Auf Wiedersehen, Archie | A damning indictment on the state of Peterborough United

Archie Collins has rejected a blockbuster contract offer from Posh, and has been placed on the transfer list. 

His departure will mean that there are no players left from the 2023/24 play-off semi-final second leg starting XI. 

Photo Credit : Joe Dent / Peterborough United

Context 

The 25-year-old entered the final year of his contract this summer, having joined from Exeter in  2023.

Darragh MacAnthony made it clear that Collins would be made available for transfer should he refuse to sign a new contract. 

This follows Kwame Poku, Ricky-Jade Jones and Hector Kyprianou leaving as free agents this summer, costing the club millions in transfer fees. 

Collins was offered a ‘life-changing’ package from Posh, and Darren Ferguson remained hopeful that he would extend his spell in PE2.

But in an interview with BBC Radio Cambridgeshire today, the Posh boss revealed that he will not be signing an extension.

Talking to Benoit Stevenson, Fergie was ‘sceptical’ that a club will meet MacAnthony’s valuation of the player. 

It poses the question: sell now and avoid him going for no money, or hold firm and risk keeping a player who no longer wants to be at the club? 

Verdict

This news is incredibly disappointing for a number of reasons. 

I, like most Posh fans, have been extremely frustrated with the contract circus of the last few seasons. 

Academy graduate Ricky-Jade Jones leaving the club for a pittance was the final straw, highlighting the poor job that the club has done of safeguarding its assets financially. 

Collins is unlikely to move to the Championship, so it feels like a top end League One club is his probable destination.

It is frustrating that Posh are no longer considered part of that group, having previously been a heavy-hitter in this division. Players like Collins should be staying with us, if we have any chance of getting promoted. 

Collins was the last survivor of the 2023/24 ‘super team’, and his departure marks the end of an era. 

I can’t help but feel that his departure condemns Posh to mid-table mediocrity at best and is a 

damning reflection upon how far we have fallen.