Aaron Collins swapped a place in Bolton’s squad for a spot at Milton Keynes Dons last June, dropping a division with the expectation that he would dominate the Sky Bet League Two campaign. The optimism was well‑founded: the 2024/25 season had seen him crowned Wanderers’ Player of the Year after netting 19 goals and providing five assists across 55 matches in all competitions. After completing a medical in Dubai – following a holiday that took him through Thailand and Bali – Collins arrived at the Dons as the club’s record signing. The reported £800,000 fee sparked a buzz among supporters who were eager to see value for money from the new acquisition.
His debut, however, turned out to be a classic case of bad luck. In the opening home fixture against Oldham on 2 August, Collins suffered a shoulder fracture. “In the first game of the season I ended up breaking my shoulder,” he recalled. “It should have been a penalty, but I didn’t get one, which made it even more frustrating.
I kept playing, thinking I’d just jarred it, then an X‑ray on Monday confirmed the break and I was sidelined for six to eight weeks.” The injury felt like a punch in the gut because he had arrived with a fresh‑club mentality and was eager to make an immediate impact. Instead, he watched from the bench as MK Dons endured six league matches without him and fell to Bristol City in the first round of the Carabao Cup. Collins made his return as a substitute in a 1‑1 draw away at Chesterfield on 13 September, and three days later he found the net in a 5‑1 Vertu Trophy loss to West Ham’s under‑21 side.
Yet the comeback was short‑lived; a hamstring pull in a training session later that week forced him out for another two months. “It was the first time I’d ever been out for more than a game or two,” he said. “I’d always brushed off knocks – a kicked ankle, a minor strain – but this was different.
It was mentally draining. I used the downtime to put myself in the shoes of players who had endured long‑term injuries.
Understanding their frustration was oddly refreshing for my mindset.” His first league start since the season opener came just before Christmas, when he faced Harrogate. Collins marked the occasion with a brace in a 4‑0 victory, reigniting his confidence.
“The excitement came back,” he smiled. “I thought, this is the time to push on and prove why I’m here.” By mid‑February, Collins had enjoyed roughly three months of uninterrupted football, and it seemed his injury woes were finally behind him.
On 14 February he scored the decisive goal in a 1‑0 win over his former club Newport. Yet the celebration was cut short: within ten minutes of the second half, both he and teammate Callum Paterson went down with ankle ligament damage. Initial assessments suggested Collins might need surgery. “It felt like the season was being taken away from me,” he admitted.
“We were entering the crucial final dozen games. Paterson’s injury was worse, so I knew I had to recover quickly.” Remarkably, Collins missed only two matches, returning after a ten‑day spell. He focused on managing swelling and pain, determined to make up for lost time.
“Being in the starting XI lets me influence the game far more,” he explained. “I’m just playing my natural game, trying to be the focal point. Since Paterson is out, I’ve had to step up – he was on fire before his injury.” He quipped about the old superstition that bad luck comes in threes, adding, “I’m done with that now. My only goal is to stay fit, help the team, and push for promotion.” With two matches remaining, MK Dons sit on the brink of ending what would be a three‑season spell in League Two – the longest stretch in the club’s brief history.
Collins reflects on his own promotion experience with Bristol Rovers in 2021/22, when he celebrated the achievement atop a traffic light. “This time I might be celebrating on a roundabout,” he joked, “there are plenty of options around here!” He emphasizes the unique joy that promotion brings: “There’s a saying in football that nothing feels better than going up. I probably spent half the season injured, but being part of the other half and contributing to a promotion with 25‑30 lads is a feeling you cherish forever.” He still recalls the surprise of Rovers’ ascent, describing it as an “enjoyable shock.” Now, with form arriving at the perfect moment, Collins believes the squad is heading into the final fixtures brimming with confidence.
He hopes the next season will be free of drama, yet he knows the memories of this roller‑coaster will linger. "We've hit form at the right time and we go into the last games with massive belief," he said. Fans can catch the decisive showdown live on Sky Sports+ as MK Dons take on Tranmere, with kickoff scheduled for 12.30 pm on Saturday.
The excitement surrounding the promotion chase remains palpable, and Collins is determined to play his part in sealing the Dons’ return to a higher tier.