WHZ View: Jack Collison – Forever a hero at West Ham
Today marks five years since West Ham hero Jack Collison announced his premature retirement from professional football.
Due to a persistent knee injury, the Welsh international called time on his career on February 13, 2016. He was adored at Upton Park, and admittedly was one of my favourite players growing up.
Collison was a fantastic player, he had two great feet and was able to pass players as if they weren’t there. He was another one of those who stuck around after out relegation in 2011 and got us promoted at the first time of asking.
West Ham Zone have looked back at his greatest moments in claret and blue.
The home debut
This one was special. Collison was making his home debut at the Boleyn Ground, having come on after 18 minutes for Matthew Upson.
I was sat in the Bobby Moore lower tier when our number 31 side-footed into the top right-hand corner. Scott Parker played a clever back-heel into his path before the Welshman showed great composure and buried his chance.
That strike summed him up really, calm and composed, and always delivering on the biggest stage. A goal on his home debut, he was living a dream of mine and every other thirteen-year-old in attendance.
Millwall in the cup
A match famed for the violence on Green Street, it’s remembered by Collison for different reasons.
He played the full 120 minutes of this League Cup tie despite tragically losing his father days before in a road collision. He was on his way to watch West Ham take on Spurs at the time.
It was an emotional evening for the then 21-year-old, who was in tears as he left the pitch. The fans were aware of his news before kick-off and were right behind him throughout.
His willingness to play despite what was going on in his personal life only was admirable, and from then on he was a hero in east London.
Play-off heroics
Collison was one of the players who stayed to help us gain promotion under Sam Allardyce in the Championship season of 2011/12.
On reflection, this was one of the best seasons supporting the Hammers, we seemed to win every week. The midfielder played a pivotal role, making 31 league appearances that season, mostly from the right flank. It was the most he featured in any season for West Ham.
He scored four and assisted three in the campaign. Most notably came his double in the play-off semi-final away to Cardiff. Collison bagged both goals in the 2-0 away win, which set us on our way to the final.
In the second leg, he actually dislocated his shoulder and had to go off. He somehow started at Wembley eleven days later to help us win promotion, the best day I’ve ever had watching my club.
Thanks for the memories, Jack.
In other West Ham news, BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson predicts the winner of the Hammers clash with Sheffield United.