After 214 appearances over ten seasons at the club, West Ham United have announced that James Collins will be leaving after his contract expires next month.
According to Sky Sports News, the player was told that a new deal was unlikely, but that the final decision lay with incoming manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Collins, 34, spent the majority of his career at the London club over two spells, after playing out his younger years at Cardiff City.
Having joined the Hammers in 2005, he joined Aston Villa for three years in 2009 before returning three years later.
Though never breaking the 30 appearance mark in any of his seasons at the club, the Welshman was known to fans as a constant presence in the squad, especially under Sam Allardyce’s management. He simultaneously established himself in the Wales squad.
David Gold, the club’s chairman, had this to say:
“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks for the outstanding service James has given West Ham United down the years.
“His bravery and commitment on the pitch were never called into question and he has played his part in establishing the Club in the Premier League since his return in 2012.
“We appreciate just how popular James is among our fellow supporters but, with the appointment of a new manager, we felt together that the time was right to go our separate ways.”
However, the circumstances behind Collins’ departure were controversial, to say the least, with some sources saying the player was not told of the decision in person, but by email.
