AFC Totton
TWO-TIME STEP 3 PROMOTION winner Roddy Collins has called time on his stay at the Snows Stadium and will be leaving AFC Totton this summer.
The Irish midfielder – known as The Messiah amongst his several older sisters according to the autobiography of his father, Roddy Collins Sr. – captained Chesham United to the Southern League Premier Division South title in 2023/24, before joining The Stags in mid-October via a brief stint with Torquay United.
Slotting into a side that had already suffered the injury-enforced absence of Mike Carter, Collins made his AFC Totton debut in the 2-1 away win at Plymouth Parkway’s Bolitho Park on Tuesday 15 October 2024. He quickly established himself as a rock in central midfield, whose presence enabled Carter’s gradual return to first team action before the two players began to form what looked like it might become a formidable partnership, with Collins given greater license to get forward and impact play in the attacking third.
Collins made a total of 27 first team appearances for AFC Totton across all competitions, scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 victory at Chertsey Town in mid-March and notching his second Stags strike in the very next game at home to Bracknell Town for a 2-0 win.
Earlier in his footballing career, Collins – who is a qualified electrician – represented five different clubs in the League of Ireland, winning the First Division title with Athlone Town in 2013 when his father managed the team from Lissywollen. He sailed across the Irish Sea in 2018, playing first for Hemel Hempstead Town, then Hayes & Yeading United and Kings Langley in Hertfordshire.
He joined Chesham United in December 2021, and although a knee injury limited his involvement in the 2022/23 season, he returned to lead The Generals to title success at AFC Totton’s expense before arriving at the Snows Stadium to make amends with a sterling contribution to The Stags’ historic Step 3 Play-Off winning campaign of 2024/25.
Totton boss Jimmy Ball commented:
“Roddy is a serial league winner, who came into the club and did a fantastic job for us when we really needed it. He’s a great lad with a tremendous attitude and I’m sure that clubs are going to be queuing up to sign him ahead of the new season. For my part, I’m grateful to have worked with him and for his contribution to our promotion-winning campaign, and I wish him all the best for the future.”
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Harvey Gerring and Sayers Sports Photography
