Danny Collins

Joined us on loan from stoke. Not bad is he? Tough, uncompromising - typical Sam signing. If I've missed a thread somewhere then delete, Geez. I've not been concentrating so good just lately!

Hammers snap up Collins
West Ham United have taken Wales international defender Danny Collins on loan from Stoke City
09.03.2012

West Ham United have strengthened their defensive resources ahead of the npower Championship run-in by snapping up Stoke City defender Danny Collins on loan until the end of the season.

Wales international Collins, who is capable of playing at centre-back or full-back, joins until 21 May and goes straight into Sam Allardyce's squad for Saturday's npower Championship visit of Doncaster Rovers.

The 31-year-old will provide competition and cover for James Tomkins, Abdoulaye Faye and Winston Reid, with the latter currently sidelined with a head injury suffered on international duty with New Zealand.

Speaking exclusively to West Ham TV, Collins said he is fit, ready and eager to play this weekend, if selected by Big Sam.

"West Ham are going well in the league and looking for promotion," said the new No25. "They are having a good season so this was a chance for me to come out on loan and get some games in.

"I went out on loan to Ipswich earlier this season and played 16 games there and I've played a few games for Stoke, but I want to be playing week-in, week-out if I can. Hopefully I can come down here, get myself into the team and be part of it.

"I keep myself ready on and off the pitch and have been training hard to keep myself ticking over. I played a couple of games for Stoke over the last couple of weeks. I got the call on Thursday night so I've come down to try to play some games.

"Games come thick and fast in the Championship - either Saturday/Tuesday or Saturday/Wednesday - so you need a big squad. I'm ready if needed.

"I've won the Championship twice, the first in 2005 and then in 2007, so it would be nice to complete a hat-trick. It'll be a battle but with the position West Ham are in, the finishing line is there and hopefully we can achieve promotion over the next 12 games."

Your thread wasn't there when I put mine up Johnny. Will leave it to Admin to merge them !

What do you think about this Tony? I don't know a deal about him.

Me neither Nicki....Just been texting with Darran about the bloke. Said he never rated him and that he is an average defender.

No worries, Tone. I pondered on which section to put it in before settling on the wrong one!

Jiggs wrote:Me neither Nicki....Just been texting with Darran about the bloke. Said he never rated him and that he is an average defender.

We are only playing against average strikers. I would rather have a player with Premiership experience who has played in Europe this season than an accident waiting to happen in Winston Reid. Collins is clearly not thuggish enough for Pulis. Perhaps he doesn't break enough legs/elbow enough opponents to be in Pulis's plans !

By all reports he was excellent when he was on loan at Ipswich earlier on this season and when he was at Sunderland a couple of seasons back

Fingers crossed then. Looks like we will need him as Gold was tweeting earlier that Reid may be out for the season!

Tony P wrote:

Jiggs wrote:Me neither Nicki....Just been texting with Darran about the bloke. Said he never rated him and that he is an average defender.

We are only playing against average strikers. I would rather have a player with Premiership experience who has played in Europe this season than an accident waiting to happen in Winston Reid. Collins is clearly not thuggish enough for Pulis. Perhaps he doesn't break enough legs/elbow enough opponents to be in Pulis's plans !

By all reports he was excellent when he was on loan at Ipswich earlier on this season and when he was at Sunderland a couple of seasons back

David Gold tweeted yesterday that Reid might be out for the rest of the season.

Snap

That must have been some concussion then?

I can see Collins going straight into the team today with Tomkins in a holding midfield role

I would like to see Ravel Morrison involved at some point too. Put him in the 16 ahead of Faubert and Collison

So You folk dont't rate our Winston then? I thought he's been fairly good this season.

The thing that strikes me about Danny Collins is........ He is behind UPSON in the pecking order at Stoke - that good eh?

That's not good.....

Hurry back Winston!

Tony P wrote:That must have been some concussion then?

I can only assume that they are waiting for some swelling to go down and then scan for a possible skull fracture.