Former West Ham defender James Collins enjoyed a smoke during his playing career (Image: Getty)
Premier League and Wales hero James Collins has admitted he smoked during his career in the top flight of football – but not as much as Slaven Bilic.
Centre-back Collins had two spells at West Ham, the first from 2005 to 2009 and the second between 2012 and 2018. Now 40 and retired, he remains a favourite with the Hammers faithful, thanks to his committed and full-blooded approach to defending.
But while he insists he always trained and played hard, putting his body on the line for his team, he freely admits he wasn’t always a model professional. In the bars and nightclubs of Essex, it wouldn’t have been unusual to see the 6ft 2ins star puffing on cigarettes as he enjoyed a drink or two.
“People know, I smoked a lot in my career,” he told the Undr The Cosh podcast. “I’d be up there, having a pint, smoking. Making sure I came into training, training hard and playing hard, then doing the same the next week.”
Asked if any of his managers had ever pulled him on his bad habit, he said: “No, I don’t think so. They must have known. I was out and about and they must have known, but I genuinely didn’t feel like it was affecting me at the time.”
These days, Premier League footballers are more likely to use snus, a form of smokeless tobacco which is placed under the top lip.
Collins, who played more than 50 times for Wales and was part of the Euro 2016 squad that reached the semi-finals, said: “Well they’re all on the snus now, aren’t they? I think if I got a pack of fags out in the dressing room nowaways, everyone would be like, ‘What are you doing?’ But the snus is fine, clearly.”
Manager Slaven Bilic was 'chuffing for fun' at West Ham (Image: Getty)
Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
He added: “I’ve had a fag in some funny places, let me tell you – on buses and that. But it wasn’t major – just now and then, when I had a beer or whatever, so yeah… but just a great time. The football was going well and the nights out were good as well.”
One manager who wasn’t likely to come down hard on Collins for enjoying a crafty cigarette now and then was former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. “Great guy, great man, Slav,” said Collins, reminiscing on his career, to which podcast co-host Chris Brown remarked: “Looks like he likes a fag, Slav…”
Collins replied: “Loves a fag. Loved it. Dressing rooms, toilets, sneaking out, everywhere. All his staff – chuffing for fun they were.”
Collins, nicknamed Ginge, also had spells at Cardiff, Aston Villa and Ipswich. He called time on his career in 2019.