Injured Lincoln City striker James Collins has added another significant qualification to his considerable footballing CV after completing his UEFA A Licence.
The experienced forward has been working towards the qualification alongside his playing career and has completed the course through the Football Association of Ireland. It represents another important step in his development away from the pitch and could help prepare him for a future role in coaching when he eventually brings his playing career to an end.
The UEFA A Licence sits immediately below the UEFA Pro Licence within UEFA’s coaching pathway. It is aimed at coaches working within the professional game and covers areas including tactical development, player management, leadership and the planning of training programmes.
Collins announced his achievement on LinkedIn, reflecting on the opportunity to learn from the coaches and fellow candidates involved in the course.
“I am pleased to announce I have completed my UEFA A Licence with the FAI, great course with some great people and coaches.
“It’s always good to take little bits of learning from coaches and managers within the game. I am looking forward to using that knowledge moving forward.”
The 35-year-old has accumulated more than 700 senior club appearances during a career which began at Aston Villa and has subsequently taken him to clubs including Shrewsbury Town, Swindon Town, Hibernian, Crawley Town, Luton Town, Cardiff City, Derby County and the Imps.
Collins has also represented the Republic of Ireland on 13 occasions, scoring twice, and has experienced promotion from each of the three EFL divisions during his career. His longevity and extensive knowledge of the professional game should provide a strong foundation if he decides to move into coaching.
He is already regarded as an influential presence within the City dressing room. Joint head coach Tom Shaw recently described the support Collins had offered the group while recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered against Huddersfield Town in December.
That injury ended his 2025/26 campaign prematurely, although City subsequently activated an option in his contract to keep him at Sincil Bank until the summer of 2027.
Collins had scored six times in all competitions before being injured and remained an important member of the squad as the Imps secured promotion to the Championship.
The striker has recently reached another stage of his rehabilitation, returning to outdoor running at the Elite Performance Centre. Shaw revealed earlier this month that Collins had been completing laps of the pitches as he continued working towards a return to first-team training.
There is still no confirmed date for him to resume competitive action, but completing his UEFA A Licence means the forward has used part of his enforced absence to continue developing his understanding of the game, and to prepare for life after the game.
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