From Montenegro to Molineux and there’s very little James Collins hasn’t already seen – even through the odd black eye.

The Villa defender is straight from Wolves boss Mick McCarthy school of centre-backs – strong as an ox, brave as a lion, tough as old boots.

Having just turned 27, Collins admits age could have been kinder to him.

He said: “I’ve got no chance of being a Welsh pin-up like Gavin Henson. Ginger and bald, it’s not a great combination to be fair!”

Luckily for him, Collins plays with the maturity to match his appearance.

He laughed: “Kevin MacDonald said it to me the other week – I think everyone thinks I’m older than I actually am.

“I’ve only just turned 27 and he talks to me as if I’m a senior pro. It’s getting me down a little bit! I’m alright though really.

“As young as I am I’ve been around the first team since I was 16 at Cardiff.”

So what does Collins make of a trip to Molineux then, to face a Wolves side who have come under stinging national criticism nationally for their physical football?

He said: “Bring it on, why not? That’s the part I enjoy, heading it and defending really, that’s what I get paid to do.

“That’s what we’re all here to do. We’re paid to stop goals going in, we’re paid to be defenders. We’ve all got a similar style of play. We chuck our bodies on the line.

“The fans see us doing that and it gives them a lift and they get behind us, especially the last 20 minutes of the Everton game.

“As much possession and pressure as they had we never thought they would score.

“When you put a block in like that it gives you an extra lift, the crowd get behind you and it spurs you on even more to defend well.”

Not only does Collins talk the talk, he walks the walk, too.

The former West Ham man has been playing with a black eye in recent weeks, after being on the receiving end of what looked a less-than-accidental meeting with Montenegro striker Miodrag Dzudovic defender’s elbow in Wales’ Euro 2012 qualifying defeat.

Collins said: “I was having a bit of banter with him all game. I think I stayed up from a corner, the ball was coming, I could see him coming, so I sort of knew what was going to happen!

“I thought I was in trouble. I didn’t get knocked out, but I got a big lump straight away on my eye socket. I went for some X-rays and and it came back OK, but it wasn’t very nice.

“It hasn’t affected me at all. I think I’ve got to have another scan or an X-ray next week because I’ve got a lump on my eye socket, but it’s fine.”

However, anyone who had hoped for one of those opera-style masks first adorned by Paul Gascoigne were destined for disappointment.

Collins added: “I’d rather take another whack than wear one of those stupid eye masks.”

By Brendan McLoughlin