The Rod Squad - Where are they now?
Roddy Collins this week took over at Waterford United, almost a year to the day since his sacking by Derry City Football Club.
The flamboyant Dubliner’s 12 game Brandywell tenure was brought to an abrupt end after the results and performances on the pitch never came close to matching the verbal bravado off it.
The abiding memory of his brief spell in charge wasn’t the ultra conservative approach that yielded just two victories however but the transfer spending spree that preceded it.
With the departure of quality players like Steward Greacen, Simon Madden, Michael Rafter and David McDaid, followed up by the controversial release from the club of Ruaidhri Higgins and Kevin Deery, Collins found himself with positions to fill and money to spend.
His predecessors Stephen Kenny and Declan Devine had successfully applied a prudent transfer policy, focusing on players from the North West region with an ambition of moving to a higher level, while bringing in established quality from outside only when absolutely necessary.
That strategy was quickly cast aside though as Collins began the most wreckless shopping spree the Brandywell had seen since, well, Pat Fenlon seven years before.
If talk counted for anything, Collins had used his extensive football contacts in these islands to sign nine players who would win the league at a canter.
A year on, only Aaron Barry remains at the club, so presumably the other eight have all gone on to bigger and better things after leaving their Candy Striped nightmare behind them?
Well, not quite…
Cliff Byrne
"Cliff is an unbelievable addition. He's like a manager on the pitch. Even this morning at training you would have sworn he'd been here 10 years never mind 10 minutes with the way he was commanding the younger players."
Of all Collins’ signings, Byrne was the player with the most impressive CV, having enjoyed a 15 year career in the football league in England. The 32 year old had been released by Oldham Athletic before his return to Ireland however and after leaving the Brandywell by mutual consent last summer be signed for Alfreton Town in the English Conference where he made five appearances before moving to Gainsborough Trinity in English football’s sixth tier.
Roddy Collins Junior
The young right back’s career in senior football was exclusively under the management of his father who signed him for Monaghan United and Athlone Town before bringing him to the Brandywell.
Collins had big shoes to fill in Simon Madden and, although he started almost every game for the Rod Squad, he failed to make a significant impact and left the club at the end of May.
Had a brief spell back at Athlone Town before going on trial with Luton Town, after their manager John Still accompanied Roddy Senior to the FAI Cup Final but didn’t see any players who caught his eye.
Was rumoured to have attracted the attention of Crystal Palace last week but remains unattached and will presumably sign for Waterford United later this week.
Enda Curran
The 22 year old striker was flying high after winning the First Division title with Roddy at Athlone and was Collins’ first signing when he agreed a one year deal.
Scored two goals in 13 appearances for the club, including one against his former club, but was released by Peter Hutton shortly after Collins’ departure.
Having signed with Galway United for the 2015 season, Curran has regularly been on the score sheet at Eamonn Deacy Park, most recently banging in a hat trick in their league win over Bray Wanderers.
David Elebert
“Like most of my signings to date, David has come into the squad and got stuck in straight away which is very pleasing. Before he joined up with the rest of the lads I spoke to people who managed and played with him in Scotland and they couldn’t speak highly enough of him.”
Elebert had spent almost ten years across channel, including spells at Preston North End and Hamilton Academical but failed to break into the Shamrock Rovers side following his return to Ireland and was a free agent when he signed for City.
He made just three appearances at the Brandywell before being released and is now on the books of Irish League side Glenavon.
Danny Ventre
A household name in the League of Ireland with Sligo, Ventre was snapped up by Collins after falling out of favour at the Showgrounds.
The Liverpudlian failed to nail down a starting berth in the Derry midfield however and his City career ended in ignominy as his mistake gave St Patrick’s Athletic the lead in the FAI Cup Final.
Has returned to England where he now plays with AFC Telford United in the Conference Premier.
Jon Paul McGovern
McGovern had made over 300 appearances in the Scottish and English leagues playing for Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon, MK Dons and Carlisle United but, like many of Collins’ signings, he had slipped down the divisions and was playing with Northern League Division One giants Celtic Nation when he got the call to join Roddy’s revolution.
The Scottish midfielder lasted only 97 days at the club after failing to break into the first team but has since established himself as a first team regular with Ayr United in the Scottish football’s third tier making over 40 appearances to date.
Mark Stewart
“Mark came to us through a very reliable source that has been very good in the past so I knew what I was going to get. During his trial with us I was very impressed with his enthusiasm and his attitude.”
Another player who’d had his fair share of clubs in Scotland and England, Stewart signed for City after being released by Kilmarnock.
The then 25 year old Scot flew out of the blocks to give City the lead in their 1-1 draw in Tallaght but it proved a false dawn as he failed to nail down a starting place and departed shortly after Collins in May.
He has turned things around however and has established himself with Raith Rovers in the Scottish Champions, making 34 appearances to date and scoring nine goals.
Aaron Barry
"He showed in training during the week that he has a great attitude, a hunger, which is what I want all my players to have. As soon as the game was over I started working on making him my next acquisition."
22 year old Barry came up through the ranks at Sheffield United and after a brief spell on loan at Dumbarton, decided to rebuild his career at Derry.
The Wicklow native bucked the trend of Collins’ other signings by establishing himself as a virtual ever present in the side and remains in the team 12 months after his departure.
Ciaran Gallagher A highly rated ‘keeper who played with Ireland underage sides from Under 17 up to Under 19 level, Gallagher was first choice ‘keeper at Finn Harps but agreed to come to the Brandywell to challenge Gerard Doherty for the Number One jersey.
The Raphoe man’s chances at Derry were limited but he did briefly displace Gerard Doherty for a league game against Drogheda amid rumours of a dispute behind the scenes.
Gallagher has returned to Finn Park where he has been an ever present in the Harps side who are currently sitting pretty at the top of the First Division table.