Coasters' Collins keen to make up for lost time

Collins struggled for a regular spot in the team last season due to the form of Josh Langley and Tom Hannigan.

“I want to right a few wrongs of last season,” admitted Collins. “I was a bit disappointed with how I performed on occasions and I probably wasn’t as fit as I could have been.

“I felt like I had a half decent start to the season but it’s difficult to come into the team when you aren’t playing on a regular basis, especially when you are only training part-time. It’s difficult to make an impact.

“Now we are full-time it’s easier to keep up fitness even when you aren’t involved in the team.

“Training day in, day out is going to set us in really good stead for the new season and it has been great start so far. Everyone looks fit and fresh after the break.”

Hannigan departed the club this summer and Collins is relishing the chance to battle it out with the current crop of defenders for a place in manager Dave Challinor’s plans.

He said: “I want to have more involvement this season but at the end of the day that’s up to me. I spoke to the manager and he told me that the team isn’t picked yet so it’s up to us as individuals to stake a claim for a shirt.

“There is always going to be competition and I can also play full-back so that’s another option. The new lad Steve (Williams) has come in and he looks very sharp and we also have Josh (Langley) so it’s going to be tough.

“But at the same time we can all help each other and push each other.”

The former Chester defender also believes that the switch to full-time football is a massive positive for the club.

“The transition to full-time is a big decision but it will make a massive difference to the lads that were just training part-time last year,” he said.

“I spoke to the manager during the summer and I told him I’d love to give it a go. Personally I have always played my best football when it has been on a full-time basis.

“It can only benefit us as a club and as players to be training regularly. We have a lot of younger players and we are all still learning so this will give us a huge advantage. We can work on things that in the past we might not have been able to.”

DANIEL AGNEW