Neill Collins remembers how his departure from Sunderland ended one of the most notorious rivalries in football history.
In an interview with the Yorkshire Post, the former Sunderland defender—who is currently leading Barnsley as they aim to advance from League One—recounted the team’s incredible turnaround under Roy Keane.
During the opening part of the season, Collins played a significant role in the team’s comeback under new manager Kevin Keane, which resulted in a promotion.
Collins stated: “I was thinking, ‘We’re never going to win a game again,’ after we lost our first four league games and then went to Bury, who were bottom of League Two, and was thrashed 2-0.
“After Roy Keane entered the game, we appeared to win the next three straight, I believe.
“It demonstrates the insane momentum in the Football League. When Roy Keane took over, everyone was immediately on edge. We won away from West Brom, at Derby, and at Elland Road, and he signed a number of elite players. Though it didn’t happen right away, their career really took off in January and they were promoted.
“I think that’s the kind of thing maybe a club needs at that moment of time, whether it’s a player or a manager, you need a spark and I think Roy at that time gave the club a spark.”
In November, Collins would depart the team to go on loan to Wolves, the team of Mick McCarthy, before making the move permanent. The negotiations to finalize the agreement marked the first communication between the two former Sunderland executives since their notorious altercation in Saipan prior to the 2002 World Cup.
Days before Keane was appointed, Collins was scoring in a victory over West Brom while Keane was watching from the stands, and Collins was a major factor in the team’s first recovery from a terrible start.
“It was an amazing day,” Collin remarked.
As a child, Roy Keane was one of my heroes. I assumed that even though he wouldn’t recognize me, he would know a lot of our guys because he had played with Kenny Cunningham and some of the other more well-known players. It felt like I had to make an impact because I was just getting started.
“I performed well in my game against John Hartson that day and scored the goal. After a poor start to the season, it was a fantastic day to obtain that victory. It was a humorous one, as I ended up moving permanently to Wolves and it was the first conversation Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy had had since Saipan. It was really weird for someone who grew up listening to Roy Keane, and I would be shocked if you told me at the time that I was the reason he spoke to Mick McCarthy for the first time.
“Seeing how fast things can change in football was a positive experience in and of itself.
“Under Niall, we won every preseason game and didn’t lose a goal. After losing the first five games, we had a run of success. In the NFL, nothing is finished until it is.”
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