SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento Republic FC announced on Saturday it had appointed Neill Collins as the club’s new Head Coach. Collins joins Republic FC from Raith Rovers FC having activated the compensation clause in his contract with the Scottish Championship club.

“We are delighted to welcome Neill and his family to Sacramento,” said Republic FC President and General Manager Todd Dunivant. “His history of success in USL, combined with a steady demeanor and well-respected reputation, align with our pursuit of championship hardware. Neill is a proven winner, a fantastic leader, and we have no doubts he is the right man to lead our club forward.”

“Neill is a tremendous addition to our club and his past successes speak for themselves,” added Republic FC Managing Partner Kevin Nagle. “I’m excited for our fans and city to get to know Neill and support him as we all look to win a championship.”

Collins will return to the USL Championship following a successful stint at the helm of the Tampa Bay Rowdies between the 2018 and 2023 seasons. The 41-year-old led the Rowdies to a 94-42-34 record during his tenure, twice winning the Eastern Conference title in 2020 and 2021 and winning the Championship Players’ Shield after recording the best record in the Championship during the 2021 season.

In 2021, Collins was voted the USL Championship Coach of the Year while also claiming three Coach of the Month awards in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. During his tenure, only Louisville City FC won more games across the regular season and playoffs in the USL Championship than the Rowdies.

“I first of all would like to thank Todd and Kevin for this fantastic opportunity to join Sacramento Republic. I aim to repay that faith by working hard every day to bring success to for everyone associated with the club,” said Collins. “Sacramento have been one of the most consistently successful teams in the USL for the past few years and I can’t wait to help build on that platform. I am well aware that Sacramento Republic is more than just what happens on the pitch and I look forward to being part of the community and creating special memories for our fans.”

Collins departed the Rowdies in July, 2023 to become the manager at EFL League One club Barnsley FC, where he led the side to a 21-12-12 record to place the side in the promotion playoff positions before his departure with a game to play in the regular season. He had most recently joined Raith Rovers in his native Scotland, where the side went 5-6-3 since his appointment on September 3.