A biography for Chris Smallinghasn’t been written yet.
“As players we don't want to be sitting on the touchline or watching the games in the directors' box. That is no fun.”
“As players you need to have thick skin and we need to have belief that you will have bad days but it's about making sure you have more good days than bad.”
“My mum and brother are so proud of me.”
“I had the offer of places at Leicester and Loughborough to study financial economics.”
“Transfer speculation during the off-season does spur you on.”
“I love a challenge and when a new centre-back comes in it makes you raise your game. You have to show more, you have to be more consistent.”
“You can have so many different demands; trying to please the fans, pleasing the manager, please yourself.”
“Even before I joined Manchester United, I knew of Wazza as a hard worker.”
“When someone like Lukaku gets you in the position where he's holding you off it is key to try and nick it in front of him.”
“I know from playing against Mata that he's a great player.”
“I wish I knew in terms of more educated in food when I was younger. Because the importance of it not just in sport but in life too has helped me and I think it'll continue.”
“I was born in London but, after my dad passed away, we moved to Kent for a fresh start.”
“You learn that you can't take what's happened in the previous years for granted.”
“Playing in the Manchester derby definitely helped me.”
“Ultimately it's your club form that decides whether you play at a World Cup because there aren't many England games throughout the season.”
“I just want to do my best.”
“You just have to learn that you can't always go and win that ball and there are certain moments to do it.”
“I think Serie A has always been a goal of mine to play in one day, because as a defender if you get the chance to experience Serie A you want to do it.”
“I understand that I am in an extremely privileged position and I am deeply thankful for that but, at the end of the day, we are all human.”
“As a patron of a youth education charity it is my duty to use my platform as a voice for all, regardless of background.”