Who is Neill Collins? Profile of new Raith Rovers boss who has worked with Keane, McCarthy and Cole

Raith Rovers have named Neill Collins as their new manager and insist he was identified as their ‘top choice’ from early on in their lengthy search.

So, who is the Stark’s Park club’s latest boss? And what, in Raith’s view, makes him the right man to take over from Ian Murray?

Courier Sport takes a look at the 41-year-old’s career in football so far as a player and a coach.

Born in Troon, Collins was part of the Kilmarnock youth academy but was released by his boyhood favourites at the age of 14.

Following further rejections from Aberdeen and Hearts, he was subsequently picked up by Queen’s Park and made his senior debut in March 2001 aged just 17.

A promising defender, Collins then went on to play for Dumbarton where he caught the eye of the likes of Falkirk, Hibernian, Rangers and Charlton Athletic.

And he also completed a BA Sport in the Community degree at the University of Strathclyde, whilst already casting his mind forward to a future coaching career by completing the Scottish FA’s old E licence.

“At university, I was coaching and did six weeks’ work experience as a PE teacher,” he told The Coaches’ Voice. “Having to organise 30 kids playing a sport, and get their attention, covered the basic principles of coaching. That stood me in good stead.”

Mick McCarthy ‘shaped me’

With his career at an early crossroads, Mick McCarthy took a chance on the promising defender and he joined Sunderland in 2004.

Part of the team that won the Championship a year later, Collins never played in the Premier League as he was instead farmed out on loan to Hartlepool United.

Back at Sunderland, he lost his place in the team when Roy Keane was appointed manager and was then reunited with McCarthy at Wolves, initially on loan and then permanently in January 2007.

“He got a group of people together who were good players, but maybe not the best in any league, and made them successful through camaraderie, organisation and coaching,” Collins has said of McCarthy.

“I saw that at Sunderland and Wolves, and it definitely shaped me.”

Further moves to Preston North End and Leeds United followed before Collins joined Sheffield United – where he had previously played on loan under Neil Warnock – in January 2011.

He would go on to spend almost five and a half years with the Blades, playing for five seasons in League One after trying unsuccessfully to help the team avoid relegation shortly after his arrival.

“I tried to be like Roy of the Rovers and Terry Butcher rolled into one and it didn’t go well,” he said of that doomed Championship campaign.

At Bramall Lane, Collins formed a central defensive partnership with future England internationalist Harry Maguire and had played over 200 games for the club when he left for Tampa Bay Rowdies in March 2016.

After two years with the USL Championship side, Collins retired from playing to become head coach of the Florida club after being recommended by Rowdies team-mate Joe Cole.

Flourishing in Florida

“I’ve witnessed Neill’s intensity first hand, and I know everyone in the locker room has immense respect for his ability and work ethic,” said then Rowdies owner Bill Edwards at the time. “He’s got the skills, the drive and the attitude.”

Collins led his side to the final of the play-offs in 2020, only for the showdown to be cancelled due to a Covid-19 outbreak.

The following season, he was named USL Championship manager of the year but suffered more agony losing to Orange County in the play-offs final.

His success stateside attracted suitors and he was appointed head coach of Barnsley in July 2023, with Rowdies owner Stuart Sternberg said they would “say farewell with a mixture of pride and sadness”.

Kicking off his tutelage with a 7-0 hammering of Port Vale, Collins steered Barnsley into a play-off spot in League One.

But, despite that, he was sacked with just one game remaining last season after a run of just one win in eight matches. Without him, the Tykes went on to lose 5-4 to Bolton in the play-off semi-final.

“I cannot express how disappointed I was to have been relieved of my duties with one game of the season remaining and the club sitting fifth in the table,” Collins said at the time.

“I poured my heart and soul into the job from the minute I arrived and learned a lot from my time at Barnsley.

“I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family and getting ready for the next challenge, wherever that may be.”

We now know that challenge is at Raith Rovers.