Eamonn Collins
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eamonn Anthony Stephen Collins | ||
| Date of birth | 22 October 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1981 | Blackpool | ||
| 1981–1983 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1986 | Southampton | 3 | (0) |
| 1986–1989 | Portsmouth | 5 | (0) |
| 1987–1988 | → Exeter City (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 1988 | → Gillingham (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1989–1992 | Colchester United | 106 | (6) |
| 1992–1993 | Exeter City | 11 | (0) |
| 1992–1993 | → Farnborough Town (loan) | ||
| 1993–1994 | Crediton United | ||
| 1994–1996 | Elmore | ||
| International career | |||
| 1985–1987 |
Republic of Ireland U21 | 5 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| –1996 | Elmore | ||
| 2003–2004 | St Patrick's Athletic | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Eamonn Anthony Stephen Collins (born 22 October 1965) is an Irish retired
Playing career
Blackpool
Collins was born at Inchicore, Dublin, close to Richmond Park, the home of St Patrick's Athletic.
He signed apprenticeship forms with
In the match, Collins came on as a second-half substitute for Dave Hockaday and, at the age of 14 years and 323 days, became the youngest player to have appeared in a professional match in England.[1] The match itself was won 2–1, with Kilmarnock winning the second leg 4–2, to go through to the next round on aggregate.[5] Collins was surpassed as the UK's youngest ever footballer in September 2022 by 13-year-old Christopher Atherton of Glenavon, Northern Ireland, though Collins retains the record in England.[6]
Collins only made the one appearance for Blackpool, and in December 1981, he moved to Southampton, where Alan Ball was now playing.
Southampton
Collins spent his first three years at Southampton playing either for the Youth team or for the reserves, and did not make his first-team debut until 29 September 1984, when he played in a 1–1 draw with Queens Park Rangers.[7]
He continued to play regularly for the reserves, but being short (5 ft 6 in – 1.68 m) and lightweight (8 st 3 lb – 52.2 kg), he lacked the muscle to force himself into the first team.
Whilst with the Saints, Collins was called up to join the Republic of Ireland squad for the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship held in the Soviet Union from August to September 1985. The Irish lost all three Round One matches, finishing bottom of their group.[9]
Portsmouth
In May 1986, Collins moved to
Colchester United
Collins left Portsmouth in April 1989, moving on to
.Exeter City
In July 1992, Collins was once again re-united with Ball when he returned to Exeter City. After eleven league appearances (plus four in various cup competitions), and a loan spell with Farnborough Town, Collins left Exeter in the summer of 1993 and dropped down to Non-League football.
Non-league football
Collins returned to Devon where he spent the early part of the 1993–94 season with Crediton United, before moving to join Elmore in February 1994. He remained with the Tiverton based club until December 1996.[7] He subsequently returned to his native Ireland to live.
During his playing career he also played in Denmark and Norway.[citation needed]
Coaching and managerial career
In 1999, he joined his home-town club St Patrick's Athletic as assistant manager to Pat Dolan, succeeding him as manager in February 2003,[11] signing a two-year contract with the Richmond Park outfit.
It was the dream job for Collins, the son of a former St. Patrick's chairman and brother of two former players.
However, despite a League of Ireland Cup win and an FAI Cup final appearance, after just over a year in charge, Collins quit St Patrick's in May 2004 with the club second from bottom in the League of Ireland Premier Division.[12] On his departure, chairman Andy O'Callaghan expressed his hope that Collins would change his mind, saying; "We've left the door open for Eamonn to come back. People are talking to him and praying he will change his mind."[13]
In the event, Collins joined rivals Shelbourne as assistant to Pat Fenlon on 31 May 2004.[14] Collins left Shelbourne following Fenlon's resignation in December 2006.[15]
Soon after leaving Shelbourne, Collins was established as a player's agent.[16] and is now on FIFA's list of registered agents.[17] Amongst his clients is Keith Fahey, who was transferred from St Patrick's to Birmingham City in January 2009.[18]
His son Joe and nephew Michael both played for the U17 Republic of Ireland national football team.[citation needed]
Honours
Colchester United
- Conference National: 1991-92
- FA Trophy: 1992
St. Patrick's Athletic
- League of Ireland Cup: 2003
References
- ^ a b Canavan, Steve (14 November 2005). "Matty's place in history". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ "FIFA player statistics". Archived from the original on 29 July 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
- ^ a b Hogan, Vincent (5 November 2007). "Innocence lost in clubs' mad dash for next star". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ "Anglo-Scottish Cup: 1975–1981". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ "Atherton, 13, becomes UK's youngest senior player". BBC Sport.
- ^ ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
- ^ In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. p. 497.
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ISBN 0-9534474-5-6.
- R.T.E.Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- R.T.E.Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- ^ O Raghallaigh, Ciaran (9 May 2004). "Roddy's not our Man". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- R.T.E.Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- R.T.E.5 December 2006. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- ^ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (25 January 2007). "Bargain-hunters ransack Ireland". UEFA. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- ^ Fitzmaurice, Aidan. "Republic of Ireland: Football Officials – Agents". FIFA. Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- ^ McDonnell, Daniel (23 March 2009). "Fahey's second coming of age". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.