HE might have only been at York City for a day but loan signing Michael Collins already feels more at home in his new surroundings than he has done for the last year at his parent club Oxford.

A host of familiar faces greeted the 6ft midfielder on his arrival at the Wigginton Road training ground yesterday with Collins revealing that he holidays each year with James Berrett, grew up playing football with John McCombe and also counts Eddie Nolan as one of his best friends in the game.

Like Berrett and McCombe, the former Republic of Ireland under-21 international started out at Huddersfield, whilst he lined up alongside Nolan under current City chief Russ Wilcox at Scunthorpe.

In addition to being reunited with old pals, Collins' move back to Yorkshire also provides the perfect remedy for the home sickness he was suffering at Oxford where, despite making 43 appearances last season, he has not featured at all this term.

On this week's welcome party, the Halifax-born, 29-year-old said: "I always really enjoyed playing with James Berrett at Huddersfield and we're good mates off the field, who go on holiday together with some other boys every summer.

"I also know John McCombe having come through the youth team with him at Huddersfield and Eddie Nolan is one of my best mates in football, so the place already feels like somewhere I've been for a long time. Hopefully, that will allow me to get off to a flying start because there will be no nerves caused by being in an unfamiliar environment."

Underlining the importance too of moving back under the same roof as his nearest and dearest, Collins added: "The gaffer at Oxford told me I was free to explore a move somewhere else and it's common knowledge that I've been looking to get back up north.

"I'm a northern lad and I was finding it hard being away from my girlfriend and young daughter in Halifax and splitting my time between two places. It's not that easy to perform to your best in those circumstances."`

Collins went on to stress that he would be open to the prospect of a a permanent move beyond the initial one-month agreement and that he has immense respect for Wilcox despite being left out for a spell during their Scunthorpe days.

"I got a phone call on Wednesday when I was on a coaching course and the fact that I'd worked with Russ before played a major part in me wanting to come here," Collins explained. "I've gone a couple of months without playing but one of the reasons for that was I was waiting for the right opportunity to come up.

"Sometimes, you can jump prematurely at the first chance that comes along and I wanted to make sure any move suited me and allowed me to show what I'm capable of and I feel I have the right match here. I've always admired Russ' honesty first and foremost.

"At Scunthorpe, I had a spell out injured and, when I came back, the team was winning so he didn't put me back in but we had a good relationship because I understood the situation. We have a respect for each other which is important but, more than that, he's a football man who thinks about the game a lot, as I do too, so I'm delighted to be working with him again."

Despite Tuesday night's calls for Wilcox's dismissal from sections of the home crowd, meanwhile, Collins insisted that he saw cause for optimism when he was in the crowd for ten-man City's 2-2 draw with Carlisle three games ago.

"I want to play football for a team with ambition and York have certainly got that," he argued. "Even though there's been a couple of defeats recently, I came to the Carlisle game because I had friends in both teams.

"Carlisle played some very good football in that game and have been doing well this season but, while York weren't quite at it for 70 minutes of the game, they ended up getting something out of the game with ten men which, in this division, is vital because you won't get a perfect performance every week.

"I believe that gives you something to build on and, from what I've seen of the lads, there's enough in the squad to be a threat in this division."

A seasoned campaigner, with 338 games and 26 goals to his name at Football League level including a season in the Championship with Scunthorpe, Collins importantly has the confidence to fill the boots of this term's top performer Luke Summerfield during his absence with head and back problems.

He said: "People have told me that the midfield is one of the strong points of the team and I've heard good things about Summerfield before. He will obviously be a big loss but it's important for me to be my own person and put my stamp on the team to make us stronger when he is fit.

"I want to have an influence and be a big player for York City. I'm not just here to get minutes under my belt."

Even though he once netted ten times in a season for Huddersfield during 2008/09, Collins is now reckons he is more effective in a supporting role, declaring: "I really enjoy getting on the ball, passing it and being a presence in there to offer a bit of security for the other boys to go on and win the game, so I'm more of a holding midfielder but I never like to pigeon-hole myself and will do whatever role I am asked to."