A talented and hard-running midfielder, usually wearing the number 4 shirt, he was known for his dedicated attitude to the game and went on to become a regular and eventually club captain.

In 1970, he played a significant part in Chelsea's hard-fought FA Cup final win over Leeds United, supplying the cross for Ian Hutchinson's late headed equaliser at Wembley.

Chelsea also reached another League Cup final in 1972, losing to Stoke City, but declined thereafter, though Hollins remained until the side's relegation to the Second Division at the end of the 1974–75 season, when he was sold to nearby Queens Park Rangers.

In the second half of the 1981-82 campaign, Hollins began to fill in at right back after John Devine fell out of favour, and became a firm favourite with the crowd.

[1][4] Hollins returned to Chelsea on a free transfer in 1983, and helped the club gain promotion back to the First Division in 1983–84, playing a further 30 times.

Chelsea built up a strong title challenge in 1985–86 and went top in February, but they finished sixth after collecting a mere nine points from a possible 33 during their final 11 games.

[5] Chelsea won the Full Members Cup in the same season, though, hanging on for a 5–4 win over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, having almost let slip a 5–1 lead.

Hollins was sacked in March 1988 with the club in the midst of a four-month run without a league win which would see the season end in Chelsea being relegated in the first ever two-leg relegation/promotion play-offs against Middlesbrough .

Hollins then set up his own sports promotion and agency company, before being tempted back to join the coaching staff of his old club QPR in 1993, and stepped in as caretaker manager between Stewart Houston's dismissal and Ray Harford's appointment during the 1997–98 season.

[7] Hollins spent a short time as the assistant manager at Raith Rovers in 2004, under Claude Anelka—the brother of Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka.

[10] Hollins was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to football in the 1982 Birthday Honours,[11] and also made a memorable anti-smoking commercial for television in the same year as part of a Government campaign entitled Look After Yourself.