A whole-hearted central defender, James Collins has represented his native Wales at every level from Under-15 to the senior side, for whom he made his debut as 20-year-old against Norway in 2004.

Tipped to reach the highest level from an early age, Collins made his first-team debut for first club Cardiff City at the age of 17 in an FA Cup first-round tie against Bristol Rovers in November 2000.

Over the next three years, Collins would make just 12 league appearances, but he would finally establish himself in the Bluebirds' first-team during the 2003/04 season. That campaign, following Cardiff's promotion to the Championship the previous May, the defender would make 20 league appearances as the Welshmen more than held their own.

Into 2004/05 and Collins made 34 further league appearances, scoring one goal. Playing alongside West Ham United and Wales team-mate Daniel Gabbidon, the pair impressed to such an extent that they were signed in a joint deal by the Hammers on 5 July 2005.

Collins initially found his first-team chances limited at the Boleyn Ground due to the form of Gabbidon and Anton Ferdinand but, when called upon, the flame-haired defender did not let his new club down.

A debut arrived in the 4-2 League Cup second-round win at Sheffield Wednesday on 20 September 2005, one of 20 league and cup games he featured in during his first season in east London.

Collins started the FA Cup semi-final victory over Middlesbrough at Villa Park, but was an unused substitute in the final as West Ham went down to a thrilling defeat by Liverpool in Cardiff.

The following season, although injury and competition for places limited Collins to 20 appearances, he was a rock during West Ham's sensational escape from relegation from the Barclays Premier League. A man-of-the-match display at Manchester United on the final day of the 2006/07 campaign summed up his fighting qualities perfectly.

Both the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons were stop-start affairs for Collins, who was ruled out by a succession of minor and, in one case, major injuries.

After scoring his first senior international goal in 2008 UEFA European Championship loss in Cyprus in October 2007, Collins was ruled out with a groin strain. He then suffered an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury in a Barclays Premier Reserve League South fixture at Portsmouth in January 2008, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

During his absence, however, Collins was fit enough to get married, with old friend Gabbidon carrying out the best man duties.

Collins returned to training in August, making his first-team comeback in the 2-0 home loss to Arsenal on 26 October. However, after a run of four months virtually injury-free, the defender was forced to miss much of the remaining three months of the 2008/09 season with a recurring calf muscle strain.