As I'm all left sided (both in hand and foot), I usually got shoved into the LB or LWB position, which I wasn't keen on. So at the risk of constantly getting told off, I'd try and bomb forward a bit more.
I play in goal because I'm slower than Jon Russell with Mael De Gevigney on his back. Although I'm built like a bean pole.
This can't be right. So many experts on here telling Collins where he's going wrong, what formations he should employ, etc. Surely they've played at a decent level...?
I played a few games for Barnsley boys from 10-12 when I was in the school of excellence. Signed back for Barnsley between 16-18 and was captain of the Sunday Team (which was the shadow squad to the Northern Intermediate team at the time). I played up front with Luke Beckett and I scored 20 odd goals and he got about 10. He got a contract and I got moved on. (TBF he was better than me and was a better all round player). I then went to play for some of the top teams in the Barnsley league (West Green when we won it and the Sheffield Cup) before going to play Semi Pro in the Victorian Premier League in Australia. When I came back I was about to sign for Frickley but Stewart Barraclough got sacked and it didn’t happen. After that I just played with my mates for A bit on and off, along with Full House and Carl Airey, my bother Mark and a load of the West Green team from a few years before. Finished off playing for Penistone Church in the top division of the Over 35s with Scott Jones.
A trial for Aston Villa as a 13 year old was the peak really - all decline after that. Although did play in the South Korean FA cup for a rag tag ex-pat team full of has-beens, alcoholics and futsal tricksters who could do everything but pass or shoot.
My claim to fame ,if indeed it is one, is that I played in all 5 divisions of the North Berks League. In my season in the Bristol Regional League, I scored against an international goalkeeper, Ronnie Briggs Manchester United, Bristol Rovers and Northern Ireland).
I was at Barnsley academy briefly and then for a longer stint at Sheffield United’s. Let go at 16 and never really fell back into love with playing after that. I pursued other interests and stuck to 5 a side with mates.