Growing up in a one-parent family and living largely off a diet of frozen food, veganism was the furthest thing from Chris Smalling’s mind.
Now 29-years-old, the Manchester United defender credits it for making him stronger and fitter than ever.
Smalling is the only vegan at United after being converted by his wife Sam, but he revealed that it hasn’t stopped some of his teammates taking his food in the canteen at Carrington.
‘A couple of the options are for me and sometimes they’ll be like, “ooh, that looks nice”,’ said Smalling. ‘It might be Thai red curry or something like that. Sometimes half of it is gone.
‘In football, you’re used to everyone eating together off the buffet. I spoke with Mark (Ellison) the nutritionist and the chef (Mike Donnelly). Mike hadn’t cooked much vegan food so there's a bit of influence from my wife, in terms of her recipes. It became quite easy.
‘I wish I was more educated in food when I was younger because of the importance of it not just in sport but in life.
‘I’m the exact same weight as I was three years ago. We do a lot of testing on our hamstrings and on the bike in the gym, and I’m constantly hitting a lot of personal bests. I know I’m getting stronger and fitter.’
Smalling was speaking at an event at Salford City Academy after becoming a patron of Football Beyond Borders, an education charity based in Brixton which uses the sport to inspire young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Smalling knows from personal experience just how close he came to missing out on a professional career growing up in Chatham, Kent, with his mum Theresa and younger brother Jason after their dad Lloyd passed away when he was only five.
‘I didn’t come the traditional route,’ said Smalling who was playing non-league football with Maidstone United before joining Fulham in 2008.
‘I’ve had many setbacks. It’s about kids having a dream and seeing a pathway to realise that. Hopefully I can relate to them all.’
The England centre-back is expected to be in the United line-up for Monday’s FA Cup fifth round tie at Chelsea after returning from two months out with a foot injury at Fulham last weekend.