 John with Riverhounds, 2014 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Collins John | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1985-10-17)17 October 1985 (age 40) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Zwedru, Liberia | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Striker | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| –2002 | DES Nijverdal | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Twente | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Twente | 35 | (11) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | Fulham | 95 | (20) | ||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | →Leicester City (loan) | 11 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | →Watford (loan) | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | →N.E.C. (loan) | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Roeselare | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Chicago Fire | 17 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Gabala | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Mes Sarcheshmeh | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Barnet | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Piast Gliwice | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Piast Gliwice II | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 12 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Buitenboys | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 209 | (41) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Netherlands U16 | 2 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Netherlands U21 | 9 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Netherlands | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Collins John (born 17 October 1985) is a former professionalfootballer who played as astriker. Born in Liberia, he represented theNetherlands national team.
John notably played in thePremier League forFulham where he notched up 23 goals in 111 appearances, in all competitions, in a five-year stay atCraven Cottage. He also played in the Englishfootball league forLeicester City,Watford, andBarnet, in theEredivisie forFC Twente andNEC Nijmegen, in Belgium forK.S.V. Roeselare, the United States forChicago Fire,Azerbaijan forGabala FC and inIran forMes Sarcheshmeh F.C.
John started his professional career atDutch first division sideFC Twente as a 17-year-old, going on to score 11 league goals during one and a half seasons combined. He was signed byFulham on 31 January 2004, cited by managerChris Coleman as a way to expand attacking options in the future.[1] He signed for a fee thought to be in the region of £600,000 where he was introduced at Loftus Road byJohn Collins, his reverse namesake. His debut for the club came as a substitute forMark Pembridge againstChelsea in a 2–1 defeat atStamford Bridge on 20 March.[2] He then scored two goals in each of his next two games againstLeicester City andBlackburn Rovers.[3][4]
Following an auspicious start, John scored 11league goals in2005–06, despite only starting 15 of the 37 in which he appeared. With a further two goals in other competitions, he was Fulham's top goalscorer that season. A goal againstMiddlesbrough on 20 November 2005, a volley from his weaker foot, was later to be named "Goal of the Month" by theBBC, and was in the running for "Goal of the Season".[5][6]
John started six of the first seven Premiership games of2006–07, but then lost his place and started only three more times in 2006. Coming on as a second-half substitute, and having had two goals disallowed earlier in the match, he scored his twentieth league goal atManchester City, in November 2006.
John signed forLeicester City on 23 October 2007 on a three-month loan deal.[7] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat toSheffield United a few hours later,[8] and scored his first league goal in a 2–0 win overBarnsley on 27 October.[9]
John scored his last goal againstColchester United six days later, in a 1–1 away draw.[10] He returned to Fulham after making a total of eleven league appearances for Leicester.
On 25 January 2008, John joined Watford on a loan deal until the end of the2007–08 season, with the option of a permanent move after that. He struggled with his fitness during his time at the club, making only three starts and two substitute appearances. In April 2008 he returned to Fulham after tearing a thigh muscle.
On the 2008 transfer deadline day, John moved toNEC Nijmegen on a one-year loan deal, with the Dutch side also obtaining a transfer option.[11] InNijmegen John suffered with continual problems. Although he was important as a substitute in twoUEFA Cup matches, he failed to make an impression in the Dutch league. In January 2009 he went on trial atCharlton Athletic but wasn't offered a contract. Back in Nijmegen he was suspended to the reserve squad by managerMario Been. On 3 March John returned to Fulham after both NEC and John didn't see any reason for continuing the loan. In March, John requested to train with Dutch sideHeracles Almelo, alongside his brotherPaddy, till the end of the 2008–09 season. The request was denied because John had no intention to play for Heracles in the next season.
He chose to sign forBelgian Pro League sideRoeselare signing a 2-year contract.[12] On 3 December, John was suspended and demoted to the reserve squad for disciplinary reasons by managerDennis van Wijk. On 14 December Roeselare terminated John's contract.[13]
John joinedMajor League Soccer clubChicago Fire during their pre-season training camp on 29 January 2010 with a view to signing before the start of the 2010 MLS season.[14] On 11 March 2010, Chicago Fire hired him on a free transfer.[15] After a disappointing season in MLS, John was released by Chicago on 24 November 2010.[16]
John joinedGabala FC in Azerbaijan on 25 January 2011.[17] After failing to revive his career in Azerbaijan, John handed in a transfer request. John went on trial withNottingham Forest and flew to Portugal with them for a pre-season break.
He signed a one-year contract withIran Pro League sideMes Sarcheshmeh on 20 December 2011.[18] In the summer of 2012, John agreed to sign forGençlik Gücü S.K. in Northern Cyprus, but the transfer fell through. On 22 September 2012, John joinedLeague Two sideBarnet.[19] On 12 October 2012 John was joined at the club by fellow former Dutch internationalEdgar Davids. John made his debut againstPlymouth Argyle, but was substituted after just 15 minutes due to a thigh injury.[20] He also played in theFA Cup againstOxford United,[21] but he was to make only two appearances for the club, and after a string of injuries, had his contract terminated by mutual consent in January 2013.[22]
On 25 June 2013 John joinedEredivisie sideGo Ahead Eagles on trial.[23] After failing to win a contract with Go Ahead Eagles, John held talks with PolishEkstraklasa sidePiast Gliwice,[24] and later claimed onTwitter that he had signed a two-year deal,[25] but in fact was only training with the club until he had proven his fitness. He eventually made his debut in theEkstraklasa on 1 September againstŚląsk Wrocław as an 82nd-minute substitute.
In March 2014 it was announced the John had signed for thePittsburgh Riverhounds of theUSL Pro, the third division of theUnited States soccer pyramid.[26] John debuted for the club in their second matchday of the season against theRichmond Kickers on 5 April 2014. After coming on as a 65th-minute substitute forJason Johnson,[27] John scored his first goal for the club in his debut, the Riverhounds' only goal in the 1–3 defeat.[28] In the Riverhounds' next match, John scored again during his first game atHighmark Stadium againstWilmington Hammerheads FC, for a total of two goals in two matches.[29] Following that match, John was suspended for three matches for "violent conduct".[30] After making thirteen appearances and scoring four goals for the Riverhounds, John and the club mutually terminated the player's contract in July 2014, citing John's desire to return his family to Europe.[31]
John joinedCrawley Town on trial in July 2014, scoring in a friendly againstBrighton & Hove Albion.[32]
From the 2016–17 season, John coached the under-19 team of SC Buitenboys.[33] He joined their first team as a player in mid-2019, competing in theDerde Klasse.[34]
John was part of theNetherlands under-21 squad that won the2006 European Championship in Portugal.[35]
Previously, he had already made hismain team debuts, appearing in a 2–2 friendly match againstSweden, on 18 August 2004. He then made his second appearance for the Netherlands when they played in a friendly match againstLiechtenstein.
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Twente | 2002–03 | Eredivisie | 17 | 2 | 17 | 2 | ||||||
| 2003–04 | Eredivisie | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 10 | |||||
| Total | 35 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 36 | 12 | ||||
| Fulham | 2003–04 | Premier League | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | 8 | 4 | |||
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 27 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 35 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 38 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 1 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 95 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | 108 | 23 | |||
| Leicester City | 2007–08 | Championship | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | 11 | 2 | |||
| Watford | 2007–08 | Championship | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| NEC Nijmegen | 2008–09 | Eredivisie | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | |
| K.S.V. Roeselare | 2009–10 | Belgian Pro League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Chicago Fire | 2010 | Major League Soccer | 17 | 3 | — | — | — | 17 | 3 | |||
| Gabala | 2010–11 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Mes Sarcheshmeh | 2011–12 | Iran Pro League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| Barnet | 2012–13 | Football League Two | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| Piast Gliwice | 2013–14 | Ekstraklasa | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Piast Gliwice II | 2013–14 | III liga | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | |||
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 2014 | USL Pro | 12 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 204 | 41 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 224 | 47 | ||
John was born inZwedru,Liberia, but his family emigrated to the Netherlands after the murder of his father, during theLiberian Civil War.[36]
His two brothersPaddy andOla are also footballers.[37]
Netherlands U21
