DANNY COLLINGE was once nominated for the prestigious Golden Boy award alongside superstars such as Kylian Mbappe, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Vinicius Junior, and Matthijs de Ligt.
The Barnet defender was playing out in Germany for Stuttgart’s second string and his promise was acknowledged among a glittering line-up of Europe’s top talent.
But there was just one snag…Stuttgart did not agree and he was soon bombed out.
And after a couple of years not getting a look-in at Colchester in League Two, he ended up playing for a Dover team that finished their National League season in 2021-22 rock bottom with just ONE POINT … following a 12-point deduction for controversially refusing to play during Covid.
But Collinge finally became an EFL player at the age of 27 after winning promotion with the Bees last season.
And he told SunSport: “It has taken a while but I’m so happy to have made it with Barnet.
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“When I was playing in Germany it was nice to have that recognition and to be put on that list of players.
“But it was also strange because at that exact time, despite still being under contract, Stuttgart were telling me I could leave!
“So it was odd that on one hand I’m on a list with all these illustrious names that have gone on to have great careers but my own club didn’t see me in the same light. It was an odd time.”
Collinge — who had been in the youth set up at MK Dons for a number of years — moved to Germany at the age of 16 and spent five years there.
And the defender explained what took him abroad in the first place.
He said: “I got offered a scholarship by MK Dons but there was no chance of sitting my A Levels there at the time and the education side of it was important to me in case I didn’t make it as a professional footballer.
“A team-mate, Kevin Danso, moved to Augsburg and his agent suggested going to Germany because I could sit my international baccalaureate, which is equivalent to A levels.
“And I got offered a contract with Stuttgart. I just embraced it. When you go out to a new country, you haven’t got that support network that you would normally have back home.
“I had to learn how to work things out for myself and that stretches then onto the football pitch, solving things for yourself.
“You’re a bit more resilient through the tough times when you might have injuries or not be in your best form. You grow as a person.”
Collinge’s experience in Germany with the Golden Boy nomination while his club did not rate him as highly is a perfect example how being at the right club at the right time is so important sometimes in a young talent’s career.
And after two years with Colchester he found himself playing for a Dover team who were not in a good place in the fifth tier.
Yet despite spending a season on the Kent coast — picking up just two wins all season — his performances earned him a move to Barnet.
And he his career has been on the up ever since.
He said: “Actually that season with Dover was good for me in respect to developing some leadership skills.
“It was my first full season playing men’s football and yet despite only being 23 I was one of the more senior players there.
“Most of the squad were aged 18 to 21 so I had to manage them on the pitch and that built some great skills for me. It took my career into a different trajectory.
“And Barnet manager Dean Brennan offered me a contract that allowed me to stay in the National League after Dover were relegated.”
The Bees won promotion in Collinge’s third season with the club and they have got off to a solid start back in League Two.
They travelled to Barrow on Saturday sitting seventh, just outside the play-off spots.
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And Collinge is eager to see where the journey with Barnet takes him — but at the moment he is taking it all in his stride.
He said: “We’re new to this level so it’s best not to look too far ahead. The games are always tough but it’s been a good journey so far.”
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