collins was associated with kilmarnock's youth academy, the team he supported as a boy, before being released at the age of 14. he began his career with scottish amateur club, queen's park, making four appearances in the 2000–01 season as john mccormack's "spiders" were relegated from the second division to the third division. he played 31 games as queen's park finished bottom of the scottish football league in 2001–02. during this time he worked at a safeway supermarket.