Collins raring to go for Cardiff opener

West Ham defender James Collins cannot wait to return to Wales when his club face Cardiff in their Premier League season opener.

The 29-year-old Welshman started his career at Cardiff, signing as a trainee when he was 16.

He spent almost five years at the club, making 86 senior appearances.

The Wales international left the club in 2005 to join West Ham, and after moving to Aston Villa in 2009, he returned to Upton Park last season.

Collins is keen to get going in the 2013-14 campaign and says that West Ham’s first match of the season against his old club will be extra special for him.

“It will be good. I looked at it straight away and, with my family still living down there, they were excited as well,” Collins told West Ham’s official website.

“It will be strange playing against them in the Premier League, but they have done great to come up so it’s one I am looking forward to.

“The same as last year, we had my other former club Aston Villa and we got the three points against them, so fingers crossed we can do the same.

“I played against Cardiff once when I was at Villa in the League Cup (in September 2009) but it will be great to play against them in the league.

“There are not too many faces there from my time any more, but they did give me my start in football so I do keep an eye on them.

“Like last year, though, I’ll be playing as hard as ever to get the three points.”

Collins made 30 appearances in all competitions for West Ham last term.