James Collins believes the chance to make his 500th club appearance for Luton in the FA Cup against Chelsea is vindication for his decision as a teenager to leave Aston Villa and kick-start his career in the lower leagues.
Town’s top scorer was doing well in the Birmingham outfit’s reserves in 2011 for then manager Martin O’Neill to offer him a new contract, but he opted to leave his “comfort zone” and try to make his way in senior football.
League Two Shrewsbury was his destination and after a goal-laden career in two spells there, plus Swindon and Crawley, he joined Luton, firing them to successive promotions to reach the Championship.
But it’s in the FA Cup, this afternoon, that Collins could make a major appearance milestone, though he wouldn’t change the path he’s taken to get there.
“To hopefully get to 500 games away at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup, I think it does make it all worthwhile,” the striker said.
“Taking that leap out of my comfort zone when I was 21, to go and play in League Two and start my career path, when you look back now it definitely makes everything worthwhile.
“It’s come at a really good time. To get a big club in the FA Cup and to fall on your 500th appearance is really nice.
“Hopefully, if I can get on the pitch on Sunday it’ll make it a real special time in my career.”
Just turned 30, Collins counts promotion to the Championship with Luton as the high point of his career.
He’s completed three campaigns as top scorer for Town and leads the way for them this term too, and that sort of recognition was the driving force behind a decisive meeting with O’Neill a decade ago.
He said: “When I left Villa, it was such a big club and they were a top six side then, finishing in Europe with some big big players.
“You had everything done for you at Villa Park with the reserves. When you get a chance to go out into men’s football, out in the big world and you come out of digs and get your own place, it’s what I wanted to do.
“I wanted to play senior football and I got as far as I could in reserve football. I was doing quite well and I got an opportunity from Graham Turner to sign at Shrewsbury.
“I had a meeting with Martin O’Neill and he was brilliant with me. He was honest with me and said there were people in front of me to get in the first team.
“He was happy to have me around and offered me a one-year contract, because I was a good lad and I worked so hard, but I explained to him that I wanted to go out and play and try to make a name for myself.
“He was fine with that and he agreed to let me go for free. I went to Shrewsbury when I was 21 and here I am, 500 games later.”
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