Aaron Collins made a surprising move last June, dropping a tier to sign for MK Dons after a prolific spell with Bolton Wanderers. The striker arrived with a reputation for finding the net – he had just been crowned Wanderers’ Player of the Year for the 2024/25 campaign, having contributed 19 goals and five assists across 55 matches in all competitions. The Dons’ board sealed the deal in Dubai, following a holiday in Thailand and Bali, and announced that the £800,000 fee made Collins the club’s record signing.
Expectations were high; fans and teammates alike hoped the investment would translate into goals and, ultimately, promotion. Unfortunately, the season’s opening fixture turned into a nightmare.
In the home debut against Oldham on August 2, Collins suffered a shoulder fracture. "I thought I’d just nicked it and kept playing, but the X‑ray on Monday confirmed a break," he recalled. The injury sidelined him for six to eight weeks, a bitter blow for a player eager to make an immediate impact at his new club. During his absence, MK Dons endured a run of six league games without him and fell to a first‑round Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Bristol City.
Collins finally returned as a substitute in the 1‑1 draw with Chesterfield on September 13. Three days later he found the net in a 5‑1 Vertu Trophy loss to West Ham’s U21 side, showing that his scoring touch was still intact.
However, misfortune struck again later that week when a hamstring pull forced him out for another two months. "I’d never been out for more than a game or two before.
This was mentally draining," he admitted. The prolonged lay‑off gave him time to empathise with teammates who had endured similar setbacks, a perspective he described as "refreshing mentally." His first league start since the opening day arrived just before Christmas, when MK Dons faced Harrogate. Collins repaid the faith of his manager by scoring twice in a 4‑0 victory, reigniting his confidence.
"The excitement came back. I thought this is the time to kick on and show why I’m here," he said.
By mid‑February Collins had enjoyed roughly three months of uninterrupted football. He seemed to have shaken off the injury bug when he netted the winner in a 1‑0 triumph over his former club Newport on February 14. Yet fate was not done testing him. Within ten minutes of the second half, both he and teammate Callum Paterson went down with ankle ligament damage.
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. With only a dozen games remaining, the timing could not have been worse.
Paterson’s injury proved more severe, leaving Collins to shoulder additional responsibility. Remarkably, he missed just two games, returning after a ten‑day recovery period thanks to diligent swelling control and pain management. "The main thing has just been being back starting; I feel I can affect the game a lot more when I’m starting," he explained.
"Since Patton has gone out, I’ve needed to step up and fill in, as he was on fire before that." Collins joked that bad luck seemed to come in threes, but he was determined not to let it define his season. With two matches left, MK Dons are perched on the brink of promotion, ending what would be a three‑season stint in League Two – the longest spell in the club’s brief history. Collins has tasted promotion before, having lifted Bristol Rovers from the same division in 2021/22.
He famously celebrated that achievement atop a traffic light; this time, he quipped, a roundabout might be more appropriate, noting that "there’s plenty to pick from round here!" He summed up his feelings about the 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 in the other half and help a group of 25‑30 lads achieve promotion is a memory I’ll cherish forever. I still think about the Bristol Rovers promotion – it was unexpected and a wonderful shock. If we get promoted here, it will be another amazing surprise." Looking ahead, Collins hopes for a drama‑free season, but he knows the current campaign will stay with him for a long time.
The Dons’ form has surged at the right moment, and the squad heads into the final fixtures brimming with confidence. As the club prepares for the decisive games, Collins is focused on staying fit, delivering goals, and playing his part in what could be a historic ascent back to League One.