NEWPORT County’s newest acquisition Jamie Collins has already tasted the big time and now he wants to repeat that feat with the Exiles.

The 25-year-old former Watford, Havant and Hampton and Richmond midfielder has joined for a nominal fee, reuniting with mentor Dean Holdsworth in a bid to capture the Blue Square South title.

However, a championship win and promotion to the Conference wouldn’t faze Collins, a man who captained Havant in an FA Cup tie at Anfield just two years ago.

He is ready to play his part in helping the Blue Square South leaders to achieve their dream and is hoping for immediate involvement with the Exiles entertaining Basingstoke at Spytty Park this afternoon.

Having clinched a surprise move from Hampton, who he only joined in the summer, Collins is ready to find his best form under a manager he’s known since he was 10.

"I’ve known Dean for a very, very long time, most of my life really," he explains.

"I was a trainee at Watford and even as a kid Dean would offer advice and encouragement and always told me that he would sign me one day if he became a manager.

"Luckily that has happened and knowing Dean as I do made it a really easy decision to come here and play."

Holdsworth wasn’t the only factor that saw Hertfordshire-based Collins join Newport.

l continued from back page "Charlie Henry has been really talking up the club and the fans, he said it was a great place to play and Charlie and I go back a few years together at Havant," he said.

"The travelling doesn’t really worry me. I’ve got to leave work at 3pm on training and match days in the week, but luckily I’ve got an understanding boss."

A builder by day and with two young children to look after, Collins is looking forward to pushing for the title this term and hopefully sticking around to play his part in the Conference.

"Everything here is geared to promotion. I know we have a quality group of players from playing against them.

"We definitely want to win the league and believe we can do that," he said.

Collins is hopeful of winning over the Spytty Park faithful.

"They are a hostile crowd to play against, that’s for sure, I guess it’s the England v Wales thing," he said.

"But if they are on your side, that’s a different story.

"They support their side in big numbers and if they’re with you, I imagine they are great to play in front of.

"I’ve only ever been on the other side and that can be difficult but I can’t wait to hopefully impress them and see them get behind me."

Versatile Collins is straight into the squad for today’s clash, though with no new injury problems, boss Holdsworth has selection dilemmas almost all over the field. Nathan Davies and Dave Gilroy remain out on loan at Leamington and Weston respectively.

County (from): Thompson, Blackburn, Bignot, Giles, M Smith, Colborne, Warren, Thelwell, Cochlin, Holgate, Rose, Henry, Thomas, Morgan, Rogers, Collins, Turk, Foley, Reid