ON-loan goalkeeper Brad Collins says that he is fully focused on developing his game with Burton Albion and helping the side to continue their rise up the table.
Being at Chelsea since the age of 12, the 21-year-old impressed between the sticks as the side secured the Under-18 UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup. He earned his way as captain of the Under-21 squad in 2016, ending the season with a successful haul of four clean sheets, only conceding 29 goals in the process.
Collins, who kept a clean sheet on Saturday against Coventry City, says that he is ready to push on in his development.
He said: “I always say, of course I’m on-loan but I’m here as a Burton player. I want to do well for the team and get us where we should be, push us up the table and get us into the Championship.
“In football you can’t get ahead of yourself there’s no time for that. You’ve got to take everything in your stride. The most important thing is to enjoy it because football is over in a flash.”
Collins has six starts for the Brewers so far, the reduced number due to a lengthy spell on the sidelines with injury, as well as the hot bed of competition for the number one goal keeping spot.
An injury in his second outing against Accrington Stanley allowed others waiting in the wings to step in and Collins was more than aware of the healthy competition to force his way into the starting XI.
He said: “There’s always a goalkeeper’s union where we stick by each other’s side. There’s no bitterness, there can’t be. Whoever gets the shirt you help them and help the team.
“I was delighted to come in and play the first game and the start the second. Then an injury when I pulled my quad set me back. But I feel I have come back, and I’ve worked and got back in the team and get a run of games.
“I know (Stephen) Bywater is on my shoulder, Dimitar (Evtimov) is on my shoulder, and Harry (Campbell). I know they’re there. I’m just trying to play as many games as I can and perform for the team.”