Derby County striker James Collins has made a significant statement regarding the Championship following the team’s return to the second tier.
Derby secured promotion convincingly with a 2-0 win over Carlisle United. Max Bird opened the scoring with an excellent goal, and James Collins added another, calming the nerves of Pride Park supporters.
Collins played a crucial role in guiding Paul Warne’s squad to promotion, scoring 19 goals across all competitions despite missing eight games towards the end of the season.
Warne heavily relied on the 33-year-old and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to create attacking opportunities, which they did exceptionally well, contributing to a total of 42 goals between them.
While Mendez-Laing’s future with the club is secured until 2026 after signing a new contract in January, Collins’s situation remains uncertain. His contract expires this summer, and there’s no official word yet on whether he’ll be offered a new deal. Nonetheless, Collins is eagerly anticipating the upcoming season.
James Collins says the Championship is a ‘massive’ league
Collins last played in the Championship during his time at Cardiff City in the 2021/22 campaign.
The Republic of Ireland sharpshooter only netted three times in 26 appearances for the Bluebirds, enjoying his most prolific spell at Luton.
Collins hit double figures in each of his two second-tier campaigns with the Hatters, netting 14 in 2019/20 and 10 in 2020/21.
| James Collins’ Championship record | Games / Goals |
| 2019/20 (Luton Town) | 46 / 14 |
| 2020/21 (Luton Town) | 42 / 10 |
| 2021/22 (Cardiff City) | 26 / 3 |
The experienced forward aims to recapture his scoring prowess from his time at Luton in the Championship, acknowledging the league’s formidable nature and intense competition.
In an interview with the Official EFL Podcast, he emphasized, “I believe the Championship ranks among the most challenging leagues globally. The sheer number of teams, the prestige of clubs involved; you witness Premier League teams dropping down, significant clubs rising from League One, and those steady Championship teams. It’s an immensely competitive league with exceptional clubs.”
James Collins is ‘excited’ about Championship return
Collins is among a group of twelve players whose contracts are up at Derby, but many fans are hopeful that he’ll get an extension. He’s become a significant part of Pride Park and deserves another chance in the Championship, especially after finishing as the club’s top scorer this season. Expressing his eagerness to compete at that level and anticipating the release of the fixture list, he remarked on the excitement it brings, planning where they’ll start, who they’ll face during the holidays, and who they’ll end with. This period of anticipation is thrilling for the club.
Derby has been out of the second tier for two years, facing penalties that endangered the club’s existence. David Clowes intervened, and the rest, as they say, is history. Now, the Rams aspire to replicate the success story of Ipswich Town, who are on the brink of returning to the Premier League just a year after their promotion from League One.
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