AFTER a stop-start beginning to his Hartlepool United career, Sam Collins is targeting some consistency next season.

This season, Pools have never managed to remain unbeaten for more than three games, while away from home they've lost 15 times, never managing back-toack point hauls going into today's final game of the season at Walsall.

Equally, Collins has been in and out of the side since his £75,000 move from Hull City.

Nine appearances from a possible 17 is all he's managed due to a combination of suspension and injury. When available, Collins' influence cannot be underestimated.

"Touch wood I can stay injuryfree and have a real good go at it,'' he said, looking ahead.

"This season, I didn't get training until the middle of September.

I didn't have a pre-season where I was joining in properly - I was just getting myself fit and trying to get my knee right.

"Hopefully, after a good preseason, I can impress the fans even more.

"I was desperate to play at Brighton a couple of weeks ago but the gaffer said it was too soon and he wanted to be careful.

"To be fair it was bad when I injured my ribs. I was in agony, so he held me back a little bit and asked me to play 60 minutes for the reserves last Wednesday to see if I was alright.

"Then he pulled me over on Thursday, asked how I was and I said I feel alright'.

"I have really enjoyed it when I have played, but there was nothing I could about the sending off and there was nothing I could do about my ribs. I just jumped for a header and someone took my legs out. It was painful."

Collins partnered Micky Nelson in the middle of defence last weekend, with Ben Clark moving into midfield.

With three central defenders for two places, boss Danny Wilson has options.

And, with changes to come in the summer - today's game will be the last in a blue and white shirt for some - Collins admitted: "There will definitely be changes, so if we can bring four or five new players in, it is good.

"It is always healthy to bring new players in.

"I know when I joined the gaffer said maybe the fans might have been looking for a flair player up front but he wanted to bring someone in to solidify things a little bit.

"It freshens up the squad having a new face in there.

"It inspires you a little bit because you want to impress whoever you are playing with. Whenever I have known a new player come in, I have thought come on then'.

"We want that bit of quality with players who have been around and know what it is about.

"I know sometimes a manager will take a punt on a young lad from a Premiership club and you never know, there might be one of them as well."

"We want options all over the pitch and that's what he is trying to get for next season.

"There are three good centrehalves here and we can push Ben into midfield because I thought he did well there on Saturday.

"I can remember playing against him a couple of times for Port Vale when he played there and he can do that no problem."