I want to repay the faith shown in me by making Deres successful, says Collins

Sunday 18th April 2010

ERITH & BELVEDERE have unveiled Micky Collins as their new manager, writes Stephen McCartney.

The 39-year-old, who hails from Hadlow, near Tonbridge, scored 8 goals during his brief stay with the Park View Road club during the 2006-07 season.

He will take charge of the team after their trip to Tunbridge Wells on Saturday, with the ambitions of “assembling, during the close season, a squad strong enough to be in serious contention for next season’s Kent League title.”

The club statement added: “Although the club did not advertise the position, numerous applications were received and the club held several meetings before deciding that Collins was the right man for the job.”

Collins, who has the UEFA B coaching qualification and is a former England Schoolboy International, enjoyed a distinguished playing carer, playing as a professional and semi-professional footballer in and around the Garden of England.

The striker was a professional at Millwall, Charlton Athletic and Gillingham and played for Southern League Dartford before the club’s sad demise - and again for the Darts following their re-formation back in the Kent League.

He played for Welling United in the top-flight of non-league football, and turned out for Erith Town, Thamesmead Town, Erith & Belvedere, Croydon Athletic, Bromley, Tonbridge Angels and Chipstead.

He scored a total of 196 carer goals during 248 senior appearances.

Collins retired from football aged 25 to start his own business, which he still currently owns. He returned to football 11 years later when Chris Cosgrove lured him out of retirement for the Deres.

After a spell playing for Chipstead, Collins again retired from playing following a shoulder injury sustained in October 2009.

His managerial experience includes a spell as assistant manager to Mark Tompkins at Erith Town before moving on to become manager of Tonbridge Angels’ reserve side.

There, along with Julian Leigh, he won three trophies with four of his young squad going on to play for the first team at Longmead Stadium in the Ryman Premier League.

Following his appointment, Collins told www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk: "I feel I have a strong bond with Erith & Belvedere for bringing me back to football and hope to repay that by being as successful as I can as manager.

"I would like to thank the board and chairman for giving me this opportunity to manage the club.

"My aim is to bring stability and professionalism to the playing side of the club. Obviously we all want success at the club and hopefully we can achieve this by playing attractive, disciplined football and bringing on some of the talented youngsters that we have on board already at the same time.

"I am relishing the challenge that lies ahead."

Collins will be announcing his coaching team soon.

The Deres’ penultimate Kent League game is away to much-improved side Fisher at Champion Hill on Monday night.

A good run of form - before Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to second-placed Herne Bay - has taken Gary Lisney’s side to 12th place in the Kent League table - just one place behind Erith & Belvedere, who have had a season to forget.

Collins watched from the stands as caretaker manager Neil Hunter saw the Deres go down to a 3-1 home defeat to Norton Sports - the Deres’ 13th league defeat of their sorry campaign, one that the Welling-based club has described as “a turbulent season.”

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk

Fisher v Erith & Belvedere

Bulmers Cider Kent League

Monday 19th April 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Champion Hill Stadium, Dog Kennel Hill, Edgar Kail Way, Dulwich, London SE22 8BD