James Collins

James Michael Collins (born 23 August 1983) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a defender.

He started his career with Cardiff City, progressing through the club's youth system before making his senior debut in 2000.

He also played for two periods with West Ham.

He signed as a trainee in August 2000, after playing local football in his native city of Newport.

He was one of two first-year apprentices offered a professional contract for the 2000–01 season along with Martyn Giles.

He made his debut for Cardiff at the age of 17 in an FA Cup match against Bristol Rovers on 19 November 2000, which Cardiff won 5–1, as a substitute in place of Robert Earnshaw.

However, a broken toe suffered soon after limited his appearances during his debut season.

In his early years with the club, Collins played as both a defender and a striker with manager Lennie Lawrence stating that "it wasn't clear whether James was a centre-half or a centre-forward" when he was appointed manager.

Collins' broke into the first-team playing as a forward, scoring in his first start for the club during a 1–1 draw with Colchester United in November 2001.

Lawrence and his coaching staff would settle on playing Collins as a defender and he went on to make 86 appearances in all competitions for Cardiff, scoring six goals.

At international level, Collins represented the Wales national football team, making his debut in 2004.

He won the Welsh Young Player of the Year award in 2005.

Collins joined West Ham United in July 2005, along with his centre-back partner at Cardiff, Danny Gabbidon, in a £3.5 million deal for the pair as Cardiff attempted to cut their wage bill and raise money.

West Ham had previously seen a £350,000 bid for Collins rejected.

Cardiff chairman Sam Hammam later stated that club could have received a better price for Collins from other clubs but West Ham were the only team to place a bid for Gabbidon and would only complete the transfer if it included both players.

Due to fitness problems as well as competition from more experienced players, Collins did not make his West Ham debut until the League Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday on 20 September 2005, which West Ham won 4–2.

He made his Premiership debut on 29 October 2005 in a 2–0 away defeat by Liverpool.

He scored his first goal for West Ham in a 1–1 draw with Portsmouth on Boxing Day 2005.

Due to injuries to new signing Matthew Upson and 2005–06 Hammer of the Year Danny Gabbidon, Collins was given the chance to form a centre-back partnership with Anton Ferdinand towards the end of the 2006–07 season.

Collins ended his first Hammers season with two league goals, after scoring again in a 4–1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in April 2006.

On 28 January 2008, it was announced that Collins would be out for a year after suffering severe ligament damage in a West Ham reserve game against Portsmouth.

His injury kept him out for nine months and on 26 October 2008, Collins returned to first team action, starting in West Ham's 2–0 loss to Arsenal at Upton Park.

Collins signed a four-year contract with Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee on 1 September 2009, the last day of the transfer window.

On his league debut for Villa, on 13 September, he helped them keep a clean sheet in the Second City Derby against Birmingham City.

His first goal for the club was the winner against Chelsea in a 2–1 victory, in which he was named Man of the Match.

Collins played the full ninety minutes of the League Cup Final at Wembley on 28 February 2010, which saw Aston Villa beaten 1–2 by Manchester United.

Collins also played the full game when Villa returned to Wembley on 10 April 2010, in a 0–3 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.

In March 2011, manager Gérard Houllier fined Collins and fellow centre-back Richard Dunne two weeks' wages after what was reported as "a boozy row with club staff during a team-bonding exercise".

Collins was included in the Great Britain Olympic football team shortlist for the London 2012 Olympics, but he did not make the final 18.

On 1 August 2012, Collins signed for West Ham United for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract.

He was allocated the number 19 shirt, which he wore in his first spell with the club.

On 18 August 2012, Collins started alongside Winston Reid in a 1–0 home win against his former club, Aston Villa on the opening day of the 2012–13 Premier League season.

He was also awarded 'Man of the Match' for his performance on his second 'debut'.

Collins first goals in his second spell with West Ham came on 5 January in an FA Cup 3rd round tie against Manchester United.

The game finished 2–2 with Collins scoring two headed goals from crosses by Joe Cole.

He went on to win 51 caps before announcing his international retirement in 2017.

Collins announced his retirement from football in October 2020.

Collins was born in Newport and attended St Joseph's Roman Catholic High School as a teenager.

He was a schoolmate of Newport County player and manager Michael Flynn, who is two years older than Collins.

As a youngster, Collins played in the youth teams of local sides Shaftesbury and Pill before joining Cardiff City at the age of 15.