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James Collins has ripped up a £50,000 contract at Aston Villa after injuring himself just an hour after signing it.

Unattached former Welsh international defender Collins has been training with Championship Villa this term after leaving West Ham.

The ex-Villa stopper started working with the club under Steve Bruce in a bid to win a deal.

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When Bruce was axed in October, Collins, 35, continued to impress successor Dean Smith.

It saw Collins play in a friendly against Yeovil to press his claims and prove his fitness.

(Image: Stu Forster)

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Smith later tabled a short-term deal worth around £10,000-a-week until the end of January to secure experience and cover at the back.

But Mirror Sport understands Collins went out to train later that morning and promptly injured his calf.

The star, frustrated with himself, then trooped back inside Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground and tore up the paperwork.

But the star's actions could help him in 2019 when he returns to full fitness.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Villa officials are understood to be highly-impressed at a rare example of a player refusing to be paid when injured.

Villa boss Smith is willing to give the defender every chance to still potentially earn another contract in the future.

Smith said: “James has picked up a calf injury and hasn't trained.

“He has a tight calf so there's nothing moving with that.”

(Image: EMPICS Sport)

(Image: Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)

Collins, who has 50 international caps, previously made 108 appearances for Villa from 2009–2012 in a successful spell at the then Premier League club.

It included a sixth place finish in the top-flight and an League Cup runners-up medal and FA Cup semi-final.

Collins then returned to West Ham for more six more years before being released last summer via email.

Villa desperately need a new centre-back with just Axel Tuanzebe and James Chester there, leaving Smith short in central defence where midfielder Mile Jedinak has helped out.