Collins Bounces Back as MK Dons Near Promotion

After joining MK Dons from Bolton, Aaron Collins was expected to excel in Sky Bet League Two due to his impressive performance in the previous season, where he scored 19 goals and provided five assists in 55 games. However, his debut was cut short when he broke his shoulder in the first game of the season against Oldham on August 2. Collins expressed his frustration, stating, "I played on as I thought I'd just jarred it, then I had an x-ray on it on the Monday and it was confirmed I'd broken it, which put me out for six to eight weeks." This injury was a significant setback for Collins, who had to sit out six league games and the Carabao Cup first-round defeat to Bristol City. He eventually returned as a substitute in the 1-1 draw away at Chesterfield on September 13 and scored in a 5-1 Vertu Trophy defeat to West Ham's U21s three days later. However, his comeback was short-lived, as he pulled his hamstring in a training session and was sidelined for another two months. Collins reflected on this challenging period, saying, "I'd never been in that situation before. I'd never had an injury that had kept me out for more than a game or two, just things like a kick on the ankle where I'd struggle through the next game. It was mentally draining." Despite these setbacks, Collins persevered and eventually made his first league start since the opening day against Harrogate, where he scored a double in a 4-0 win. As the season progressed, Collins faced another injury, suffering an ankle ligament injury in a 1-0 victory over former club Newport. However, he was determined to recover quickly, stating, "It wasn't nice. It was like something was trying to take the season away from me. I needed to make sure I could get back as quickly as possible." Collins' hard work paid off, and he was able to return to the team, playing a crucial role in their promotion push. With two games left to play, MK Dons are on the cusp of promotion, and Collins is eager to contribute to the team's success, saying, "I've had in my head, bad luck comes in threes and I'm done! Now I can just concentrate on being back in the team and playing a massive part in getting this team promoted." Collins, who was promoted from this division with Bristol Rovers in 2021/22, is no stranger to the thrill of promotion and is excited about the prospect of achieving it again with MK Dons.