You can pick your own moment that the long Luton goodbye began for James Collins, should the disappointing but not unexpected rumours of the striker’s exit be true – but perhaps the bigger question is whether or not he’ll leave as a legend?
By now, you’ll have clocked reports of interest from Cardiff City, Middlesbrough, Bristol City and his hometown club Coventry, suggesting he’s about to call time on his Hatters career.
For now, he’s still contracted to Town and no confirmation has come either way, with the club’s retained list still to emerge.
But the clock is ticking down to when Collins and a few others will become free agents, with reports of moves for skipper Sonny Bradley, his central defensive partner Matty Pearson and forward Danny Hylton. But after manager Nathan Jones admitted there won’t be any sentimental decisions this summer, it’s starting to feel like the end of an era, though, admittedly, one where the future still seems bright.
If time’s up for Collins, it’s been a hell of a ride, in which he’s finished as top scorer in every campaign since announcing himself with a hat-trick on his Hatters debut.
With 72 goals in 183 appearances, his goals have been instrumental in firing Town up two divisions to the Championship and then keeping them there, literally, as his penalty against Blackburn on the final day of last term was the difference to beat Blackburn Rovers and confirm the Great Escape.
Thankfully, it wasn’t as nail-biting in the season just gone, but his almost impossible strike at Preston (I’m unofficially accrediting it to him rather than a goalkeeper own goal) felt like the goal that gifted Town another season in the Championship, a comfortable seven weeks before the end of the campaign.
And, though Collins’ last spot-kick was saved against Middlesbrough, we’ll always have that wonderful winner against Watford.
Cards on the table, for me, he was in the legend camp long before that ice-cool, first touch, super-sub, spot-kick strike, but there’s a case to say the striker hasn’t truly been appreciated as such. Not least because every campaign has come with accusations that he can’t cut it, despite the evidence to the contrary.
You’d be hard pushed to think of many perennial poachers that have been so instrumental in one club’s period of success that haven’t had a song sung in their honour. It’s a small gripe, admittedly, but a baffling one.
Maybe it’s that he’s not as flamboyant a character compared to the likes of George Moncur? Or maybe not as skilful or skullduggerous as peak period Hylton, for whom the chant “Super Danny Hylton” regularly rang around lower league stadia? Who knows? Maybe that will always remain a collective mystery.
But inside the 18-yard box, however, it’s indisputable that Collins led the way in firing Town to consecutive promotions, notching 45 times in 93 games, which was an astonishing strike-rate fractionally above a goal every two games.
Based on those stats, it has always seemed odd how he’s hasn’t seemed to have been held in quite the same esteem as some other goalscoring Hatters.
His goals are obvious, but I’ve been a broken record on the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast, talking at length about his other talents. So much so, that we jokingly refer to it as the James Collins Appreciation Society. He’s often one of Town’s best defenders too, whether it’s heading away set pieces, or chasing down defenders, there’s never been anything less than 100 per cent effort.
His abilities even got him Republic of Ireland recognition and in true Collins fashion, he scored on his international debut. So it’s probably no surprise that Mick McCarthy, the man that gave him that cap, is interested in signing the forward for Cardiff. On a free? It would be a no-brainer.
No player is perfect, of course, and I’d rather he didn’t go to ground too easily, particularly as my perception is that I think referees have gotten wise to it, though I can present no hard evidence for it.
It’s rarely the best barometer, but the court of public opinion – a.k.a social media – points to a lack of pace, even though he’s never had any to lose, and chances missed in a two-season Championship haul of 14 and 11 goals respectively.
I’d contest that it’s premature to point at a player in so-called decline. Every striker misses chances, but it was unrealistic to expect he’d be topping the 20-goal mark in his last two seasons.
He went from playing in a marauding side, that swept all before them in the lower leagues, to suddenly playing in a side that was Championship relegation fodder until just before the coronavirus pandemic struck last year. It’s a tough comparison to make, considering he, like so many of his Hatters team-mates, had never played in the second tier.
And there was no question that under the previous manager he was frequently and infuriatingly played in positions where he poaching prowess was diluted.
And, even when Nathan Jones came back for a second spell as manager, pragmatism was the necessary order of the day to preserve Town’s Championship status.
Even this season, Luton’s remarkable establishment as a mid-table second-tier side has been built from the back. The whole team found goals in scarce supply, drawing a blank 18 times, while Collins twice went on nine-game barren spells.
Another accusation has been that Collins’ tally last term was beefed up by penalties, but he still finished as top scorer. That’s despite losing his place as a regular starter to the impressive newcomer Elijah Adebayo for the final third of the campaign.
There’s every hope that the January signing from Walsall would fill a void left by Collins’ departure, should it happen, such has been his impact, but he will still have some hefty goalscoring boots to fill.
A rudimentary calculation shows that he’s not far off, after bagging a Luton goal, on average, every 3.6 games last term, compared to Collins finding the net every 3.38 matches. But Collins has done it his whole career and Adebayo is a raw talent at the start of his journey.
Commendably and evidently, Town seem to have a magic touch when it comes to uncovering striking talents, though the loss of 13 league goals from a side that doesn’t score bucket loads would still a concern.
But the changing of the guard – once Adebayo netted on his full debut against Millwall and then followed that up by bagging the winner in that two-goal turnaround against Sheffield Wednesday – has increasingly looked like the beginning of the end for Collins.
He’s such a competitor that playing second fiddle won’t sit well with him. Indeed, the last time I spoke with him, after the Watford game, he admitted that his new place on the subs bench was difficult to take. I’ve no doubt that will be a chief reason if Collins moves on.
But it can’t be ignored that at 30 years old and with Luton’s salary cap of around £6,000 a week, moving represents perhaps his last chance of one big contract. And who could begrudge him that in any scenario, but particularly if his destiny as a first-team starter at Luton would be far from guaranteed? Not me.
I’d rather he stayed, but either way, surely there’s no question that his place as a Luton legend is assured?
I think anyone who contributed so much to 2 promotions can be safe in their status. But people also tread a tightrope on when to leave clubs. Hindsight is a wonderful thing! Mike Newell should have gone the summer after our first season in the championship. Nathan should have waited a few more months to get that second promotion. Ricky Hill was held back arguably too long for him (and then rejoined at a bad time). Scott Oakes might have never got his injury if he’d stayed another year. Steve Howard went at just the right time.
Finding that sweet spot and going just at the right time is really difficult. But I’d say Collo has probably earned the right for a bigger wage. Same with Sonny Bradley. They’re at that age where this next contract might be their last big payday. Pearson I’d worry for a bit but if he doesn’t go and ends up as a sub, what will that do for him? He’s a big player here. I just hope that given his age he doesn’t waste his prime on someone else’s bench.
Collo’s main problem is a one syllable first name. If he’d called himself Jimmy he’d have a chant! His name just doesn’t track as well in chant form. But he’s also more of a pragmatist. In many ways he’s in Big Mick and Steve Howard’s mould. But he’s not quite as bruising as them. He’s more skilful, but not tricky enough to have him in the Danny Hylton mould. He’s a better all round player without having one really excellent skill. That’s been our benefit and perhaps his slight downfall.
But legend – absolutely! Whatever he decides to do this summer.
Juat two or three things I’d add to the original opinion and Jim’s comment – apart from the fact that I agree wholeheartedly with both.
Anyone who can step up, ice-cool, from the bench and hammer a penalty past the Watford keeper, winning perhaps the most important game of the season for us, deserves legendary status almost for that feat alone.
Add to that JC’s contribution overall since joining us from Crawley, and you have someone who’s played a major part in getting us back where we belong.
And, lastly, at thirty, James Collins now has to do what’s best for him and his family. Let’s hope, however, if he goes to Cardiff or wherever, he doesn’t come back to score against us – particularly from the penalty spot!
Yes, James Collins is a legend!