Aaron Collins swapped a place in Bolton’s squad for a new challenge at Milton Keynes Dons last June, dropping a tier to compete in the Sky Bet League Two. The move generated considerable buzz because the striker had just been honoured as Bolton Wanderers’ Player of the Year for the 2024/25 campaign, a season in which he netted 19 goals and supplied five assists across 55 appearances in all competitions. After completing a medical in Dubai – following an off‑season holiday that took him through Thailand and Bali – Collins arrived at the Dons as the club’s record signing, with a reported fee of around £800,000.

The expectation was clear: the club wanted immediate value for the hefty outlay. Unfortunately, the start to his MK Dons adventure was anything but smooth. In his very first home match, a league fixture against Oldham on August 2, Collins suffered a broken shoulder.

"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 fracture and ruled me out for six to eight weeks. It was a real kick in the teeth because I was so eager to make an impact for my new club." The injury sidelined him for six league games and a Carabao Cup first‑round loss to Bristol City.

Collins finally returned to the pitch as a substitute in a 1‑1 draw away at Chesterfield on September 13. Three days later he found the net in a 5‑1 defeat to West Ham United’s U21 side in the Vertu Trophy.

However, misfortune struck again when a hamstring pull during a training session at the end of that week forced him out for another two months. "I’d never been in that situation before," he admitted. "I’d only ever missed a game or two with minor knocks.

This was mentally draining. I thought I could go through my whole career without a serious injury, but it happened and everything happens for a reason." The forced break gave Collins a chance to step back and view his predicament from a broader perspective. "I got to put myself in other people’s shoes – those who had been through similar setbacks and those who are experiencing them now. I could never really understand how they felt before, but being able to empathise was surprisingly refreshing for my mental state." His first league start since that opening‑day mishap arrived on December 20 against Harrogate Town, and Collins marked the occasion with a brace in a 4‑0 victory.

"The excitement came back," he said. "I thought this is the time to kick on and show why I’m here." By mid‑February he had enjoyed a relatively injury‑free spell of almost three months, but another setback loomed. On February 14, Collins scored the decisive goal in a 1‑0 win over his former side Newport County.

Yet within ten minutes of the second half, both he and teammate Callum Paterson went down with ankle ligament injuries. Initial medical reports suggested surgery might be necessary for Collins. "It felt like something was trying to take the season away from me," he reflected.

"We were only 12 or 13 games from the end of the campaign, and Patto’s injury was even worse, so I needed to recover as quickly as possible." Remarkably, Collins missed just two games after that incident, returning after a ten‑day recovery period. He credited diligent rehab, swelling control, and pain management for the swift comeback. "All I’m worried about now is making up for the time I missed," he said.

"Being in the starting XI lets me influence the game far more than coming off the bench. I’m just playing my game, trying to be that focal point. Since Patto has gone out, I’ve had to step up and fill his role – he was on fire before the injury." He laughed that he had once believed “bad luck comes in threes,” but now he was focused on the final push for promotion.

With only two fixtures remaining, MK Dons were perched on the brink of ending their longest spell in League Two – three seasons – and returning to the third tier. Collins recalled his own promotion experience with Bristol Rovers in 2021/22, when he celebrated by climbing a traffic light after the final match. This time, he joked, “a roundabout is more likely – there’s plenty to pick from round here!” "There’s a saying in football that there’s no better feeling than promotion," he observed. "I probably spent about 50 % of this season injured, but being able to contribute in the other half and help a group of 25‑30 lads achieve promotion is a feeling you cherish forever.

I still think about that Bristol Rovers promotion – it was unexpected and a wonderful shock. If we get promoted here, it will be another amazing surprise, especially given how the season has unfolded in the final weeks." Looking ahead, Collins hopes for a drama‑free season, but he knows the memories of this roller‑coaster will linger.

The Dons’ final two games promise a tense climax, and Collins is determined to play his part in securing that coveted rise back up the English football pyramid.