Collins backed to shine

08 September 2009 11:33
Danny Gabbidon is backing ex-West Ham team-mate James Collins to be a success at Aston Villa. The Welsh duo, who played together for Cardiff, West Ham and at international level, were separated when Collins joined Villa. Gabbidon knows Collins' game inside out and thinks Martin O'Neill has done a fantastic piece of business, despite a £5million outlay. Villa also bagged Manchester City's Richard Dunne, although Gabbidon believes it is Collins who the fans will be talking about next summer. Missing limb"I have lost my mate, my best man at my wedding, a real pal. I feel like I have had my right arm cut off," explained Gabbidon. "I'm disappointed he has gone, he has done really well for West Ham. Villa have got themselves a very good player. He will go on to do better things for them. "The club needed to bring in a striker and they needed to sell before they could do that. In defence we have got plenty of cover and the club felt they could let James go. "Villa have also signed Richard Dunne, and their fans will be talking about that. But by the end of the season they will be talking about James."

Source: SKY_Sports