Aaron Collins swapped the Bolton Wanderers badge for MK Dons last June, dropping a division in hopes of making an immediate impact in Sky Bet League Two. The move was far from a gamble; the forward had just been crowned Wanderers' Player of the Year for the 2024/25 campaign after netting 19 goals and providing five assists across 55 matches in all competitions. After completing a medical examination in Dubai—following a brief off‑season trip to Thailand and Bali—Collins became the Dons' record signing, with the club reportedly shelling out around £800,000 for his services.

Expectations ran high that the fee would be justified by his goal‑scoring prowess. Unfortunately, the season opened with a setback. In his first home appearance 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 played on thinking I’d just jarred it, then an X‑ray on Monday confirmed the fracture and put me out for six to eight weeks. It was a kick in the teeth because I was 100 per cent ready to go and wanted to play a massive part." The injury forced him onto the sidelines for six league fixtures and a Carabao Cup first‑round loss to Bristol City.

Collins finally returned 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 Vertu Trophy defeat to West Ham United's U‑21 side. However, misfortune struck again when a hamstring pull during a training session at the end of that week sidelined him for another two months.

"I’d never been in that situation before," he said. "I’d never had an injury that kept me out for more than a game or two. It was mentally draining.

I thought I could go through my whole career without being injured, but it was going to happen at some point and everything happens for a reason." The forced lay‑off gave Collins time to develop empathy for teammates who had endured similar hardships. "I got to put myself in other people’s shoes who had been there in the past and are going through it now.

I could never really understand how they were feeling before. To be able to do that was quite refreshing mentally," he reflected. His first league start since the opening day arrived just before Christmas, when MK Dons faced Harrogate Town.

Collins marked the occasion with a brace in a 4‑0 victory, reigniting his confidence. "The excitement came back," he said. "I thought this is the time to kick on and show why I’m here." By mid‑February, Collins had enjoyed roughly three months of uninterrupted football.

He seemed to have shaken off the earlier injuries when he scored the decisive goal in a 1‑0 win over his former club Newport County on February 14. Yet the joy was short‑lived: within ten minutes of that strike, both he and teammate Callum Paterson went off with ankle ligament damage. Initial medical reports suggested Collins might need surgery, a prospect he described as "something trying to take the season away from me" during a crucial period with only a dozen games remaining. Fortunately, the Dons opted for a conservative treatment plan.

Collins missed just two matches, returning after a ten‑day recovery period. "I’ve worked hard to keep the swelling and the pain away and it’s feeling good.

All I’m worried about now is making up for the time I missed," he explained. He emphasized the importance of starting matches rather than coming off the bench, noting that his influence on the game is far greater when he begins on the pitch. "Since Patto has gone out, I’ve needed to step up and fill in, as he was on fire before that.

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." With only two fixtures left in the campaign, MK Dons are perched on the brink of promotion. The club’s three‑season spell in League Two—the longest in its brief history—appears to be drawing to a close.

Collins has personal experience of climbing the ladder; he earned promotion with Bristol Rovers in the 2021/22 season, celebrating the achievement by perched atop a traffic light. This time, he jokes that a roundabout might be his celebratory perch, quipping, "There’s plenty to pick from round here!" He added, "It’s a known saying in football that there’s no better feeling than promotion. I would have spent maybe 50 per cent of this season out injured, but being able to be involved in the other 50 per cent and play my part and be involved in a promotion with 25 to 30 lads is a feeling you cherish forever.

I still think about the promotion I had with Bristol Rovers. That was probably more unexpected than if we do get promoted here, just regarding the last day and everything that went on.

That was more of a shock, an enjoyable shock. Here, we’ve come into form at the right time and we’re going into the last games with massive confidence." Looking ahead, Collins hopes for a drama‑free season, but he knows the memories of this roller‑coaster campaign will linger.

The Dons’ final two matches will determine whether his perseverance pays off with a return to League One. Fans can catch the decisive showdown against Tranmere Rovers live on Sky Sports+ at 12.30 pm on Saturday. Regardless of the outcome, Collins’ journey—from a record signing, through shoulder and hamstring setbacks, to a crucial goal and a resilient comeback—embodies the grit and determination that define promotion‑chasing football.