History of John Collins (footballer, born 1968) in Timeline

John Angus Paul Collins is a Scottish former professional football player who transitioned into management after his playing career. Known for his role as a midfielder, he has experience in both playing and leading football teams.

January 1968: Birth of John Collins

John Angus Paul Collins was born in January 1968.

1980: Youth Career at Hutchison Vale

John Collins began his youth football career playing for Hutchison Vale in 1980.

1984: End of Youth Career at Hutchison Vale

John Collins played for Hutchison Vale until 1984, captaining the team for four years.

1985: Professional Debut with Hibernian

John Collins made his professional debut with Hibernian in 1985 at the age of 17.

1988: PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year

John Collins was named the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year in 1988.

1990: Million Pound Signing for Celtic

John Collins signed for Celtic in 1990, becoming the club's first million pound player.

April 1994: First Goal with Adidas Predator Boots

In April 1994, John Collins became the first professional footballer to score a goal in a top-level match using Adidas Predator boots.

1995: Scottish Cup Victory with Celtic

John Collins won the Scottish Cup with Celtic in 1995.

1996: Free Transfer to AS Monaco

John Collins moved to AS Monaco on a free transfer in the summer of 1996 under the Bosman ruling.

1996: Euro 1996 Appearance

John Collins played for Scotland in the Euro 1996 tournament.

1997: French Championship and Champions League Run

In 1997, John Collins won the French championship with Monaco and reached the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League.

1998: Transfer to Everton

John Collins moved to Everton in the summer of 1998 for £2 million.

1998: 1998 World Cup Appearance

John Collins played for Scotland in the 1998 World Cup.

1998: Goal in 1998 World Cup

John Collins, representing Scotland, scored a goal in the opening match of the 1998 FIFA World Cup against Brazil.

November 1999: Retirement from International Football

John Collins retired from international football in November 1999 following Scotland's defeat in the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying play-offs against England.

2000: Transfer Request at Everton

John Collins submitted a transfer request while at Everton in 2000.

2001: Promotion to the Premier League with Fulham

John Collins helped Fulham gain promotion to the Premier League in 2001.

2002: Reduced Playing Time at Fulham

John Collins did not play regularly during the 2002-2003 season with Fulham.

2003: Post-Retirement Activities

After retiring from club football in 2003, John Collins moved to Monaco with his family and obtained coaching qualifications, including the UEFA Pro Licence.

2003: Retirement from Professional Football

John Collins retired from professional football in 2003.

October 2006: Appointment as Hibernian Manager

John Collins was appointed as manager of Hibernian on 31 October 2006.

October 2007: Rejection of Queens Park Rangers Offer

John Collins turned down an opportunity to become the manager of Queens Park Rangers in October 2007.

December 2007: Resignation from Hibernian

John Collins resigned from his position as manager of Hibernian on 20 December 2007, citing disagreements with the board about player budgets.

2007: Dispute with Hibernian Players

Despite winning the League Cup, John Collins had a major dispute with his players just weeks later in 2007, leading to a delegation of players complaining to the chairman about his methods.

2007: Scottish League Cup Final Victory

John Collins, as manager of Hibernian, led the team to victory in the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final.

September 2008: Interview with West Ham United

John Collins was interviewed by West Ham United for a managerial position in September 2008.

December 2008: Appointment as Charleroi Manager

John Collins was appointed as the manager of Belgian club Charleroi on 15 December 2008.

2009: Brief Managerial Stint at Charleroi

John Collins had a brief stint as manager of Charleroi in 2009.

2010: Media Appearances

John Collins worked as a media commentator for various networks, including Sky Sports, Sportscene, and CBC Sports during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

February 2012: Director of Football at Livingston

John Collins became the director of football at Livingston in February 2012.

July 2012: Friendly Match with Gala Rovers

John Collins played in a friendly match for his old amateur club, Gala Rovers, against a Livingston XI on 25 July 2012.

February 2013: Departure from Livingston

John Collins left his position at Livingston on 28 February 2013 following a disagreement regarding the removal of Gareth Evans from first team coaching.