DEPARTING Petersfield Town coach Matt Collins says the club still has a place in his heart.

Collins said his goodbyes during a farewell event at Love Lane on Saturday.

“It was very good,” said Collins. “All the lads were there and other people from the club were there. It was nice to see everybody. I didn’t expect it.”

Collins experienced plenty of highs and lows during his time at the club.

He said: “There have been a lot of ups and downs, but the togetherness at the club is really strong.

“I include the players, the management, the chairman and the volunteers in that. Everyone puts their bit in. There’s a brilliant spirit at the club. The lads do everything together. It’s like a family.”

Collins was brought back to Love Lane by Rams boss Mark Summerhill, and the former coach was full of praise for the Petersfield manager.

“I’ve known Mark a long time,” said Collins. “We even played together.

“I’d been away from the club for a couple of months and I went and watched a game.

“Mark was on to me and asked me to work beside him.

“I had a think about it for a couple of hours, and I then told him I was happy to come back and do it.

“He’s been brilliant. He’s a friend in football and a really good friend out of football. It was hard to say goodbye.

“What Mark’s achieved at the club, to get it from where it was to where it is now, is fantastic. The results have been good this season and we’ve beaten teams in the league above. The club is going in the right direction, and I’m happy I’m leaving on a good point.”

Collins admitted it would be hard to join another club, such is his connection to the Rams.

“It would be very difficult to go and step in somewhere else,” he said. “The club is still very close to my heart.”