rejected the approach,^[10] and instead joined Peter Taylor's Hull City in November on loan from Vale, prior to a permanent transfer for a fee of £65,000 in the January transfer window.^[11] Team-mate Billy Paynter also made the switch to the "Tigers" at the same time.

Hull City

He captained Hull on several occasions, but after only seventeen league games for the "Tigers" he joined a lengthy list of team-mates on the treatment table, suffering a knee ligament injury in a February game at Millwall, which ruled him out for the remainder of the 2005–06 season.^[12] He also missed most of the following season through a further knee injury, making only eight appearances.^[13] In September 2007, he joined Swindon Town on a one-month loan,^[14] in which he made four appearances for the "Robins".

Hartlepool United

He joined Hartlepool United on transfer deadline day, 31 January 2008, for a nominal fee.^[15] After only several weeks with the club he was sidelined by an injury sustained from an awkward fall.^[16] This came just days after assistant boss Ian Butterworth praised Collins for "[adding] steel to the back four".^[17]

"He's a calming influence, he's a leader and that's what we needed in that backline. You'll get that consistency from him, he doesn't complicate his game."

— Collins soon won praise from Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson.^[18]

He was appointed captain at the start of his first full season with the club,^[19] and made 48 appearances by the end of the campaign, earning himself a new contract at the end of the campaign.^[20] His consistency continued in 2009–10, as he played a total of 48 games. After 49 appearances in the 2010–11 campaign, he signed a new contract with the club in May 2011.^[21] Collins was hopeful that manager Mick Wadsworth could lead the club to the play-offs in 2011–12,^[22] however they could only manage a 13th-place finish. He made 43 appearances in the 2012–13 campaign, as Hartlepool suffered relegation into League Two, and was retained for a further season.^[23] Collins made 43 appearances during the 2013–14 campaign, and was praised by manager Colin Cooper for the positive influence he had on the rest of the team.^[24]

Coaching career

Between 2003 and 2005 he helped coach Brackenhill Blues, an under-13 football club based at Ackworth. In the two years he was there, he helped Brackenhill gain promotion twice.

In October 2014, following the exit of manager Colin Cooper as manager of Hartlepool United, Collins was appointed as caretaker-manager.^[25] He took charge of four games, overseeing one win and three losses, before Paul Murray was appointed as manager.^[26] Murray was sacked after only 45 days in charge, and Collins again was appointed as caretaker-manager.^[27] He continued in this capacity until Ronnie Moore was announced as manager in December, who then appointed Collins as his assistant.^[28]

Personal life

Collins married Claire in 1999 and the couple had four children. After finding that Collins had been having an affair, Claire posted derogatory messages on Collins' Twitter account, which were widely reported in the tabloids.^[29]

Statistics

As a player

As of 26 April 2015.

As a manager

As of 16 December 2014.^[49]

Honours

Individual

• Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year: 2002–03^[50]
• Football League Second Division Player of the Month: September 2003

References

External links

• Sam Collins career statistics at Soccerbase
  
• Sam Collins management career statistics at Soccerbase