Aaron Collins swapped a spot in the Championship for a place in League Two when he left Bolton to join Milton Keynes Dons last June. The move was billed as a chance for the former Wanderers forward to dominate the Sky Bet League Two campaign, especially after a stellar 2024/25 season in which he collected Bolton's Player of the Year award by scoring 19 goals and providing five assists across 55 matches in all competitions. The Dons sealed the deal with a club‑record fee reported to be around £800,000, and Collins arrived in England after a medical examination in Dubai, following a holiday that took him through Thailand and Bali. The expectation was clear: the new signing should deliver immediate value and help the team push for promotion.
Unfortunately, the start to his MK Dons story was anything but smooth. In his very first home appearance on 2 August against Oldham, 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 only jarred it, but an X‑ray on Monday confirmed the break and the doctors told me I’d be out for six to eight weeks. It felt like a kick in the teeth because I was so eager to make an impact at my new club." The injury forced him onto the bench for six league fixtures and the Carabao Cup first‑round loss to Bristol City. Collins finally returned as a substitute in a 1‑1 draw at Chesterfield on 13 September, and three days later he found the net in a 5‑1 defeat to West Ham United’s U‑21 side in the Vertu Trophy.
However, his comeback was short‑lived. During a training session later that week he pulled a hamstring, sidelining him for another two months.
"I’d never been in a situation where an injury kept me out for more than a game or two," he said. "It was mentally draining.
I thought I could go through my whole career without a serious knock, but it turns out everyone gets one at some point, and you have to accept that." The forced pause gave him time to empathise with teammates who had endured similar setbacks, a perspective he described as "refreshing mentally." After a long spell on the sidelines, Collins earned his first league start since the opening day on the eve of Christmas, facing Harrogate Town. He repaid the faith of the manager by scoring twice in a 4‑0 victory, saying, "The excitement came back. I thought this is the time to kick on and show why I’m here." By mid‑February he had enjoyed three months of uninterrupted football, and the spectre of injury seemed to have faded.
That optimism was tested again on 14 February when he netted the winner in a 1‑0 triumph over his former side Newport County. Within ten minutes of that goal, both he and teammate Callum Paterson went off with ankle ligament damage.
Initial medical reports suggested surgery might be required for Collins. "It felt like the season was being taken away from me at a crucial moment – we had only about a dozen games left," he explained. "Paterson’s injury was worse, so I wanted to return as quickly as possible." Thanks to an aggressive rehabilitation programme, Collins missed just two games, returning after a ten‑day break.
He praised the effort that kept swelling and pain at bay, adding, "All I’m worried about now is making up for the time I missed. Starting matches allows me to influence the game far more than coming off the bench. I’m just playing my game, trying to be that focal point for the team. Since Paterson has been out, I’ve had to step up and fill his role, especially because he was in great form before his injury." He laughed about the old football superstition that “bad luck comes in threes,” noting that his string of setbacks now seemed to be over.
"Now I can just concentrate on being back in the team and playing a massive part in getting this team promoted," he said. With only two fixtures remaining, MK Dons are perched on the brink of promotion, ending what would become the longest three‑season spell in League Two in the club’s brief history.
Collins has already tasted promotion before, having lifted Bristol Rovers from the same division in 2021/22. He reminisced about celebrating that achievement atop a traffic light, joking that this time a roundabout might be more appropriate: "There’s plenty to pick from round here!" He reflected on the emotional weight of a promotion campaign: "There’s a saying in football that there’s no better feeling than promotion.
I probably spent about 50 % of this season injured, but being able to contribute during the other half and help a group of 25‑30 lads achieve promotion is a feeling you cherish forever. I still think about the surprise promotion with Bristol Rovers – it was an unexpected, enjoyable shock.
Here, we’ve hit form at the right time and we go into the final games with massive confidence." Looking ahead, Collins hopes for a drama‑free next season, but he knows the memories of this roller‑coaster campaign will linger. The Dons’ final push will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+, and fans can also try their luck in the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000. The story of Aaron Collins serves as a reminder that resilience, patience, and a bit of luck can turn a season riddled with setbacks into a triumphant journey toward promotion.