Who Is Bradley Collins?
Bradley Ray Collins, commonly known as Brad Collins, is an English professional goalkeeper who plays for Bristol City. Born on February 18, 1997, in Southampton, England, Collins came through Chelsea’s academy before building his senior career with Forest Green Rovers, Burton Albion, Barnsley and Coventry City. In July 2026, he joined Bristol City as a free agent on a two-year contract.
While much of Collins’ career has been well documented, his family life is considerably more private. The most significant information he has publicly shared concerns his late father, who played a major role in his development and regularly took him to Chelsea training when he was a youngster. Collins has also spoken about how Chelsea supported his entire family following his father’s death.
Information about Bradley Collins’ mother, siblings, girlfriend and children is much more limited. As of 2026, reliable public sources do not identify those relatives or confirm that he has a wife or children.
Bradley Collins’ Parents and Family Background
Bradley Collins grew up in southern England and entered the Chelsea academy at around 11 or 12 years old. His family consequently became closely involved in the demanding routine required for a young player developing at one of England’s biggest football clubs.
The family member Collins has spoken about most publicly is his father. During an interview reflecting on his Chelsea years, Collins revealed that his dad took him to the club virtually every day from the time he joined the academy. His father became familiar with Chelsea’s coaches and developed close relationships with members of the academy staff.
That support continued until Collins experienced a major personal loss during his academy years when his father died.
Collins later said Chelsea’s response during that period had left a lasting impression on him. Academy figures including Adi Viveash and Neil Bath helped Collins and his family at the time, including assisting them around the funeral.
The episode provides the clearest publicly documented insight into the Bradley Collins family and demonstrates that his relationship with Chelsea extended beyond football.
Who Was Bradley Collins’ Father?
Bradley Collins’ father was one of the most influential people in his early football career, although his name and profession have not been reliably disclosed in prominent public football sources.
Collins recalled that his father drove him to Chelsea regularly from the time he joined the club as a youngster. Because of those repeated visits, his dad also became well known to academy coaches.
Collins was still part of Chelsea’s system when his father passed away. Chelsea’s official website later highlighted Collins’ gratitude toward the club for the support it provided to him and his family following the loss.
Rather than focusing solely on trophies or his development as a goalkeeper, Collins has described that support as one of the things he remembers most strongly about his nine years with Chelsea.
His comments underline how central his father had been to his academy journey.
When Did Bradley Collins’ Father Die?
Bradley Collins has confirmed that his father died while he was still a Chelsea player.
A Chelsea article published in 2020 described his father’s death as having occurred approximately four years earlier, placing it during Collins’ academy period.
Collins did not publicly go into extensive personal detail about the circumstances. What he did emphasize was the impact of the loss and the assistance Chelsea provided to his family during that period.
Because Collins himself has kept the matter relatively private, more specific claims about his father’s personal life should not be made without stronger sourcing.
Bradley Collins’ Mother
There is very little reliable public information about Bradley Collins’ mother.
The major interviews covering Collins’ upbringing and family focus primarily on his late father. Publicly available Chelsea, Barnsley and Coventry coverage does not prominently identify his mother by name or reveal her occupation.
Collins did say that Chelsea supported his family when his father died, indicating that the club’s assistance extended beyond the player himself. However, he has not publicly provided the same level of detail about his mother that he has about his father.
For that reason, the identity of Bradley Collins’ mother should be treated as private rather than filled in using unverified internet biographies.
Bradley Collins’ Siblings
There is currently no reliable public information confirming whether Bradley Collins has brothers or sisters.
The detailed accounts of his Chelsea academy years and the loss of his father do not identify any siblings.
This does not establish that Collins is an only child. It simply means that the existence and identities of any Bradley Collins siblings have not been sufficiently documented in trustworthy public sources.
Given how frequently the surname Collins appears in football, it is also important not to assume that another footballer with the same surname is related to him without direct evidence.
How Bradley Collins’ Family Supported His Chelsea Career
Collins spent approximately nine years within Chelsea’s academy system, joining as a youngster and developing into one of the club’s leading youth goalkeepers. He was involved in successful Chelsea sides that won the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League.
His father’s contribution was particularly important during those years.
Collins recalled that his dad would take him to Chelsea every day and became familiar with the coaching staff. The routine demonstrates the substantial family commitment involved in allowing a young goalkeeper to pursue academy football at elite level.
When his father later died, those existing relationships between the Collins family and Chelsea became especially significant. Academy staff helped the family through the difficult period, an experience Collins continued to remember years after leaving the club.
Bradley Collins’ Girlfriend and Relationship Status
As of August 2026, no girlfriend or partner has been reliably identified publicly as Bradley Collins’ current partner.
The goalkeeper has generally maintained a low profile regarding his romantic life. The credible interviews and club profiles reviewed for this article concentrate on football and his family background rather than a relationship.
This does not necessarily mean Bradley Collins is single. It means that his current relationship status has not been established through sufficiently reliable public reporting.
For accuracy, people who appear alongside Collins on social media should not automatically be described as Bradley Collins’ girlfriend without confirmation from Collins or a trustworthy source.
Is Bradley Collins Married?
There is currently no reliable public confirmation that Bradley Collins is married.
None of the major sources reviewed concerning his personal background or recent career moves identifies a wife or reports that Collins has married.
His marital status therefore appears to be something he keeps outside his public football profile.
Does Bradley Collins Have Children?
As of August 2026, there are no credible public reports confirming that Bradley Collins has children.
Recent reporting about his move to Bristol City and earlier profiles covering his career do not identify him as a father.
Consequently, there is currently no reliable evidence that Collins has a son or daughter.
Bradley Collins’ Childhood and Chelsea Academy Years
Collins was born in Southampton on February 18, 1997 and joined Chelsea’s academy as a youngster. He eventually spent around nine years in the club’s youth structure.
He became part of an exceptionally successful generation of Chelsea academy players, featuring in teams that won both the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League.
Despite his success at youth level, Collins did not make a competitive senior appearance for Chelsea. Instead, the club sent him on loan so that he could gain first-team experience.
He spent the 2017–18 season with Forest Green Rovers and then joined Burton Albion for the 2018–19 campaign.
Those loan spells prepared him for a permanent departure from Chelsea.
Bradley Collins’ Barnsley Career
Collins left Chelsea and joined Barnsley in 2019, signing a four-year contract.
His time at Oakwell proved important in establishing him as a regular senior goalkeeper. He eventually made 117 appearances for Barnsley and was named the club’s Player of the Season for 2021–22.
It was while representing Barnsley against Chelsea in the League Cup that Collins publicly reflected on returning to Stamford Bridge and spoke about how the club had helped his family following his father’s death.
That match therefore carried personal significance beyond football.
Bradley Collins’ Coventry City and Burton Albion Years
Coventry City signed Collins from Barnsley in July 2023, giving him a three-year contract.
He made 46 appearances for Coventry across his first two seasons before falling down the goalkeeping order. Coventry subsequently loaned him to Burton Albion for the 2025–26 season.
Collins became a regular starter again at Burton. The club reported that he made 43 appearances during the loan and kept 11 clean sheets before returning to Coventry at the end of the campaign.
His Coventry contract then expired in the summer of 2026.
Bradley Collins’ Move to Bristol City
Bradley Collins joined Bristol City on July 11, 2026, after becoming a free agent following the expiration of his Coventry contract.
The 29-year-old signed a two-year deal running until June 2028, with Bristol City bringing him in to strengthen competition within their goalkeeping department.
The move reunited Collins with Championship football after his season of regular playing time at Burton Albion in League One.
As of August 2026, Bristol City is Bradley Collins’ current club.
FAQ About Bradley Collins’ Family
Who are Bradley Collins’ parents?
Bradley Collins has not publicly disclosed both of his parents’ names in reliable football sources. His late father played a particularly significant role in his career and regularly drove him to Chelsea training during his academy years.
Who was Bradley Collins’ father?
Bradley Collins’ father’s name has not been prominently disclosed in reliable sources. Collins has explained that his dad took him to Chelsea every day when he was young and developed strong relationships with members of the academy staff.
Is Bradley Collins’ father still alive?
No. Collins has publicly confirmed that his father died during his years at Chelsea. Chelsea subsequently provided significant support to Collins and his family.
Who is Bradley Collins’ mother?
Bradley Collins’ mother’s name and occupation have not been reliably disclosed through prominent public football sources.
Does Bradley Collins have siblings?
There is currently no reliable public information confirming whether Bradley Collins has brothers or sisters.
Does Bradley Collins have a girlfriend?
As of August 2026, there is no reliably confirmed public information identifying Bradley Collins’ girlfriend or current partner.
Is Bradley Collins married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Bradley Collins is married as of August 2026.
Does Bradley Collins have children?
There are no credible public reports confirming that Bradley Collins has children as of August 2026.
What is Bradley Collins’ full name?
His full name is Bradley Ray Collins.
Where was Bradley Collins born?
Bradley Collins was born in Southampton, England, on February 18, 1997.
Did Bradley Collins play for Chelsea?
Collins spent around nine years in Chelsea’s academy and won major youth honours, including the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League, although he did not establish himself in Chelsea’s senior first team.
Which clubs has Bradley Collins played for?
Collins developed at Chelsea and subsequently represented Forest Green Rovers and Burton Albion on loan before permanent spells with Barnsley and Coventry City. He returned to Burton on loan in 2025–26 before moving to Bristol City in 2026.
Which club does Bradley Collins play for in 2026?
As of August 2026, Bradley Collins plays for Bristol City in the Championship. He joined as a free agent on July 11, 2026.
When does Bradley Collins’ Bristol City contract expire?
Collins signed a two-year Bristol City contract that runs until June 30, 2028.

Miguel Manjate is a football journalist and editor covering the Premier League, European competitions, and transfer news, with a strong focus on match analysis and data-driven reporting.
