NEILL COLLINS admits missing out on a place in the Scotland Under 21 squad was a bitter disappointment.

It was widely expected the in-form centre back would receive his first call up to the international set-up after his sparkling displays at the heart of Sunderland's defence this season.

But coach Rainer Bonhof decided against selecting the Troon-born stopper for last night's friendly against Northern Ireland.

"I was disappointed when the Scotland squad was announced," said Collins. "I felt I had a better chance of getting in since I came to Sunderland and played in the first team.

"Maybe not the full squad, but certainly the under 21s. There are players in that squad not playing at quite the same level as me and I thought I would get my chance.

"There's nothing I can do about it except get a bit better here. The club comes first for me, but I'm definitely disappointed."

Despite the setback, the 21-year-old was still magnanimous enough to congratulate his team mate and the other half of the Collins partnership, Danny, on his call-up to John Toshack's first squad in charge of Wales.

The pair have lined up alongside each other in the reserves all season, until they both starred in Sunderland's two successive Championship victories, and clean sheets, against Derby County and Sheffield United.

The former Dumbarton defender admitted it was nothing more than his big pal deserved following his meteoric rise from non-league football to the heady heights of the Coca Cola Championship.

"We're great pals and I'm delighted for him," said Collins. "Obviously I'd like to be in his position, but in terms of where he has come from at Chester, he's settled in well. And in the last few games Danny has showed how capable a player he is.

"He is more than capable of playing at international level, as he has shown when stepping up a level here.

"He is a level-headed guy. But most of the players here are, especially the boys who came from a lower level because they know how long it has taken to get here. They appreciate everything they have got, and that is certainly the case with Danny. He'll not let things go to his head. If anything, he'll work harder."

Undeterred by the disappointment of not representing his country - an honour which will surely come sooner rather than later for the elegant defender - he admitted things couldn't have gone better since his arrival on Wearside.

"If Sunderland had said at the beginning of the season I'd have played 13 games I would have been delighted with that," said Collins, who lost his place in the Black Cats' line-up to returning skipper Gary Breen against Wolves last week.

"But the thing that comes with that is the more games you play the more games you want to play. So I'm not going to sit here and be happy with that until the end of the season.

"But I'm glad with the way things have gone and the way I've adjusted to full-time training and to have played as many games as I have."

l Sunderland have beaten a host of clubs - including Fulham and Rangers - to the signature of young Irish prospect Robbie Weir.

The 17-year-old becomes the second Irish teenager to sign for the Black Cats inside ten days after Republic of Ireland Under-18 international Billy Dennehy signed.