Barnsley have made the shock decision to appoint former Preston North End misfit Neill Collins as their new manager.
The Tykes reached the League One playoff final last season but were beaten by Sheffield Wednesday.
Barnsley will have been hoping to bounce back and go for promotion again but their plans have been dented.
Swansea City have pounced to lure Barnsley boss Michael Duff to South Wales as a replacement for Russell Martin.
That left Barnsley chasing a replacement and the likes of Chris Wilder and club favourite Martin Devaney linked.
Barnsley have taken a shock decision though, announcing the appointment of former PNE centre back Neill Collins.
Ex-PNE defender Neill Collins heads to Barnsley
Barnsley have announced Collins’ arrival in a deal which has raised more than a few eyebrows.
Collins started his coaching career with Tampa Bay Rowdies over in the USL Championship, eventually becoming manager in 2018 after seeing out his playing career there.
Collins has been in charge of the American side for five years now and has earned praise, winning the Eastern Conference and the Coach of the Year award in 2021.
The Scot is now being thrown into League One management, an enormous step up from the USL.
PNE fans will remember Collins from his playing days, though maybe not for the right reasons.
Collins joined PNE on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2009, eventually becoming a replacement for Sean St Ledger following his move to Middlesbrough.
Collins failed to impress PNE fans but a permanent deal – believed to be worth around £750,000 – was pushed through in January 2010.
By that time, Alan Irvine had been sacked and Darren Ferguson had arrived, and the change in management did Collins no favours.
Collins was booted out of Deepdale in March 2010, joining Leeds United on loan before turning the move permanent.
A £750,000 investment had been axed just weeks later and Collins will sadly go down as one of PNE’s worst-ever signings.
Collins only managed 21 league games for PNE and was largely seen as a fairly clumsy and unconvincing defender during his time in Lancashire.
Now 39, Collins is back in English football and will be looking to prove himself as a manager with Barnsley.