COLLINS PLANNING TOP-NOTCH SHOCK

REPUBLIC of Ireland striker James Collins has taken the long route to 500 games in club football – and a shot at the big boys.

The Luton ace (below), 30, appeared to have the potential to reach the top when he joined local outfit Aston Villa at 13.

But six years later, with no first-team appearances and clearly well down the pecking order under Martin O’Neill, he opted to drop THREE levels with a switch to Shrewsbury.

That move, apart from a brief spell in Scotland with Hibs, led to a career in the lower leagues until a transfer to Luton sparked his rise back up the ladder and into the Championship.

Now, as he prepares to celebrate his personal milestone with an FA

Cup fourth round trip to Premier

League giants Chelsea, Collins is adamant he has no regrets.

The Hatters hot-shot said: “To get to 500 games away at

Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup is great timing and really special.

“After taking that leap out of my comfort zone to go and play in League

Two and have that career path, this definitely makes it all worthwhile.

“I was 19, 20, went to Shrewsbury and here I am 500 games later.’’

Collins, with 68 goals in 153 games for Luton, is keen to pile more misery on out-of-sorts Chelsea and their under-pressure boss Frank Lampard.

He added: “Once you cross that white line it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing a lower league side or a Premier League side.

“We’re not going there to make the numbers up, we’re going to make the next round.”

HARRY PRATT