Celtic Player of the Day – ‘The Wee Barra’, Bobby Collins

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The Celtic Star

·27 May 2025

Celtic Player of the Day – ‘The Wee Barra’, Bobby Collins

“The Wee Barra” was little more than 5 feet tall when he joined the club in 1948, but it was soon observed that he was a superb player with many skills of dribbling, passing, shooting and goal scoring…

Bobby Collins, Celtic and Scotland. Photo The Celtic Wiki

He won a Scottish Cup medal in 1951 when Celtic beat Motherwell, but he wasn’t always in the team for reasons of injury, loss of form or sheer madness in team selection!

OneFootball Videos

Bobby Collins training to be a miner while playing for Celtic. Can you imagine Jota doing that shift?

In 1953, he played in the Coronation Cup winning team, and then in September of that year performed the unusual feat of scoring three penalty kicks as Celtic beat Aberdeen 3-0.

He missed out on the 1954 Scottish Cup final, but played in the first game in 1955’s Cup final against Clyde. Inadvisedly, he indulged in a shoulder charge with Clyde’s goalkeeper, was dropped for the replay and Celtic duly lost! He was also a star in the 7-1 team of 1957.

He played 31 times for Scotland, as late as 1965 turning out for Scotland against England, some 7 years after Celtic let him go, apparently to pay for the Parkhead floodlights. He went to Everton and Leeds United, and was a success with both. He was one of the players, one feels, that Celtic might have made a lot more of…but Mr Kelly didn’t like him.

David Potter

*Article from The Celtic Star archives celebrating the outstanding contribution made by the late David Potter to telling the Celtic Story.

Bobby Collins Quotes

“Bobby was five foot three, he took a size four boot, but he would have fought King Kong and won. He was just a hell of a player, and a man.” Eddie Gray (Leeds) in an interview with Nutmeg magazine (2017).

“Bobby Collins could have graced a team in any era; he was one of British football’s greatest stars.” Bertie Auld

“In my opinion, Bobby Collins was probably the most influential player in the history of Leeds United.” Eddie Gray (Leeds).

“I got on all right with Bobby but I didn’t like to play against him. Even when we were playing five-a-side you never knew what he was liable to do because he wanted to win so much.” Bobby Charlton (Leeds).

Bobby Collins scoring against Rangers in a 4-4 draw at Parkhead in a Scottish cup tie in 1957. Celtic win the replay 2-0 at Ibrox. Photo The Celtic Wiki

“The best signing I ever made,” Don Revie (Leeds) on Bobby Collins. “They say one man doesn’t make a team, but Bobby Collins came nearer to doing it than anyone else I have ever seen.” Billy Bremner (Leeds).

Back: Charley Tully, John McGrory, John McPhail, Joe Bailey, Jimmy Mallan, Jock Weir Bobby Evans, Roy Milne, Alec Rollo, Bertie Peacock.Front: Bobby Collins, Sean Fallon, John Milsopp, Willie Fernie. Photo The Celtic Wiki

“Little Bobby Collins, game as a pebble, built like a Brencarrier, and in his element at inside-right, crashed home a picture opportunist goal, fired first time. Away up on the terracing behind the goals, out flew the green scarves. He brings back to Celtic, this boy, the immortal fire of Patsy Gallagher. His idea of progress is the shortest way through … the technique of the electric drill! When he was not hurling himself at the entire Hearts defence he was back defending. That was Patsy’s way. After the Collins winner, the roar from the Parkhead faithful went on for five minutes. No wonder!” John Jessiman of the Sunday Express.

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW!