Best foot forward for James Collins

Villa defender James Collins has lifted the lid on how a switch in footwear has enabled him to boot his early-season injury problems into touch.

Collins was forced to sit out the first three matches of the new term after hurting his calf in pre-season.

The Wales international was mystified by the problem, which also troubled him during his days at West Ham, until one of Villa's backroom team advised him to try changing to a different style of his boots.

It proved to be a masterstroke as Collins has been untroubled since, delivering a string of fine displays for Villa in recent weeks.

He said: "It was my calves. I've struggled with them for a while. I've found out that it was because of my boots so I've changed them.

"When I was at West Ham I wore a certain type of boot and then last year I wore a different type and then went back to the ones that I had a problem with without really associating it with the problems.

"So I've gone back to my old ones again now and it seems fine. I don't know what it is, because you don't even think about it.

"The physio mentioned 'What sort of boot is it?'. I'm obviously wearing the same make, but just a different style of boot.

"I've changed back and, touch wood, everything's been fine."

Collins, who has recently been playing with a black eye, concedes centre-halves rarely feel 100 per cent fit, given they are so often involved in bruising battles on the field.

He said: "I never feel great the way I play and I think if you ask Richard Dunne, he will say the same.

"I'm as well as I can be and looking forward to the next game. 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 as well. We all chuck our bodies on the line and win our headers we're defenders and that's what we do.

"The fans see us doing that and it gives them a lift and they get behind us.

"When you do 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."