August 2018: SHREWSBURY 0 CITY 1 (Payne 19)

MY FIRST day back from holiday began with an early call on the mobile.

It was just after 7am on June 18, 2018 and Edin Rahic’s name popped up on the screen.

The chairman was ringing to announce that the six-week search for a new City boss was finally over.

Michael Collins would be taking charge – arguably the most bizarre appointment in the club’s long history.

Collins, 32 at the time, would become the youngest “gaffer” in all four divisions after being fast-tracked from the under-18s for his first senior coaching role.

And he had not even applied for the job.

Rahic dropped that bombshell during the press conference later that day when Collins was officially unveiled alongside Martin Drury and Greg Abbott in a three-pronged team at the top.

The role had become a hot potato since Simon Grayson had decided it was not for him.

The bookies threw in random names but few were close. Short-priced favourite Steve Cotterill made it known that he had no interest and Mark Warburton was never a serious contender.

Others backed away when it became apparent how much input there would be from above.

So Collins, building a good reputation working with the club’s youth, was offered his big chance.

The opportunity to manage City on a significant five-figure salary was too good to turn down.

Rahic threw him in the deep end – and later, under the bus.

Collins would last just 11 weeks before Rahic realised the error of his ways. He had overseen six league games and a Carabao Cup exit on penalties to Macclesfield.

“We anticipated a much better start and the results have not matched expectations,” said Rahic in a terse statement.

Collins’ managerial ambitions were effectively strangled at birth. He returned to playing at non-league Alfreton and dropped off the radar.

When the job at former club Halifax became available last year, Collins did not throw his name in the hat stating that he was content to continue down the coaching route.

He is currently in an academy role at Phil Parkinson’s Sunderland where he oversees the under-18s – going full circle to when the rollercoaster began two years ago.

Collins celebrated only two victories in his 77 days at the Valley Parade helm – but did join that small group of City managers who won on their debut.

A 1-0 success on a sweltering afternoon at Shrewsbury on the opening day of the season would turn out to be as good as it got.

The new era had begun with a choreographed team huddle in front of the away end 15 minutes before kick-off.

Led by captain Josh Wright, it was a signal of the “fearless, front foot” approach that Rahic wanted from his bold appointment.

Collins kept his cool on the sidelines – apart from the moment when Jack Payne, one of the new recruits, popped up with the decisive goal on 19 minutes.

George Miller forced a mistake from full back James Bolton in the Shrewsbury box and as the loose ball bobbled back into play from the byline, Payne adjusted his feet and swept his shot past fellow Huddersfield loanee Joel Coleman in the home goal.

Collins was wrapped up in a bear hug with good friend Drury as the regime enjoyed a perfect start.

The Bantams led a dicey existence as Shrewsbury, play-off finalists just three months earlier, threw everything at them in retaliation.

But the combination of strong defending led by Anthony O’Connor and a comic open-goal miss from Josh Laurent preserved Richard O’Donnell’s clean shirt in his first appearance.

Eoin Doyle, one of 11 new faces on display, came off the bench midway through the second half and instantly fluffed a glorious chance to score from his first attack.

But City hung on to give Collins a start to remember. Few, if any, in the 7,625 crowd would have guessed he had only one more month in the job.

There was one more victory against Burton at Valley Parade but the pressure quickly built. The image of Rahic leaning over from the stand to talk to Collins during half-time of a dismal defeat at Southend was portrayed as "proof" that it was the chairman, not his head coach, who was really calling the shots.

Collins paid the price to be replaced by David Hopkin but his barrack-room approach ultimately fared little better. The relegation rot had set in.

SHREWSBURY: Coleman, Bolton, Kennedy, Beckles, Sadler, Whalley, Loft (Grant 66), Colkett (Gilliead 74), Laurent, Holloway, S Payne (Okenabirhe 81).

CITY: O’Donnell, Mellor, O’Connor, Knight-Percival, Chicksen, Riley (Doyle 66), Wright, Akpan (Seedorf 86), Scannell (Robinson 77), J Payne, Miller.