James Collins - Stats, Rating & Scouting Report

Profile

Full nameJames Steven Collins

PositionCentre-forward

NationalityRepublic of Ireland

Age35

Date of birth1 Dec 1990

BirthplaceCoventry

Height188 cm

Shirt number#9

ClubDoncaster

More about J. Collins →

Centre-forward

Season stats

Full career & schedule →

18

Appearances

4

Goals

1

Assists

1044

Minutes

Domestic-league season · Lincoln.

Also this season

Parent club Lincoln — EFL Trophy: 3 apps, 2g 0a, 110 min

The headline Season rating covers his time at Doncaster; availability counts only fixtures while in this squad.

Career

Full career & schedule →

League One×2League Two×2

Collins's current-season form is down 45% on last season (Season 22→12), while his Rating eased 13→10. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 38).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Lincoln · 1st	18	4	1	6.61	10	12
2024/25	Lincoln · 11th	20	10	0	7.15	13	22
2024/25	Derby · 19th	17	0	0	6.42	12	0
2023/24	Derby · 2nd	38	14	2	7.03	23	38
2022/23	Derby · 7th	42	11	1	6.8	25	30
2021/22	Cardiff · 18th	26	3	0	6.62	32	11

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 12 earlier seasons in the full career.

Republic of Ireland · international

Side	Apps	G
Republic of Ireland U21	10	3
Rep. Of Ireland	14	2

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Career

Full career & schedule →

Domestic career

Scout report

Experienced headCentre-forward

J. Collins is a 35-year-old centre-forward at Lincoln, enjoying a standout season — 4 goals and 1 assists in 18 appearances, a Season grade of 12, top 80% of League One centre-forwards. On long-term scout potential he's rated 10.4, ranking 74th of 79 in the League One. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member (25.2% of available minutes). He brings 0.43 goal contributions per 90 (0.35 goals, 0.09 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Collins.

Judged on this season alone, Collins graded 12 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 8th of 10 of the 10 centre-forwards in the League One, on 4 goals and 1 assist in 18 appearances (0.431 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 22 → 12). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 10, 10th of 10 of the 10 centre-forwards in the League One. At 35 Collins is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 1.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending downBreakout: 2022/234 clubs

Current potential10th of 10 centre-forwards · League One Current season8th of 10 centre-forwards · League One 8th-best centre-forward in the League One 74th in the League One · potential 10th-highest potential centre-forward in the League One

10.4

Ratingi

10th of 10 centre-forwards

12.3

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

25.2%

Minutes

limited game time

0.43

Goal contrib / 90

productive for the role

Output in context · Lincoln finished 1st of 24 · a title-challenging side

18

Apps

4

Goals

1

Assists

5

G+A

0.22

Goals / app

4 goals in 18 appearances (0.22 per game) — light end product the role wants to see climb. Add 1 assist for 5 goal contributions in all.

Strengths

Final-third output. 0.43 goal contributions per 90 (0.35 goals, 0.09 assists) — productive for the role.

Watch points

Game time. Only 25.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 35, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 10.4, Collins carries the 10th-highest potential of the centre-forwards in the League One of 10. In the final third he profiles as a productive contributor (0.43 goal contributions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %25.2%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.345

Assists / 900.086

Goal contribution / 900.431

Defensive actions / 901.121

Player flow

Goal involvements5

Cards / 900.172

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~4), then tapers with age. At 35, Collins sits on 1.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Collins's projected Rating — 10.4 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-forwards in the League One with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals4

Passing

Assists1

Defending

Tackles9

Interceptions2

Blocks2

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

€0.2M total transfer fees · 12 moves

Doncaster(on loan)Aug 2026 – now

LincolnJan 2025 – Aug 2026

DerbyJul 2022 – Jan 2025

CardiffJul 2021 – Jul 2022Free

LutonJun 2017 – Jul 2021

Crawley TownJul 2016 – Jun 2017Free

Shrewsbury(back from loan)Jun 2016 – Jul 2016

Northampton(on loan)Jan 2016 – Jun 2016

ShrewsburyJul 2014 – Jan 2016Free

HibernianJul 2013 – Jul 2014€ 232K

Swindon Townuntil Jul 2013

Burton Albion(on loan)Oct 2010 – Jul 2013

DDarlington(on loan)Oct 2009 – Oct 2010

Aston Villauntil Oct 2009

Transfer history

About J. Collins

James Steven Collins is a 35-year-old centre-forward who plays for Doncaster, born on December 1, 1990 in Coventry, standing 188 cm tall. He is from Republic of Ireland. Doncaster currently sit 24th of 24 in the League One.

This season

In the current season, J. Collins has made 18 appearances with 4 goals and 1 assist across 1,044 minutes, with 2 yellow cards.

J. Collins's next match is on September 19, 2026, when Doncaster face Peterborough away in the League One.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Collins at 10.4 with a Season form score of 12.3, ranking 74th of 79 centre-forwards in the League One. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the League One and the League Two. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 17 recorded seasons, J. Collins has totalled 611 club appearances with 198 goals and 9 assists for 11 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2012/13, with 47 appearances for Swindon Town.