The 29-year-old Welshman, who qualified for the award having played for the Black Cats prior to his summer move to the Britannia Stadium, beat Sebastien Bassong and Stoke team-mate Tuncay Sanli into second and third places respectively.

Ironically, all three men have since left the region, with Tuncay, like Collins, also joining the Potters from Middlesbrough and Bassong moving to Tottenham following Newcastle's relegation from the Premier League.

Boro's Adam Johnson, who has enjoyed a fine start to the new season, has been named Young Player of the Year.

Collins and Johnson will be presented with their awards at the North-East FWA's annual dinner in Durham later this month, when Sir Bobby Robson's son Andrew will collect the John Fotheringham Award on behalf of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in recognition of the charity's work to fund cancer research.