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Lee Collins (footballer, born 1988)

Lee Harvey Collins (28 September 1988 – 31 March 2021) was an English professional footballer who played as a defender. He was more comfortable as a centre-back, but could also play as a full-back. He scored eight goals in 470 league and cup appearances over the course of a 14-year professional career in the English Football League and National League.

Lee Collins
Collins with Northampton Town in 2014
Personal information
Full name Lee Harvey Collins[1]
Date of birth (1988-09-28)28 September 1988[2]
Place of birth Telford, England[3]
Date of death 31 March 2021(2021-03-31) (aged 32)[4]
Place of death West Coker, England[5]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
2004–2007 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 (0)
2007–2008Hereford United (loan) 16 (0)
2008Port Vale (loan) 22 (0)
2009–2012 Port Vale 120 (4)
2012Barnsley (loan) 7 (0)
2012–2013 Barnsley 0 (0)
2012Shrewsbury Town (loan) 8 (0)
2013–2015 Northampton Town 75 (1)
2015–2017 Mansfield Town 72 (0)
2017–2019 Forest Green Rovers 54 (3)
2019–2021 Yeovil Town 34 (0)
Total 408 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He graduated through the Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy to turn professional in February 2007. He spent much of the 2007–08 season on loan at Hereford United, helping the club to win promotion into League One. He joined Port Vale on loan at the start of the 2008–09 season, and his loan stay was made permanent in January 2009. He played 53 games for the club in 2009–10, and continued to be a key member of the defence in 2010–11. He joined Championship club Barnsley on loan in March 2012, with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. From Barnsley, he was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town in September 2012.

He moved back into League Two with Northampton Town in February 2013, and spent over two years with the club before moving on to Mansfield Town; he captained both Northampton and Mansfield. He signed with Forest Green Rovers in May 2017 and stayed with the club for two seasons before joining non-League Yeovil Town in June 2019. He served Yeovil as club captain until his death, at the age of 32, in March 2021.

Club career edit

Wolverhampton Wanderers edit

Born in Telford, Shropshire, Collins was promoted to Wolverhampton Wanderers' first-team squad for the first time in January 2007, signing his first professional forms the next month.[6] Though regularly on the bench, he never made a first-team appearance. However, he played regularly for the club at reserve level and with the under-18s, for whom he was captain.[7]

He joined Hereford United on 14 November 2007 on an initial month's loan,[8] and made his league debut on 17 November 2007 in a 3–2 win at Stockport County. After impressing, his loan was extended to the end of the season,[9][10] during which Hereford won promotion to League One.[11]

Port Vale edit

 
Collins at Vale Park in a 1–0 September 2010 victory over Aldershot Town

Collins went on loan to League Two side Port Vale at the start of the 2008–09 season,[12] and became a first-team regular. Vale then signed him on a 2+12-year deal on 16 January 2009 after "Wolves" agreed to release him from the rest of his deal at Molineux.[13][14] He gained his first senior goal in a 1–1 home draw with Wycombe Wanderers on 25 April 2009.[15] With 42 appearances to his name in his first season with the club, he was described as the most consistent performer of the season.[16]

He remained in the first-team for the start of the 2009–10 campaign. He was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after manager Micky Adams saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat.[17] Despite this he remained a key member of the defence, alongside Gareth Owen and John McCombe. Playing regular football helped Collins realize that he needed to 'bulk out' to become a more physically dominant player.[18] His solid performances attracted attention, as well as March 2010 rumours of a £200,000 move to Watford.[19] Rumours that Collins rubbished as "paper talk".[20] A candidate for Player of the Year, he instead picked up Chairman's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards, as well as the award for best assist "following his storming run from inside his own half to set up Marc Richards against Hereford at Vale Park".[21] Collins was keen to extend his contract beyond its conclusion in the summer of 2011.[22]

He got the perfect start to the 2010–11 season by blasting in the only goal of the opening game of the season at Bury.[23] Anticipating interest from other clubs, in September Adams began negotiations to extend his contract by a further season.[24] Upon signing the deal Collins praised current and former training staff at the club, naming Dean Glover, Lee Sinnott, Mark Grew, Geoff Horsfield, and Micky Adams as people who helped his progress 'massively'.[25] His consistency over his 48 appearances helped Vale to boast one of the strongest defensive records in the division that season.

He missed a few weeks at the start of the 2011–12 season after undergoing a small operation to repair a hernia-related problem.[26] He was then sidelined for a further five weeks after he had to undergo surgery on an unrelated groin injury.[27] Vale conceded eighteen goals in the twelve games that Collins missed,[28] before keeping a clean sheet on his return to the first-team on 12 November, a goalless draw with Grimsby Town in the FA Cup.[29] He again was sidelined in January, as he picked up an ankle injury.[30] In total he made 162 appearances for Vale, scoring four goals.[31] Collins was named as Port Vale's best left-back of the 2010s in a public poll taken in January 2020 by The Sentinel; he received 50% of the vote, ahead of Carl Dickinson (40%).[32]

Barnsley edit

On 15 March 2012, Collins joined Barnsley on loan for the remainder of the season, with the move becoming permanent at the end of the season.[33] Port Vale received £50,000 for the loan deal.[34] He arrived at Oakwell in the midst of an injury crisis in the Barnsley defence.[35] He impressed manager Keith Hill in his seven appearances in 2011–12, particularly in the game against Blackpool.[36]

Despite injuries to other "Tykes" defenders, he did not feature in the first-team at the start of the 2012–13 season.[37] On 28 September 2012, Collins joined League One side Shrewsbury Town on a month-long loan deal.[38] "Shrews" boss Graham Turner, his former manager at Hereford, said that he would provide valuable defensive experience and cover following an injury to Joe Jacobson.[38] Collins made eight appearances before he had his loan deal extended by one month.[39] On 29 November, his loan was cut short and he returned to his parent club.[40] Having never taken to the field for Barnsley in the 2012–13 season, he was released from his contract on 31 January 2013 by manager David Flitcroft.[41]

Northampton Town edit

 
Collins playing for Northampton Town in 2013

He joined Northampton Town until the end of the 2012–13 season in February 2013.[42] Manager Aidy Boothroyd signed him to provide competition in the "Cobblers" defence, particularly to left-back Joe Widdowson.[42] On 20 April, he scored an own goal at Vale Park which effectively promoted his former club, Port Vale, back into League One.[43] He was allowed to participate in the play-offs , despite being subject to a curfew order.[44] He played 55 minutes of the play-off final defeat to Bradford City.[45] He signed a new two-year contract in May 2013.[46]

He played 25 games during the 2013–14 campaign as Northampton avoided relegation out of the English Football League by a three-point margin, though he played only twice under new manager Chris Wilder after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot tendon injury in February.[47] During the season, he was appointed club captain.[48] He made 43 appearances in the 2014–15 campaign but was not offered a new contract in the summer as Wilder opted to use Zander Diamond and Ryan Cresswell as his new centre-back partnership.[49]

Mansfield Town edit

Collins joined League Two club Mansfield Town in June 2015, with "Stags" manager Adam Murray praising his ability and experience, saying that "to bring Lee in to the building is a big one for us".[50] He made 38 appearances across the 2015–16 campaign after recovering from a foot injury picked up in pre-season.[51] He was appointed club captain in January and went on to sign a new contract in the summer.[52] He was released by Mansfield at the end of the 2016–17 season, having made 44 appearances to help Mansfield to a 12th-place finish.[53]

Forest Green Rovers edit

In May 2017, Collins joined Forest Green Rovers on a two-year contract to become the club's first signing following their promotion from the National League into the English Football League.[54] He scored two goals in 48 appearances over the 2017–18 campaign to help the Green to a 21st-place finish. He missed much of the 2018–19 season with a long-term injury, but returned to fitness in time to feature in both legs of the play-off semi-final defeat to Tranmere Rovers.[55] He was released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of the 2018–19 season.[56]

Yeovil Town edit

"He wore his heart on his sleeve on the pitch and was known for his leadership, he was the epitome of a captain, he did everything he could in that 90 minutes to win the three points."

— BBC Radio Somerset's Yeovil Town commentator Sheridan Robins.[57]

On 26 June 2019, Collins signed a two-year contract with newly relegated National League side Yeovil Town; manager Darren Sarll said that "Lee is a winner and his experience and leadership will make him a big part of this squad".[58] He made 31 appearances for the "Glovers" in the 2019–20 season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Yeovil in fourth-place.[59] Yeovil entered the play-offs at the quarter-final stage, where they were beaten 2–0 by Barnet.[60] His last appearance for Yeovil was on 6 February 2021 against Stockport County where he was shown a straight red card for a late tackle,[61] although he was an unused substitute in a match a week before his death.[7]

International career edit

Collins was called up to the England under-19s, but did not earn a cap. Despite this he did not rule out one day playing for the Republic of Ireland, who he qualified for through his Irish father.[62]

Style of play edit

Collins could play anywhere in defence, though preferred to play at centre-back.[63] Port Vale manager Micky Adams claimed that Collins always gave his all in training, and was a "remarkable athlete... [in] terms of fitness."[64] In February 2010, teammate Marc Richards said that "he reads the game well, he's fast, he's strong...[and has] strength and pace, and he's got vision as well."[64]

Personal life edit

Collins attended Thomas Telford School as a youth, alongside fellow professionals such as Elliott Bennett and Danny Guthrie. Also attending the school was future Port Vale teammate Sam Morsy. Collins and his partner had three daughters, born in 2010, 2016 and 2017.[65]

Collins was convicted of assault in April 2013 after punching and kicking a man at a pub in Wellington, Shropshire the previous year. He was given a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years, 150 hours of unpaid work, 12 weeks of curfew and a fine of £2,500.[66][67]

Death edit

On 31 March 2021, Collins was found dead in his room in the Lanes Hotel at West Coker at the age of 32 in an apparent suicide by hanging.[68] His death was announced on the Yeovil website the following day.[4] Yeovil's next scheduled game, against Altrincham on 2 April, was postponed as a mark of respect.[7] Two further games, against Aldershot Town on 10 April[69] and Maidenhead United on 13 April, were also postponed.[70] Port Vale supporters raised £2,450 for the family of Collins.[71]

In April 2021, an inquest into Collins' death was opened and adjourned to July 2021.[72] At the inquest the coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.[73] It was heard during the inquest that Collins had been drinking heavily every day for the past decade, and had been under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of his suicide.[73] He had also been dealing with gambling addiction, injuries, and a breakup with his partner.[73]

Career statistics edit

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2007–08[74] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2008–09[75] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hereford United (loan) 2007–08[74] League Two 16 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 20 0
Port Vale 2008–09[75] League Two 39 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 42 1
2009–10[76] League Two 45 1 3 0 3 0 2[a] 0 53 1
2010–11[77] League Two 42 2 2 0 2 0 2[a] 0 48 2
2011–12[78] League Two 16 0 2 0 1 0 1[a] 0 20 0
Total 142 4 9 0 7 0 5 0 163 4
Barnsley 2011–12[78] Championship 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
2012–13[79] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2012–13[79] League One 8 0 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 10 0
Northampton Town 2012–13[79] League Two 15 0 0 0 0 0 3[b] 0 18 0
2013–14[80] League Two 22 1 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 25 1
2014–15[81] League Two 38 0 1 0 2 0 2[a] 0 43 0
Total 75 1 2 0 3 0 6 0 86 1
Mansfield Town 2015–16[82] League Two 35 0 2 0 0 0 1[a] 0 38 0
2016–17[83] League Two 37 0 1 0 1 0 5[a] 0 44 0
Total 72 0 3 0 1 0 6 0 82 0
Forest Green Rovers 2017–18[84] League Two 43 2 3 0 1 0 1[a] 0 48 2
2018–19[85] League Two 11 1 0 0 1 0 4[c] 0 16 1
Total 54 3 3 0 2 0 5 0 64 3
Yeovil Town 2019–20[86] National League 27 0 2 0 3[d] 0 32 0
2020–21[86] National League 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 34 0 2 0 3 0 39 0
Career total 408 8 24 0 13 0 25 0 470 8
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy.
  2. ^ Appearance/s in the play-offs.
  3. ^ 2 appearances in the EFL Trophy and 2 appearances in the play-offs.
  4. ^ Two appearances in FA Trophy, one appearance in National League play-offs

Honours edit

Hereford United

References edit

  1. ^ "Lee Collins". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b . port-vale.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  3. ^ Lee Collins at Soccerbase
  4. ^ a b . www.ytfc.net. Archived from the original on 2 April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  5. ^ Whaling, James (1 April 2021). "Police issue statement following sudden death of Yeovil captain Lee Collins, 32". mirror.
  6. ^ "Academy stars rewarded by Wolves". BBC Sport. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
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  13. ^ "Breaking news: Brammer and Collins sign". The Sentinel. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.[permanent dead link]
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  19. ^ "transfer rumours: Wayne Rooney to Real Madrid?". The Guardian. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
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  21. ^ Owen, Jon (12 May 2010). "Port Vale: Griffith takes home top accolade". The Sentinel. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  22. ^ Shaw, Steve (21 May 2010). "Port Vale: Collins keen to extend Vale stay". The Sentinel. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  23. ^ Shaw, Steve (7 August 2010). "Match report: Bury 0 Port Vale 1". The Sentinel. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  24. ^ Shaw, Steve (16 September 2010). "Port Vale: Micky Adams set to open talks on new Collins deal". The Sentinel. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
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  27. ^ . port-vale.co.uk. 1 October 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  28. ^ "Lee Collins injury return boosts Port Vale - Mark Grew". BBC Sport. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  29. ^ "Port Vale 0 - 0 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  30. ^ Questier, Joe (13 January 2012). . port-vale.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  31. ^ "Reds set to raid cash-strapped Vale for Collins". Barnsley Chronicle. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  32. ^ Baggaley, Michael (7 January 2020). "Results revealed as Port Vale fans vote for left back in Team of The Decade". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  33. ^ "Barnsley complete signing of Lee Collins from Port Vale". BBC Sport. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  34. ^ "Port Vale: Vale to pocket £50,000 for loanee Lee Collins". The Sentinel. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  35. ^ Goulding, Neil (15 March 2012). "Collins just the man says Hill". The Star. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  36. ^ "Collins Completes Reds Switch". barnsleyfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  37. ^ "Barnsley's Lee Collins joins Shrewsbury Town on loan". BBC Sport. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  38. ^ a b "Defender Joins on Loan". shrewsburytown.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  39. ^ "Shrewsbury Town extend Lee Collins loan from Barnsley". BBC Sport. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  40. ^ "Shrewsbury Town end Lee Collins and Julian Bennett loan deals". BBC Sport. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  41. ^ "Barnsley sign Rory Delap and Chris O'Grady as Mido leaves". BBC Sport. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  42. ^ a b "Lee Collins: Northampton sign defender on free transfer". BBC Sport. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  43. ^ "Port Vale 2 - 2 Northampton". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  44. ^ "Northampton Town hope Lee Collins can play despite curfew". BBC Sport. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  45. ^ "Bradford 3 - 0 Northampton". BBC Sport. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  46. ^ Bazeley, Marc (24 May 2013). "Aidy Boothroyd hopes Lee Collins can help Northampton Town to promotion". Herald and Post. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  47. ^ "Lee Collins: Northampton Town skipper out for rest of season". BBC Sport. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  48. ^ Lake, Jefferson (10 February 2014). . Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  49. ^ Thomas, Ciaran (5 May 2015). . Northants Herald and Post. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  50. ^ "Lee Collins: Mansfield Town sign Northampton Town defender". BBC Sport. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  51. ^ Lomas, John (25 September 2015). . Chad. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  52. ^ "Lee Collins, Krystian Pearce & Mal Benning sign Mansfield Town deals". BBC Sport. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  53. ^ "Matt Green: Mansfield striker among 11 released by Stags". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  54. ^ "Lee Collins: Forest Green Rovers sign Mansfield Town defender on free transfer". BBC Sport. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  55. ^ Port, Henry (23 April 2019). "The clever Forest Green tactic that worked in vital victory". gloucestershirelive. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  56. ^ "Forest Green Rovers retained list: Reuben Reid transfer-listed as eight are released". BBC Sport. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  57. ^ "Yeovil captain Collins dies aged 32". BBC Sport. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  58. ^ Evans, Daniel (26 June 2019). "Forest Green Rovers defender is Yeovil Town's third Summer signing". somersetlive. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  59. ^ "National League clubs vote to end regular season immediately". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  60. ^ "Yeovil Town 0-2 Barnet: Bees reach National League semi-finals". BBC Sport. 18 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  61. ^ "Stockport County 1–0 Yeovil Town". BBC Sport. 6 February 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  62. ^ "Vale was the right move for new recruit Collins". The Sentinel. 31 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  63. ^ "Hill: Collins has the "right ingredients" to be a success"". barnsleyfc.co.uk. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.[permanent dead link]
  64. ^ a b Shaw, Steve (2 February 2010). "Port Vale: Richards predicts big things for team-mate Collins". The Sentinel. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  65. ^ Shaw, Steve (29 January 2011). "Port Vale: Collins hopes greater responsibilities will benefit club". The Sentinel. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  66. ^ "Ex-Shrewsbury Town player Lee Collins spared jail term over pub attack". Shropshire Star. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  67. ^ "Pub fight footballer Lee Collins gets suspended prison sentence". BBC Sport. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  68. ^ Doel, Jon (7 April 2021). "Footballer Lee Collins found dead in hotel room, inquest hears". WalesOnline. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  69. ^ "Lee Collins death: Yeovil Town's game with Aldershot called off". BBC Sport. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  70. ^ . Yeovil Town FC. 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  71. ^ Baggaley, Michael (27 May 2021). "Praise for Port Vale fans as they support Lee Collins' family". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  72. ^ "Lee Collins: Yeovil Town captain 'found dead in hotel room'". BBC News. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  73. ^ a b c "Yeovil Town captain's death was suicide, records coroner". BBC Sport. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  74. ^ a b "Games played by Lee Collins in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  75. ^ a b "Games played by Lee Collins in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  76. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  77. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  78. ^ a b "Games played by Lee Collins in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  79. ^ a b c "Games played by Lee Collins in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  80. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  81. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  82. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  83. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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  85. ^ "Games played by Lee Collins in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  86. ^ a b Lee Collins at Soccerway

External links edit

  •   Media related to Lee Collins (footballer born 1988) at Wikimedia Commons

collins, footballer, born, 1988, other, people, named, collins, collins, disambiguation, harvey, collins, september, 1988, march, 2021, english, professional, footballer, played, defender, more, comfortable, centre, back, could, also, play, full, back, scored,. For other people named Lee Collins see Lee Collins disambiguation Lee Harvey Collins 28 September 1988 31 March 2021 was an English professional footballer who played as a defender He was more comfortable as a centre back but could also play as a full back He scored eight goals in 470 league and cup appearances over the course of a 14 year professional career in the English Football League and National League Lee CollinsCollins with Northampton Town in 2014Personal informationFull nameLee Harvey Collins 1 Date of birth 1988 09 28 28 September 1988 2 Place of birthTelford England 3 Date of death31 March 2021 2021 03 31 aged 32 4 Place of deathWest Coker England 5 Height5 ft 11 in 1 80 m 2 Position s DefenderYouth career2004 2007Wolverhampton WanderersSenior career YearsTeamApps Gls 2007 2009Wolverhampton Wanderers0 0 2007 2008 Hereford United loan 16 0 2008 Port Vale loan 22 0 2009 2012Port Vale120 4 2012 Barnsley loan 7 0 2012 2013Barnsley0 0 2012 Shrewsbury Town loan 8 0 2013 2015Northampton Town75 1 2015 2017Mansfield Town72 0 2017 2019Forest Green Rovers54 3 2019 2021Yeovil Town34 0 Total408 8 Club domestic league appearances and goals He graduated through the Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy to turn professional in February 2007 He spent much of the 2007 08 season on loan at Hereford United helping the club to win promotion into League One He joined Port Vale on loan at the start of the 2008 09 season and his loan stay was made permanent in January 2009 He played 53 games for the club in 2009 10 and continued to be a key member of the defence in 2010 11 He joined Championship club Barnsley on loan in March 2012 with a view to a permanent deal in the summer From Barnsley he was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town in September 2012 He moved back into League Two with Northampton Town in February 2013 and spent over two years with the club before moving on to Mansfield Town he captained both Northampton and Mansfield He signed with Forest Green Rovers in May 2017 and stayed with the club for two seasons before joining non League Yeovil Town in June 2019 He served Yeovil as club captain until his death at the age of 32 in March 2021 Contents 1 Club career 1 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 2 Port Vale 1 3 Barnsley 1 4 Northampton Town 1 5 Mansfield Town 1 6 Forest Green Rovers 1 7 Yeovil Town 2 International career 3 Style of play 4 Personal life 5 Death 6 Career statistics 7 Honours 8 References 9 External linksClub career editWolverhampton Wanderers edit Born in Telford Shropshire Collins was promoted to Wolverhampton Wanderers first team squad for the first time in January 2007 signing his first professional forms the next month 6 Though regularly on the bench he never made a first team appearance However he played regularly for the club at reserve level and with the under 18s for whom he was captain 7 He joined Hereford United on 14 November 2007 on an initial month s loan 8 and made his league debut on 17 November 2007 in a 3 2 win at Stockport County After impressing his loan was extended to the end of the season 9 10 during which Hereford won promotion to League One 11 Port Vale edit nbsp Collins at Vale Park in a 1 0 September 2010 victory over Aldershot Town Collins went on loan to League Two side Port Vale at the start of the 2008 09 season 12 and became a first team regular Vale then signed him on a 2 1 2 year deal on 16 January 2009 after Wolves agreed to release him from the rest of his deal at Molineux 13 14 He gained his first senior goal in a 1 1 home draw with Wycombe Wanderers on 25 April 2009 15 With 42 appearances to his name in his first season with the club he was described as the most consistent performer of the season 16 He remained in the first team for the start of the 2009 10 campaign He was transfer listed in late September along with the entire Port Vale squad after manager Micky Adams saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat 17 Despite this he remained a key member of the defence alongside Gareth Owen and John McCombe Playing regular football helped Collins realize that he needed to bulk out to become a more physically dominant player 18 His solid performances attracted attention as well as March 2010 rumours of a 200 000 move to Watford 19 Rumours that Collins rubbished as paper talk 20 A candidate for Player of the Year he instead picked up Chairman s Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year awards as well as the award for best assist following his storming run from inside his own half to set up Marc Richards against Hereford at Vale Park 21 Collins was keen to extend his contract beyond its conclusion in the summer of 2011 22 He got the perfect start to the 2010 11 season by blasting in the only goal of the opening game of the season at Bury 23 Anticipating interest from other clubs in September Adams began negotiations to extend his contract by a further season 24 Upon signing the deal Collins praised current and former training staff at the club naming Dean Glover Lee Sinnott Mark Grew Geoff Horsfield and Micky Adams as people who helped his progress massively 25 His consistency over his 48 appearances helped Vale to boast one of the strongest defensive records in the division that season He missed a few weeks at the start of the 2011 12 season after undergoing a small operation to repair a hernia related problem 26 He was then sidelined for a further five weeks after he had to undergo surgery on an unrelated groin injury 27 Vale conceded eighteen goals in the twelve games that Collins missed 28 before keeping a clean sheet on his return to the first team on 12 November a goalless draw with Grimsby Town in the FA Cup 29 He again was sidelined in January as he picked up an ankle injury 30 In total he made 162 appearances for Vale scoring four goals 31 Collins was named as Port Vale s best left back of the 2010s in a public poll taken in January 2020 by The Sentinel he received 50 of the vote ahead of Carl Dickinson 40 32 Barnsley edit On 15 March 2012 Collins joined Barnsley on loan for the remainder of the season with the move becoming permanent at the end of the season 33 Port Vale received 50 000 for the loan deal 34 He arrived at Oakwell in the midst of an injury crisis in the Barnsley defence 35 He impressed manager Keith Hill in his seven appearances in 2011 12 particularly in the game against Blackpool 36 Despite injuries to other Tykes defenders he did not feature in the first team at the start of the 2012 13 season 37 On 28 September 2012 Collins joined League One side Shrewsbury Town on a month long loan deal 38 Shrews boss Graham Turner his former manager at Hereford said that he would provide valuable defensive experience and cover following an injury to Joe Jacobson 38 Collins made eight appearances before he had his loan deal extended by one month 39 On 29 November his loan was cut short and he returned to his parent club 40 Having never taken to the field for Barnsley in the 2012 13 season he was released from his contract on 31 January 2013 by manager David Flitcroft 41 Northampton Town edit nbsp Collins playing for Northampton Town in 2013 He joined Northampton Town until the end of the 2012 13 season in February 2013 42 Manager Aidy Boothroyd signed him to provide competition in the Cobblers defence particularly to left back Joe Widdowson 42 On 20 April he scored an own goal at Vale Park which effectively promoted his former club Port Vale back into League One 43 He was allowed to participate in the play offs despite being subject to a curfew order 44 He played 55 minutes of the play off final defeat to Bradford City 45 He signed a new two year contract in May 2013 46 He played 25 games during the 2013 14 campaign as Northampton avoided relegation out of the English Football League by a three point margin though he played only twice under new manager Chris Wilder after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot tendon injury in February 47 During the season he was appointed club captain 48 He made 43 appearances in the 2014 15 campaign but was not offered a new contract in the summer as Wilder opted to use Zander Diamond and Ryan Cresswell as his new centre back partnership 49 Mansfield Town edit Collins joined League Two club Mansfield Town in June 2015 with Stags manager Adam Murray praising his ability and experience saying that to bring Lee in to the building is a big one for us 50 He made 38 appearances across the 2015 16 campaign after recovering from a foot injury picked up in pre season 51 He was appointed club captain in January and went on to sign a new contract in the summer 52 He was released by Mansfield at the end of the 2016 17 season having made 44 appearances to help Mansfield to a 12th place finish 53 Forest Green Rovers edit In May 2017 Collins joined Forest Green Rovers on a two year contract to become the club s first signing following their promotion from the National League into the English Football League 54 He scored two goals in 48 appearances over the 2017 18 campaign to help the Green to a 21st place finish He missed much of the 2018 19 season with a long term injury but returned to fitness in time to feature in both legs of the play off semi final defeat to Tranmere Rovers 55 He was released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of the 2018 19 season 56 Yeovil Town edit He wore his heart on his sleeve on the pitch and was known for his leadership he was the epitome of a captain he did everything he could in that 90 minutes to win the three points BBC Radio Somerset s Yeovil Town commentator Sheridan Robins 57 On 26 June 2019 Collins signed a two year contract with newly relegated National League side Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll said that Lee is a winner and his experience and leadership will make him a big part of this squad 58 He made 31 appearances for the Glovers in the 2019 20 season which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID 19 pandemic in England with Yeovil in fourth place 59 Yeovil entered the play offs at the quarter final stage where they were beaten 2 0 by Barnet 60 His last appearance for Yeovil was on 6 February 2021 against Stockport County where he was shown a straight red card for a late tackle 61 although he was an unused substitute in a match a week before his death 7 International career editCollins was called up to the England under 19s but did not earn a cap Despite this he did not rule out one day playing for the Republic of Ireland who he qualified for through his Irish father 62 Style of play editCollins could play anywhere in defence though preferred to play at centre back 63 Port Vale manager Micky Adams claimed that Collins always gave his all in training and was a remarkable athlete in terms of fitness 64 In February 2010 teammate Marc Richards said that he reads the game well he s fast he s strong and has strength and pace and he s got vision as well 64 Personal life editCollins attended Thomas Telford School as a youth alongside fellow professionals such as Elliott Bennett and Danny Guthrie Also attending the school was future Port Vale teammate Sam Morsy Collins and his partner had three daughters born in 2010 2016 and 2017 65 Collins was convicted of assault in April 2013 after punching and kicking a man at a pub in Wellington Shropshire the previous year He was given a one year prison sentence suspended for two years 150 hours of unpaid work 12 weeks of curfew and a fine of 2 500 66 67 Death editOn 31 March 2021 Collins was found dead in his room in the Lanes Hotel at West Coker at the age of 32 in an apparent suicide by hanging 68 His death was announced on the Yeovil website the following day 4 Yeovil s next scheduled game against Altrincham on 2 April was postponed as a mark of respect 7 Two further games against Aldershot Town on 10 April 69 and Maidenhead United on 13 April were also postponed 70 Port Vale supporters raised 2 450 for the family of Collins 71 In April 2021 an inquest into Collins death was opened and adjourned to July 2021 72 At the inquest the coroner recorded a verdict of suicide 73 It was heard during the inquest that Collins had been drinking heavily every day for the past decade and had been under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of his suicide 73 He had also been dealing with gambling addiction injuries and a breakup with his partner 73 Career statistics editAppearances and goals by club season and competition Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Wolverhampton Wanderers 2007 08 74 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2008 09 75 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hereford United loan 2007 08 74 League Two 16 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 20 0 Port Vale 2008 09 75 League Two 39 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 42 1 2009 10 76 League Two 45 1 3 0 3 0 2 a 0 53 1 2010 11 77 League Two 42 2 2 0 2 0 2 a 0 48 2 2011 12 78 League Two 16 0 2 0 1 0 1 a 0 20 0 Total 142 4 9 0 7 0 5 0 163 4 Barnsley 2011 12 78 Championship 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 2012 13 79 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 Shrewsbury Town loan 2012 13 79 League One 8 0 1 0 0 0 1 a 0 10 0 Northampton Town 2012 13 79 League Two 15 0 0 0 0 0 3 b 0 18 0 2013 14 80 League Two 22 1 1 0 1 0 1 a 0 25 1 2014 15 81 League Two 38 0 1 0 2 0 2 a 0 43 0 Total 75 1 2 0 3 0 6 0 86 1 Mansfield Town 2015 16 82 League Two 35 0 2 0 0 0 1 a 0 38 0 2016 17 83 League Two 37 0 1 0 1 0 5 a 0 44 0 Total 72 0 3 0 1 0 6 0 82 0 Forest Green Rovers 2017 18 84 League Two 43 2 3 0 1 0 1 a 0 48 2 2018 19 85 League Two 11 1 0 0 1 0 4 c 0 16 1 Total 54 3 3 0 2 0 5 0 64 3 Yeovil Town 2019 20 86 National League 27 0 2 0 3 d 0 32 0 2020 21 86 National League 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 Total 34 0 2 0 3 0 39 0 Career total 408 8 24 0 13 0 25 0 470 8 a b c d e f g h i Appearance s in the EFL Trophy Appearance s in the play offs 2 appearances in the EFL Trophy and 2 appearances in the play offs Two appearances in FA Trophy one appearance in National League play offsHonours editHereford United League Two third place promotion 2007 08References edit Lee Collins Barry Hugman s Footballers Retrieved 9 March 2017 a b Name Lee Collins port vale co uk Archived from the original on 2 September 2011 Retrieved 13 September 2011 Lee Collins at Soccerbase a b Rest in peace Lee Collins www ytfc net Archived from the original on 2 April 2021 Retrieved 1 April 2021 Whaling James 1 April 2021 Police issue statement following sudden death of Yeovil captain Lee Collins 32 mirror Academy stars rewarded by Wolves BBC Sport 27 February 2007 Retrieved 7 June 2009 a b c Lee Collins Yeovil Town captain dies aged 32 BBC Sport 1 April 2021 Retrieved 1 April 2021 Hereford recruit Wolves defender BBC Sport 14 November 2007 Retrieved 7 June 2009 Collins extends stay at Hereford BBC Sport 23 January 2008 Retrieved 7 June 2009 Collins enjoying Bulls loan spell BBC Sport 7 February 2008 Retrieved 7 June 2009 League Two 2007 08 Sky Sports Retrieved 1 April 2021 Collins makes Valiants loan move BBC Sport 31 July 2008 Retrieved 7 June 2009 Breaking news Brammer and Collins sign The Sentinel 16 January 2009 Retrieved 16 January 2009 permanent dead link Collins and Brammer sign for Vale BBC Sport 16 January 2009 Retrieved 7 June 2009 Shaw Steve 25 April 2009 Match Report Port Vale 1 Wycombe 1 The Sentinel Retrieved 25 April 2009 Port Vale Match stats The Sentinel 4 May 2009 Retrieved 4 May 2009 Adams puts Vale squad up for sale BBC Sport 27 September 2009 Retrieved 27 September 2009 Port Vale defender Lee Collins wants to bulk out BBC Sport 10 December 2009 Retrieved 10 December 2009 transfer rumours Wayne Rooney to Real Madrid The Guardian 12 March 2010 Retrieved 13 March 2010 Port Vale Collins shrugs off transfer talk The Sentinel 20 March 2010 Retrieved 20 March 2010 Owen Jon 12 May 2010 Port Vale Griffith takes home top accolade The Sentinel Retrieved 12 May 2010 Shaw Steve 21 May 2010 Port Vale Collins keen to extend Vale stay The Sentinel Retrieved 21 May 2010 Shaw Steve 7 August 2010 Match report Bury 0 Port Vale 1 The Sentinel Retrieved 7 August 2010 Shaw Steve 16 September 2010 Port Vale Micky Adams set to open talks on new Collins deal The Sentinel Retrieved 16 September 2010 Lee Collins and Stuart Tomlinson agree Port Vale deals BBC Sport 27 September 2010 Retrieved 30 May 2011 Operation for Collins port vale co uk 6 September 2011 Retrieved 7 September 2011 permanent dead link Collins to Have Operation port vale co uk 1 October 2011 Archived from the original on 3 October 2011 Retrieved 1 October 2011 Lee Collins injury return boosts Port Vale Mark Grew BBC Sport 8 November 2011 Retrieved 8 November 2011 Port Vale 0 0 Grimsby BBC Sport 12 November 2011 Retrieved 26 December 2011 Questier Joe 13 January 2012 Team News Vale v AFC Wimbledon port vale co uk Archived from the original on 24 January 2012 Retrieved 21 January 2012 Reds set to raid cash strapped Vale for Collins Barnsley Chronicle 14 March 2012 Retrieved 15 March 2012 Baggaley Michael 7 January 2020 Results revealed as Port Vale fans vote for left back in Team of The Decade Stoke Sentinel Retrieved 7 January 2020 Barnsley complete signing of Lee Collins from Port Vale BBC Sport 15 March 2012 Retrieved 15 March 2012 Port Vale Vale to pocket 50 000 for loanee Lee Collins The Sentinel 15 March 2012 Retrieved 15 March 2012 Goulding Neil 15 March 2012 Collins just the man says Hill The Star Retrieved 15 March 2012 Collins Completes Reds Switch barnsleyfc co uk Archived from the original on 20 July 2012 Retrieved 10 May 2012 Barnsley s Lee Collins joins Shrewsbury Town on loan BBC Sport 28 September 2012 Retrieved 28 September 2012 a b Defender Joins on Loan shrewsburytown com Retrieved 28 September 2012 Shrewsbury Town extend Lee Collins loan from Barnsley BBC Sport 30 October 2012 Retrieved 3 November 2012 Shrewsbury Town end Lee Collins and Julian Bennett loan deals BBC Sport 29 November 2012 Retrieved 29 November 2012 Barnsley sign Rory Delap and Chris O Grady as Mido leaves BBC Sport 31 January 2013 Retrieved 31 January 2013 a b Lee Collins Northampton sign defender on free transfer BBC Sport 8 February 2013 Retrieved 8 February 2013 Port Vale 2 2 Northampton BBC Sport 20 April 2013 Retrieved 21 April 2013 Northampton Town hope Lee Collins can play despite curfew BBC Sport 25 April 2013 Retrieved 25 April 2013 Bradford 3 0 Northampton BBC Sport 18 May 2013 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Bazeley Marc 24 May 2013 Aidy Boothroyd hopes Lee Collins can help Northampton Town to promotion Herald and Post Archived from the original on 24 June 2013 Retrieved 23 June 2013 Lee Collins Northampton Town skipper out for rest of season BBC Sport 20 February 2014 Retrieved 4 May 2014 Lake Jefferson 10 February 2014 Toe injury rules Cobblers captain Collins out of Torquay trip Northampton Chronicle amp Echo Archived from the original on 9 August 2014 Retrieved 5 August 2014 Thomas Ciaran 5 May 2015 Lee Collins release the toughest decision for Chris Wilder during player cull Northants Herald and Post Archived from the original on 18 May 2015 Retrieved 9 May 2015 Lee Collins Mansfield Town sign Northampton Town defender BBC Sport 8 June 2015 Retrieved 9 June 2015 Lomas John 25 September 2015 Big Mansfield Town chance at last for patient Lee Collins Chad Archived from the original on 23 June 2016 Retrieved 22 May 2016 Lee Collins Krystian Pearce amp Mal Benning sign Mansfield Town deals BBC Sport 18 May 2016 Retrieved 22 May 2016 Matt Green Mansfield striker among 11 released by Stags BBC Sport Retrieved 10 May 2017 Lee Collins Forest Green Rovers sign Mansfield Town defender on free transfer BBC Sport 18 May 2017 Retrieved 21 May 2017 Port Henry 23 April 2019 The clever Forest Green tactic that worked in vital victory gloucestershirelive Retrieved 14 May 2019 Forest Green Rovers retained list Reuben Reid transfer listed as eight are released BBC Sport 15 May 2019 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Yeovil captain Collins dies aged 32 BBC Sport 1 April 2021 Retrieved 1 April 2021 Evans Daniel 26 June 2019 Forest Green Rovers defender is Yeovil Town s third Summer signing somersetlive Retrieved 27 June 2019 National League clubs vote to end regular season immediately BBC Sport Retrieved 22 March 2020 Yeovil Town 0 2 Barnet Bees reach National League semi finals BBC Sport 18 July 2020 Retrieved 21 July 2020 Stockport County 1 0 Yeovil Town BBC Sport 6 February 2021 Retrieved 2 April 2021 Vale was the right move for new recruit Collins The Sentinel 31 January 2009 Archived from the original on 16 May 2010 Retrieved 31 January 2009 Hill Collins has the right ingredients to be a success barnsleyfc co uk 15 March 2012 Retrieved 15 March 2012 permanent dead link a b Shaw Steve 2 February 2010 Port Vale Richards predicts big things for team mate Collins The Sentinel Retrieved 2 February 2010 Shaw Steve 29 January 2011 Port Vale Collins hopes greater responsibilities will benefit club The Sentinel Retrieved 29 January 2011 Ex Shrewsbury Town player Lee Collins spared jail term over pub attack Shropshire Star 24 April 2013 Retrieved 1 April 2021 Pub fight footballer Lee Collins gets suspended prison sentence BBC Sport 24 April 2013 Retrieved 25 April 2013 Doel Jon 7 April 2021 Footballer Lee Collins found dead in hotel room inquest hears WalesOnline Retrieved 10 April 2021 Lee Collins death Yeovil Town s game with Aldershot called off BBC Sport 8 April 2021 Retrieved 8 April 2021 GAME OFF Maidenhead United Yeovil Town FC 9 April 2021 Archived from the original on 15 May 2021 Retrieved 9 April 2021 Baggaley Michael 27 May 2021 Praise for Port Vale fans as they support Lee Collins family StokeonTrentLive Retrieved 27 May 2021 Lee Collins Yeovil Town captain found dead in hotel room BBC News 7 April 2021 Retrieved 8 April 2021 a b c Yeovil Town captain s death was suicide records coroner BBC Sport 4 August 2021 Retrieved 4 August 2021 a b Games played by Lee Collins in 2007 2008 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 a b Games played by Lee Collins in 2008 2009 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2009 2010 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2010 2011 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 a b Games played by Lee Collins in 2011 2012 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 a b c Games played by Lee Collins in 2012 2013 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2013 2014 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2014 2015 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2015 2016 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2016 2017 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 1 January 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2017 2018 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 6 September 2017 Games played by Lee Collins in 2018 2019 Soccerbase Centurycomm Retrieved 6 September 2017 a b Lee Collins at SoccerwayExternal links edit nbsp Media related to Lee Collins footballer born 1988 at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lee Collins footballer born 1988 amp oldid 1220305158, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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