Aaron Collins swapped a place in Bolton's squad for a spot at MK Dons last June, dropping a tier to compete in the Sky Bet League Two. The move was far from a step down; just a season earlier he had been honoured as Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Year after netting 19 goals and providing five assists across 55 matches in all competitions. After a routine medical in Dubai – following a holiday that took him through Thailand and Bali – he arrived at the Dons as their record signing, with the club paying a reported £800,000 for his services.

Expectations were high, and the fans were eager to see a return on that investment. 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 kept playing, thinking it was just a jolt, but the X‑ray on Monday confirmed a fracture and put me out for six to eight weeks. It felt like a kick in the teeth because I was so eager to start this new chapter and contribute heavily." The injury forced him onto the bench for six league fixtures and a Carabao Cup first‑round loss to Bristol City.

He made a brief return as a substitute in a 1‑1 draw at Chesterfield on September 13, and three days later he found the net in a 5‑1 Vertu Trophy defeat to West Ham United's under‑21 side. Yet another misfortune struck that same week when a hamstring pull during training sidelined him for an additional two months. "I’d never been in that situation before," Collins admitted.

"I’d never had an injury that kept me out for more than a game or two – just a knock on the ankle, maybe a bruise. It was mentally draining.

I thought I could go through my whole career injury‑free, but then it happened and I had to accept that everything happens for a reason." During the forced downtime he found an unexpected benefit: empathy. "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 felt before. To be able to do that was quite refreshing mentally," he said, noting that the period gave him a broader perspective on the challenges his teammates face.

His first league start since that opening‑day loss came against Harrogate Town five days before Christmas. Collins seized the moment, scoring twice in a 4‑0 victory and 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 three months of uninterrupted football, but another injury loomed. After scoring the decisive goal in a 1‑0 win over his former club Newport County on February 14, he and teammate Callum Paterson both went down with ankle ligament damage within a ten‑minute span.

Initial medical advice suggested surgery for Collins. "It wasn’t nice. 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, and Patto’s injury was worse, so I needed to get back as quickly as possible." Remarkably, Collins missed only two games, returning after a ten‑day spell.

He worked tirelessly to control swelling and pain, and now focuses on making up for lost time. "The main thing has just been being back in the starting XI; I feel I can affect the game a lot more when I start.

I’m just playing my game, trying to be that focal point," he explained. With Patto sidelined, Collins has shouldered additional responsibility, acknowledging the old football adage that bad luck comes in threes. "I’m done with the unlucky streak.

Now I can concentrate on being back in the team and playing a massive part in getting this team promoted," he affirmed. The Dons are now perched on the brink of promotion with two fixtures remaining, ending what could become the longest three‑season spell in League Two in the club’s brief history. Collins knows the feeling of climbing the ladder; he earned promotion with Bristol Rovers in 2021‑22 and celebrated the night they went up by climbing a traffic light. This time he jokes that a roundabout might be his celebration spot – "there’s plenty to pick from round here!" – underscoring his optimism.

He summed up the emotional weight of a promotion push: "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 involved in the other half and playing my part in a promotion with 25‑30 lads is a feeling you cherish forever. I still think about the surprise promotion with Bristol Rovers – it was unexpected, especially on the final day.

This time we’ve hit form at the right moment and we head into the last 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 two games, including the clash with Tranmere Rovers, will be broadcast on Sky Sports+, and fans can also try their luck in the Super 6 competition for a chance at a £250,000 prize. Collins’ journey from a hopeful signing, through a series of setbacks, to a pivotal role in a promotion chase illustrates the resilience required in professional football and offers a compelling narrative for supporters as the season draws to a close.