The 27-year-old, who now plays for Peterborough United, eventually underwent surgery for the knee injury that kept him out of action for more than a year.
In a heart felt interview for the Independent Collison claims that rather than treat him properly, the unnamed Hammers doctor encouraged him to carry on playing to avoid having to deal with a long term patient.
Talking about his knee injury Collison told the Independent
“I knew it was a bad one straight away, I gripped on to the grass trying to stop the intense pain shooting through my leg but nothing would work.”
“I couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. I was disappointed the next day when I found out the club doctor was content for me to fly to Spain on a team trip rather than to get my knee sorted. This was one of the first times I realised there was more that went on behind the scenes. People were in it for themselves, and over the next year I felt how little regard there was for me as a young professional. I considered I had been put at risk by this doctor to avoid him having a long-term injury on his hands. How disappointing was that?”
“I didn’t make it to the end of the season and had to go in myself and tell the manager that I could no longer continue. He seemed shocked and I’m not sure to what extent he knew of my situation with my knee. Once again I felt the doctor’s agenda was very different to mine and being naive and not wanting to miss any football I went along with the plan, not realising the lasting effects it could have on my career.”
Read the full interview here