Stateside Scot: Neill Collins on Wolves' 2009 band of brothers - and his new life in Florida

But it's a journey that former Wolves defender Neill Collins has taken with great pleasure,

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The pale-skinned no-nonsense Scot with a taste for Iron Bru might not be an obvious candidate to settle in seamlessly to life in tropical Florida, with its white sandy beaches, glamorous lifestyle and scorching temperatures. But he couldn't be happier.

And who wouldn't enjoy basking in 30C heat this week while Blighty shivers in the festive season?

The 33-year-old is also, most importantly, enjoying his football too. The season has finished now but Collins spent last year playing alongside the likes of England international Joe Cole and ex-Benfica player (and perennial future superstar) Freddy Adu for Tampa Bay Rowdies, a league below the MLS in the North American Soccer League (NASL).

It's all a far cry from the muck and nettles of League One, where Collins was plying his trade with Sheffield United.

In the middle of a busy day looking after his four young children, Collins graciously granted the Express & Star a phone interview - and we started by talking about just how the Tampa move came about.

"Ever since I've been a young lad I've been coming out to America," he said.

"The plan was always to come out here during my career.

"I was at a stage where i was going to leave Sheffield United and the offer was too good to turn down.

"I'd been in England for 12 years and played at all those grounds time and again – I wanted something new and to play against different teams in a different culture.

"My parents are over a lot and friends come over too, so we're never far from seeing people. I've got four kids and they're all settled.

Collins moved to the Rowdies in time for the start of last season, which ran from April to November.

He swapped visits to Fleetwood, Rochdale and Gillingham for Miami, Puerto Rico and New York. The crowds in NASL (averaging 5,000) may be smaller than in League One but the standard of football is improving.

"The standard is relatively high although it's hard to explain," Collins said.

"We've been in NASL and are moving to a different league now (United Soccer League) and trying to get into the MLS.

"We've got Joe Cole, Georgios Samaras is in the league, players that have captained mexico. It's quite a wide range of ability, you get some guys from abroad and some kids just out of college with real potential.

"The games have been good - what's different is the culture. Our home games in Florida are warm and slow.

"Joe Cole has been great. We're the same age and have played against a lot of the same players, although he's been at the very top. He's been a breath of fresh air and his performances have been fantastic. The players look up to him.

"He's quite open about things that have happened to him in his career and it's great to sit and listen to him.

"There are a few British guys around. People like Richie Ryan who started at Sunderland with me all those years ago. He's at Miami who are managed by Alessandro Nesta.

"Things are moving on all the time here and players are realising if they don't go to America now they're not going to get the chance. Players aren't coming here to just retire anymore."

It's an exciting time for Collins, who is happy on and off the field.

Not that he needs any excuse to regale memories of his 12 years in England. Or more to the point the three he spent at Wolves.

Collins became something of a cult hero during his time at Molineux. He joined during Mick McCarthy's first season in charge (2006//07), when the gruff Yorkshireman was improbably leading a band of bargains, kids and misfits to the Championship play-offs.

And Collins epitomised the unlikely success story, filling in at left back after moving from Sunderland for just £150,000.

It's a time he remembers with great fondness.

"It was such a proud time for me to play for such a great club," Collins said.

"I came just as Mick got the job. Things almost caught fire and the momentum was phenomenal.

"We had a slight dip the second year, but you look at finishing fifth, seventh and first in consecutive seasons – what the club would give now to have that transformation. I've got great and very fond memories of my time at Wolves.

In 94 appearances in gold and black Collins scored an impressive 10 goals.

What's more impressive is that four of those were winning goals scored in the 81st minute or later.

It's not a bad way to endear yourself to your supporters. And Wolves fans remember the winner away at Doncaster during Wolves' promotion season with particular happiness.

"I tried to always attack the ball and I managed to get quite a few winners," Collins added.

"There are two or three I always remember including of course Doncaster away. To do it in front of your away fans, or in front of the South Bank or North Bank, they're the moments no one can ever take away from you.

"I've been fortunate to play for some great traditional clubs in Wolves, Sheffield United and Sunderland, fans with great knowledge of the game.

"I felt the Wolves fans respected someone who would give 100 per cent and I think they know I'd played as hard for the shirt as any of they would.

Collins played 27 times in 2006/07 and then 42 the following season.

In 2008/09, Wolves' title winning season, he had made 27 appearances, most of them alongside Richard Stearman at centre half. But in late January a disastrous game against fellow promotion candidates Reading, in which Collins scored the game's only goal into his own net and was later sent off, cost him dearly.

Jody Craddock came in from the cold and took his place, going on to lift the Championship trophy and becoming a Premier League regular. But for Collins that Reading defeat was his last appearance for the club.

Not that he has any regrets at all about leaving in 2009.

"I always like to leave a club knowing I'd be welcomed back," he said.

"I look back now, I was at the stage where I'd played a lot but then not as much.

"Mick was more than happy for me to stay, as was Jez Moxey, but i wanted to play every week and it was as much my decision to go. I knew opportunities would be limited in the Premier League.

"There was no animosity – Mick and myself always had a great relationship. I respect him so highly. I left on my terms although in hindsight Preston didn't turn out how I would have liked."

That group of promotion-winning players forged a close bond and Collins is still is touch with many of them today.

"Some of them are my best friends in the game," he added. "In particular Kevin Foley, Andy Keogh, Michael Kightly, Stephen Ward, Chris Iwelumo, Karl Henry – I could go through the lot.

"It was one of the best groups I ever played with. They took Wolves to another level at the time. Mick McCarthy put together a fantastic group and the team spirit was huge. We'd have done anything for each other."

As for the Wolves of 2016, Collins believes that fellow Scot Paul Lambert's key to success will be engineering the kind of team spirit and togetherness that fuelled McCarthy's 2009 title success.

He keeps a close eye on his old team from across the pond.

"They looked like they were getting that spirit back in League One and I think it's huge that the players have that mentality as it transmits to the stands.

"I still speak to Rob Edwards an awful lot too. I was willing him to do well when he was in charge recently.

"The fact he's been kept on is great. I'm sure Paul Lambert will steady the ship – he's got a good record in the Championship

"I watched the Villa game a couple of months ago and they were excellent, by far the better team and should have wo. the game. I'm always looking out for the team

"I played with Conor Coady at Sheffield United and of course Dave Edwards at Wolves, while Carl Ikeme and Danny Batth were there too.

"Under Mick we had those seasons prior to winning the league where we were building something and that's what the club needs now.

Collins hopes Wolves' future is bright. But what of his own?

After going from Troon, to Sunderland, to Wolverhampton, to Sheffield and now to Florida, will he settle stateside and stay there once his playing days are over?

"I hope I've got a few years left on the playing side but I've already started looking at the end of my career as well.

"I've got my A licence and coaching is something I'll look into, probably here in the states but you never know where life takes you.

"I'll play as long as I can and then go from there and will certainly be in football in some way.

"It's been my life for 25 years and I don't want it to finish yet."

* Collins has recently started writing a new blog about his career - entitled A Journeyman's View - the first two of which can be found on neillcollins.com

You can also follow him on Twitter @neillycollins3