He decided to have his lower right leg amputated in 2019 to give him the “best quality of life” going forward.
The left wingback said: “I suffered a spinal injury and the whole of my right side was affected.”
“I lost feeling and control in my right leg and I never got it back in my ankle,” stated Collison.
“I made the decision to have the best quality for my future life. Having the prosthetic has given me more freedom.”
Collinson said his prosthetic has been “fantastic” despite being a challenge to get used to and has helped him back into football.
He had initially returned to the game with a team for amputees two years ago but has been playing with the able-bodied Feering Village for the last 18 months.
He explained: “I was playing amputee football before but it was played on crutches and I ended up fracturing my wrist. I couldn’t afford to lose the use of my wrist after everything that had happened.”
“I thought it might mean I’d have to stop playing football again but instead I went to Feering to make some numbers up. It snowballed from there.”
“I used to play football when I was younger and after the incident, I thought I wouldn’t be able to walk again, let alone play football. The whole way through the amputation, playing football has been a goal and an aim of mine to work towards.”
Collinson was released from the army under medical discharge and is now raising his sons George, seven, and Edward, two with his wife Jessica.
His family and teammates saw him score and he said everybody was “absolutely made up”.
The Colchester United fan added: “I’m very lucky I managed to find a club through pure fluke that took a chance on me.”
“Having a situation where I thought I’d never play again, I thought every time on the pitch could have been the last.”
“Being back at grassroots football and playing in a local park with friends, it feels like a dream come true.”
“For others who are facing or have faced amputation, nothing is impossible and whatever you set your mind to, there is a way.”
“Even if you sit there during the first couple of days and think your life is over: it is better to try and fail than fail to try. The first step is always the hardest.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
Edited by Priscilla Jepchumba and Judy J. Rotich
