Collier: Austin

WW2 Guest: 1945-1946 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Right Half

Born: Dewsbury: 24-07-1914

Debut: v Bradford Park Avenue (a): 16-05-1946

Height & Weight: Unknown

Collier started his football career with Upton Colliery and then Frickley Colliery. He joined Third Division South Mansfield Town in May 1938 and made twenty-one League and four F.A. Cup appearances for them without scoring. He only had one season at Field Mill, signing for Third Division North York City in May 1939. He only made ten appearances for them but had to wait until after the War to do that. During the war he was a Physical Training Instructor in the Army. He made twenty appearances for York City in the 1939-40 Wartime League but he was then stationed in the Glasgow area and joined Partick Thistle where he was impressive while making twenty-four appearances for the Jets in 1940-41. The left-half moved his allegiance to Celtic in May 1941 and made his debut on May 21st in a 5-2 Glasgow Cup victory at Queen’s Park. However, despite Celtic’s initial enthusiasm in capturing the player he soon lost his place in the team. After just three games at Parkhead he moved to Third Lanark in October 1941 and also returned to York City to play three games in the 1941-42 season. He returned to Partick Thistle to play thirteen games in 1942-43, as well as two games with Reading in the same season, and eleven games with the Jets in 1943-44 and as well as game with York City. He was later stationed in Italy in 1944 and played for the British Army versus France in Naples in the autumn, he was also in the United Services team that held Matt Busby's unbeaten Army XI to a 2-2 draw as it toured round the Mediterranean in 1945. After the armistice he guested twice for Leeds United, both at Right Half, at Bradford Park Avenue in a 4-9 defeat and at home to Newcastle United on Easter Saturday 1946 when they were beaten 0-3, in the 1945-46 Football League Northern Section Competition. He also restarted his career at York City with eight games in the 1945-46 season. It was in the 1946-47 season that he made those ten League appearances with York City and it was not long before he had returned north of the border with Queen of the South. However, he was soon back after playing seventeen games in 1946-47. He joined Third Division North side Rochdale in April 1947. He made six League appearances at Spotland, three in what was left of the 1946-47 season and three for the short period he was there in the 1947-48 season. He left for Third Division North Halifax Town in November 1947 but he was not at the Shay long either, making just one appearance in the League before finishing his career in Non-League football with Goole Town and then Scarborough. He died in 1991.