HE’S broken into the Newport County first team squad and has just been called up for Wales, but Exiles forward Aaron Collins might have spent this season flipping burgers, writes Michael Pearlman.

The 18-year old striker who will travel to Germany later this month to represent his country, has enjoyed an eye-catching campaign playing for Newport’s age grade sides, attracting the interest of boss Jimmy Dack.

County’s first team manager is a big fan of the youngster who seems likely to get some game time in the remainder of the campaign, even though Newport are embroiled in a five-way battle for two League Two play-off spots.

The club have been rightly revelling in the spotlight this week after Collins was given the call from the Football Association of Wales – following Regan Poole into the national age grade set-up - but the Argus can reveal that the former Bristol City scholar nearly slipped through the net at Newport as well.

Collins wasn’t one of the players from last season’s youth squad to be offered a scholarship for this season and didn’t end up penning a deal to remain at Rodney Parade until mid-September.

And by that stage, Collins had at least one eye on other things, taking a role in a fast food joint in his native Malpas to pay his petrol money as he considered what to do if his dream of playing for the Exiles faded away. Out of the frying pan and into the fire indeed.

“Aaron was working in McDonalds at the start of the season, he hadn’t been offered a deal from last season and that surprised me when I first saw him,” explained player/coach Mike Flynn who has worked with the County youngsters this term.

“In the first training session we had, he stuck out like a sore thumb in a good way and I was very impressed with him.

“We saw him sign that deal in September and less than six months later he’s got the call to join up with Wales.

“He’s not made it yet, far from it and needs to stay focused and work hard every day, but I do have big belief in him.

“He’s got the talent to make a good living from football and now he needs to match that talent with training intensity and endeavour and always working as hard as he can.”