Collins John facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Collins John

John with Riverhounds, 2014
Personal information
Full name	Collins John
Date of birth	(1985-10-17) 17 October 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Zwedru, Liberia
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
0000–2002	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 Men's football Representing  Netherlands UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2006 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Collins John (born 17 October 1985) is a former professional footballer. He played as a striker. Collins was born in Liberia. He later played for the Netherlands national team.

Collins John is well-known for his time in the Premier League with Fulham. He scored 23 goals in 111 games for them. He also played for other English teams like Leicester City and Watford. His career took him to clubs in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United States, Azerbaijan, and Iran.

Collins John's Football Journey

Starting Out in the Netherlands

Collins John began his professional career at age 17. He joined FC Twente in the Eredivisie, which is the top Dutch football league. He scored 11 goals in one and a half seasons there.

Playing for Fulham

On 31 January 2004, Collins John joined Fulham. The manager, Chris Coleman, wanted him to boost the team's attack. Fulham paid around £600,000 for him. His first game for Fulham was against Chelsea on 20 March. He then scored two goals in each of his next two matches. These were against Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers.

In the 2005–06 season, John was Fulham's top scorer. He scored 11 league goals, even though he only started 15 games. He scored a fantastic goal against Middlesbrough in November 2005. This goal was named "Goal of the Month" by the BBC. It was also a contender for "Goal of the Season".

Loan Spells and Challenges

Collins John went on loan to Leicester City on 23 October 2007. He scored his first goal for them against Barnsley. He scored another goal against Colchester United. After 11 games, he returned to Fulham.

In January 2008, he joined Watford on loan. He had some fitness issues there. He only made five appearances before returning to Fulham due to a thigh injury. Later in 2008, John went on loan to NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands. He faced more challenges there and returned to Fulham in March 2009.

Moving to Other Countries

After his time at Fulham, Collins John signed a two-year contract with K.S.V. Roeselare in Belgium. However, his contract was ended in December for disciplinary reasons.

In 2010, John moved to the United States. He joined Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire. He played 17 games and scored 3 goals before being released in November 2010. He then played for Gabala FC in Azerbaijan in 2011. Later that year, he signed with Mes Sarcheshmeh in Iran.

In 2012, John joined Barnet in England. He played alongside famous Dutch international Edgar Davids. John's time at Barnet was short due to injuries. His contract was ended in January 2013. He later had a brief spell with Piast Gliwice in Poland.

Later Career and Coaching

In March 2014, Collins John signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the United States. He scored four goals in 12 games for them. He left the club in July 2014 to return to Europe with his family.

From 2016 to 2017, John started coaching. He coached the under-19 team for SC Buitenboys. In mid-2019, he also joined their first team as a player. He played in the Derde Klasse, a Dutch amateur league.

International Career

Collins John was part of the Netherlands under-21 squad. They won the 2006 European Championship in Portugal.

He also played for the main Netherlands national team. His first game was a friendly match against Sweden on 18 August 2004. He played a second game against Liechtenstein.

Club statistics

Personal Life

Collins John was born in Zwedru, Liberia. His family moved to the Netherlands because of conflict in Liberia.

His two brothers, Paddy and Ola, are also professional footballers.

Honours

Netherlands U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2006

See also

In Spanish: Collins John para niños