Sky Blues aiming for the Shrew; CITY CHASE COV KID COLLINS Sky Blues chasing striker who got away as a kid.

Byline: Andy Turner 

COVENTRY City have joined the race to sign Shrewsbury Town hotshot James Collins.

And the Sky Blues might just be in pole position to land the 21-year-old Cov Kid and former season ticket holder, who has made his name this season with 16 goals to help the Shrews secure automatic promotion to League One.

Manager Andy Thorn is understood to be a big admirer of the former Cardinal Wiseman schoolboy, who was on City's Academy books at the age of 12 before being snapped up by Midlands' rivals Aston Villa, following the same path as Cardiff City star Peter Whittingham.

Loan spells at Darlington and Burton Albion at the age of 18 and 19 followed before he signed for Shrewsbury two seasons ago.

And although he didn't start in the team last August, the Shrews' No.9 forced his way into Graham Turner's side and quickly established himself as leading scorer and as a regular in the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad, for whom he has made nine starts and scored three goals.

Turner is desperate to keep the 6ft 1in striker, along with a couple of others also out of contract at the Greenhous Meadow Stadium, and offered him a new two-year contract last month. But he conceded: "If I'm a pessimist, probably a realist would be the right description, I think we might lose one or two of them to better offers. "It's a time of year of opportunity for players. If those players have had good seasons like they have done for us then bigger clubs, better contracts, might be available elsewhere."

And although his agent, Joe Kennedy, insists he's still very much interested in discussing terms at the club and due to sit down with Turner next week, he confirmed that there has been interest from elsewhere. An extremely hard working and consistent centre-forward, Collins, who still lives at home with his parents in Wyken, holds the ball up well and has thrived in a Shrewsbury side based on strong passing principles, in keeping with Thorn's philosophy. And having only turned 21 in December, he is the right age for the manager who is looking to freshen up his attack next season. Although Collins is out of contract, Shrewsbury would be entitled to compensation if he leaves and City cannot currently sign him, of course, until the club's transfer embargo is lifted. Meanwhile, the Telegraph understands that no official bid has been lodged by Ipswich Town for player-of-the-year Richard Keogh.

The defender, who has another year left on his current contract, has been linked with interest from the Tractor Boys as well as Leeds and Cardiff but City remain determined to hang on to the 25-year-old, who Thorn sees as a key player in leading the club's push for the Championship next season. City chief Tim Fisher has gone on record as saying, "He's a good player and there will be intense pressure from outside to extract him..." adding, "There is always a figure X but it would have to be a big figure; I think the value of Richard staying would far outweigh little bit of cash with money on appearances..." Go online to have your say on this story at... www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport

CAPTION(S):

GOAL-GETTER: James Collins (right) celebrates scoring with Shrewsbury team-mate, and former Coventry City player, Jermaine Grandison.