Bobby Collins - Part 5 – End of the Line
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Players - Bobby Collins - Part 5 – End of the line For a man who was supposedly in the late autumn of his playing days, 1965 was a remarkably active time for Bobby Collins. He led Leeds United in an enthralling chase for the Double, was voted Footballer of the Year and forced his way back into the Scotland side as they chased World Cup qualification. The 1965-66 season promised great things for the battle hardened Scot, including a first taste of European club competition. Collins told Phil Brown of the Yorkshire Evening Post: “The successes of last season and the rich experience the boys gained just must make things look bright for us … These boys of ours don’t know much about defeat … United will Bobby Collins leads out his troops be in the top set for a long time to come.” There were some rumblings of discontent, as reported by Phil Brown: “Bobby Collins … cleared the weekend’s clouds over his position with the club this afternoon. He will not be leaving it. A Sunday newspaper report … quoted the veteran little Scottish international as saying: ‘If there is any transfer talk concerning myself I would definitely not dismiss the idea of moving on. It would all depend on what I felt best for myself.’ “Collins … told me today: ‘At my age I first have to think what is best for myself and my family, and I have had this talk with Mr Revie to clear the air on my future … Mr Revie has put a long-term proposition to me which is quite acceptable, and I shall be continuing with United.’” Leeds began the campaign well and were up among the League leaders as they prepared for their European debut, with Collins already in full swing. Eric Stanger in the Yorkshire Post: “The link between Bremner and Collins in midfield is going to mean as much as ever … Collins has still the same razor sharp reflexes and remains sound in wind and limb. Because of his wonderful ability to pace himself through a game no one was going harder at the end.” The Whites faced Italy’s Torino at Elland Road on September 29 in the first round of the Inter Cities Fairs Cup. Bobby Collins’ experience with Scotland had equipped him well to handle European opposition and he was one of United’s better performers as they claimed a narrow 2-1 advantage from the first leg. www.mightyleeds.co.uk - Players – Bobby Collins – Part 5 – End of the line 1 The return in Turin was fateful for Bobby Collins as he later recalled: “We had been hanging on to our aggregate lead when Italian full-back Poletti scythed me down with a terrible challenge. The pain was agonising and I knew immediately that my leg was badly broken.” Jack Charlton: “I remember it very vividly - Bobby was lying there, the referee wanted to move him off the park, and the Turin players were trying to bundle him off. I wouldn't let them move him; I knew that if Bobby Collins wouldn't get up, he must have something broken. I stood over him, whacking one Italian and punching another to keep them back, until eventually the referee realised that Bobby must be seriously hurt and called for a stretcher.” Collins: "The only fortunate thing … was that I was seen at a local hospital that specialised in repairing shattered limbs. Surrounded by mountains, they had gained a reputation in this field, having dealt with many ski and mountaineering casualties … The medical team was headed by a world- renowned surgeon, Professor Re. I could not have been in better hands. The Professor assessed the injury and operated immediately. When I came round, he told me that he had reset my shattered thigh bone with a fifteen inch pin and was confident that I would play again.” Les Cocker and Don Revie visit Collins in a hospital bed as he recovers from his broken thigh Charlton: “He smiled when he saw us, and then he said, ‘Take a look at this.’ … There was a bolt through his leg – not a shiny silver bolt, but something that looked like it came out of a scrapyard.” Collins: "Leeds flew Beryl and Robert out to be with me, and throughout my two week stay at the hospital, I had plenty of visitors, including the entire Torino side. Poletti was particularly apologetic, but it didn't stop him injuring another player in the next match! "Back home I immediately began my rehabilitation under Les (Cocker) and Doc Adams. The pin was hollow, which enabled it to stay in my leg as I regained fitness. It stayed there for two years, before Mr Archie McDougall, an orthopaedic surgeon in Glasgow, removed it. The injury effectively ended my career at Leeds.” The rest of the campaign brought months of hard work and rehabilitation for the diminutive Scot, whose resolve never weakened. He was determined to fight his way back to fitness, saying, “The doctors told me that in 15 days I shall be able to get up and walk freely. In three or four months I should be able gradually to resume training. But I will hardly ever be the same player again.” Collins may have been physically crippled by the injury, but his spirit and win at any cost attitude were not dampened. Terry Yorath, a 16-year-old novice in the Elland Road reserves at the time, recalls: “(Collins) was in a plaster cast from his groin right down to his toes. My job was to make sure that he was able to climb into the bath and then help him out of it and dress him. This went on for months until his plaster was taken off. Bobby then started to get himself fit before being put in charge of the youth team. Although only 5ft 4in, he intimidated opponents through his tenacious tackling but, like Johnny Giles, he also had a delicate, sometimes devastating, touch. “In the youth team's last match of the 1965/66 season, we had to beat Hull at Fullerton Park to win www.mightyleeds.co.uk - Players – Bobby Collins – Part 5 – End of the line 2 our league. Their left winger was giving our right-back, Bobby Sibbald, the runaround and Bobby Collins wanted him sorting out. So when the ball went out of play, he called me over to the touchline. “’You move to right-back,’ he said, ‘and the first chance you get, do him.’ “My instructions were clear: I had to take the Hull winger out - so I did. My concern was just to get him off the park. The ball got thrown to this lad and I just went whack! Straight into him. He was carried off on a stretcher with a broken leg - although I didn't know it at the time - and we ended up winning the game. I don't feel very good about it now but it was the kind of thing that went on in those days. I will admit that I severely damaged the career of a fellow professional but Bobby was held in such high esteem at Leeds that I felt I was doing it for him and the club. In Bobby's eyes, the end justified the means - we won the league. I didn't think about it at the time but, over the years, I've given it a lot of thought and it's not a pleasant memory. I don't know who the lad was - we didn't have team sheets in those days - but I never came across him in the game again so I could well have ended his career. It's not something I'm proud of but you have to remember the times. If you didn't see at least two or three instances of players going over the top of the ball in a game, then you weren't watching the right type of football. I still see Bobby Collins quite a lot these days and he always reminds me of the incident: ‘Remember that tackle?’ he says. ‘That won us the league.’ “I admit it's not a nice story but it just shows how the competitive spirit under Don Revie had affected everyone at Leeds. You had to be prepared to put your foot in where it hurt for the good of the team. In many ways, Bobby was my mentor. He showed me that I needed strength and determination as well as skill to succeed in a man's game. I looked up to Bobby and it was a privilege for me to look after him when he was injured. I love Bobby dearly and I'm very grateful to him for the start he gave me in the game.” Collins was back in action for the first team by the end of the season, playing in United’s final game. A draw against Manchester United secured the runners up spot for a second successive season. Terry Lofthouse: “Without a doubt the most interesting aspect was the return of Collins, who with Giles forged a fascinating partnership as dual schemers. He came back with all his old skill, canny ball distribution and confidence. The fact that the match was played in such an easy manner helped him to ease back into the swing of things. It was the Master (the Leeds fans’ accolade) who provided the pass to Storrie from which Reaney scored with one of the finest headers I’ve seen.” Despite European qualification being at stake for the Reds, the The Yorkshire Evening Post of 4 October 1966 carries early hints of a possible game was a typical end of season affair, a gentle re-introduction to transfer for Bobby Collins to Bury first team action for Collins.