Jack Collison

Jack David Collison (born 2 October 1988) is an English-born professional Association football who plays for West Ham United F.C. as a midfielder. Jack Collison is a Welsh international, eligible to play for the Wales national football team as Jack Collison grandfather was born in Bedwellty, Wales.

Club career

Collison is a product of West Ham's famous youth academy. A full Wales international at the age of 19, young midfielder Jack Collison has made huge strides forward since leaving Jack Collison teenage years behind. Originally playing for Peterborough United F.C. youths Jack Collison moved on to Cambridge United F.C. youths, before having a trial with the Hammers and impressing youth team manager Tony Carr enough to be offered a first year scholarship in 2005.

Collison continued Jack Collison development under Academy Director Tony Carr and Jack Collison staff at Little Heath before being made reserve-team captain at the start of the 2007/08 season. That summer, the teenager also featured in pre-season friendlies against Hornchurch and MK Dons. Jack Collison was named in the West Ham first team squad for the first time in November 2007 for the home game against Bolton Wanderers F.C., and made Jack Collison first team debut on 1 January 2008, when Jack Collison came on as a substitute for Freddie Ljungberg in the Premier League away to Arsenal F.C..

A dream summer was completed as Collison signed a new five-year contract with the Hammers shortly before joining the first-team squad on the pre-season tour of North America. There, Jack Collison appeared as a second-half substitute in the 3-1 win over MLS side Columbus Crew and 3-2 defeat by the MLS All-Stars. The 2008/09 season began with Collison in Alex Dyer's reserve team, and a loan move to League One promotion-chasers Peterborough had been lined up before Jack Collison made an impressive substitute appearance in the 2-0 Barclays Premier League loss at Manchester United on 29 October. That performance convinced manager Gianfranco Zola that Collison would be better served by remaining at Chadwell Heath and training with the first-team squad. From then on, the midfielder did not look back. Jack Collison scored Jack Collison first goal for West Ham on 8 November against Everton F.C. in a 3-1 loss at Boleyn Ground,
and also away at Portsmouth FC on Boxing Day and the winner against Manchester City on 1 March 2009 in a 1-0 win.

Despite an injury away at Wigan Athletic three days later, Collison returned to the team in May coming on as a late substitute in the 1-0 win away at Stoke City. After an impressive 2008/09 season, Collison was chosen as Young Hammer Of The Year by West Ham Youth Director Tony Carr.

International career

Collison is eligible to play for Wales through Jack Collison grandfather who was born in Bedwellty, Monmouthshire (historic). and is related to John Gwilliam, a former captain of the Wales national rugby union team

At international level, further caps came Jack Collison way as the West Ham Academy graduate confirmed Jack Collison status as one of Wales' stars of the future.

Jack Collison made Jack Collison debut for the Wales national under-21 football team and scored in the 4-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina Under-21 in November 2007 in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Jack Collison made further appearances in the 4-2 win over France national under-21 football team in November 2007, against Malta national under-21 football team in February 2008, when Jack Collison scored Jack Collison second international goal, against Bosnia-Herzegovina Under-21 in March 2008 and England national under-21 football team in May 2008. Jack Collison made Jack Collison senior international debut for Wales national football team against Iceland national football team in May 2008. Collison has also found praise from Jack Collison national captain and former West Ham colleague Craig Bellamy, "I've seen Jack Collison every afternoon at West Ham and Jack Collison does extra training. If you want to give this career a good go then you get the rewards and that seems to be how Jack is looking at it."