John Collins (footballer, born 1949)

John Lindsay Collins (21 January 1949 – 14 April 2020) was a Welsh professional footballer who played for Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Dallas Tornado, Halifax Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Kidderminster Harriers and represented Wales at schoolboy and seven occasions at Under–23 level.[3]

John Collins
Personal information
Full name John Lindsay Collins[1]
Date of birth (1949-01-21)21 January 1949
Place of birth Rhymney, Wales
Date of death 14 April 2020(2020-04-14) (aged 71)
Place of death Milford Haven, Wales
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Playing position(s) Full back
Youth career
Swansea
1964–1966 Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (0)
1971–1973 Portsmouth 74 (0)
1974 Dallas Tornado 18 (1)
1974–1976 Halifax Town 82 (1)
1976 Sheffield Wednesday 7 (0)
1976–1980 Barnsley 130 (1)
1980 Kidderminster Harriers ? (?)
National team
Wales U23 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Collins was born in Rhymney, and began his career in Wales at Swansea then in March 1964 he moved to London to become an apprentice with Tottenham Hotspur. The full back played two first team matches for Spurs in the old First Division. His debut came against Sunderland which ended in defeat followed by another defeat against Nottingham Forest.[4][5]

He signed for Portsmouth for a fee of £5,000 in May 1971, Collins made his debut in the opening game of the 1971–72 season at home against Middlesbrough which ended with a 2–1 victory. He went on to compete in a total of 87 matches.[6]

After leaving Fratton Park, Collins joined the North American Soccer League team Dallas Tornado in 1974 and featured in 18 matches and scored one goal. Collins was transferred to Halifax Town in August 1974 and featured in a further 82 games and scored one goal. He had a spell with Sheffield Wednesday where he notched up seven appearances in 1976 before signing for Barnsley in December 1976. Between 1976–79 he played 130 matches for the Yorkshire club and netted one goal. Collins ended his senior career at Kidderminster Harriers.

In 1979 Collins moved back to America, this time to play for the indoor Soccer team Baltimore Blast.[4]

Personal life and death

After football Collins moved back to Wales in the 1980s where he became a pub landlord running three pubs and a hotel all in Haverfordwest. In later life he had diabetes, and had to have both legs amputated before his death on 14 April 2020, aged 71.[4]

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References
  1. "John Collins". Barry Hugman's Footballers.
  2. Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 58. ISBN 0362020175.
  3. Hugman,B,J, (Ed) The PFA Premier& Football League Players' Records 1946-2005 (2005) ISBN 1-85291-665-6 p130. Retrieved 28 May 2010
  4. "Obituary - John Collins". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  5. Topspurs A-Z of players Retrieved 2 October 2012
  6. "Pompey Mourn John Collins". Portsmouth F.C. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  • John Collins at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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