Quotes from Chris Smalling

It's hard to sit back and just go through your whole career, because everything's always moving so fast. But the odd milestone is always a nice moment, and when you look at the previous players to have hit those kind of milestones, it's nice to be in that company.

To have a chance at a big club, if it goes well and the club is happy and I am happy, then I can definitely see a longer-term future in Italy.

Just to be able to be at a club like Manchester United for so long when I first joined, you never know how it's going to turn out.

I had nothing to lose at my Fulham trial and I just gave it my all.

Football was always a dream, but a distant dream until when I was about to go to university. I'd had a couple of trials, but it wasn't a realistic dream, it was a kid's dream.

I was born in London but, after my dad passed away, we moved to Kent for a fresh start.

If they want to kick the ball up in the air, I will challenge all day long.

Obviously with a knee injury there are certain protocols that need to happen.

At cricket, I was mainly a bowler and tried to bat. I hit the odd four or six and then got out! In athletics, I was mainly triple jump and 200m.

When you've got the experienced players around you who've won countless trophies and titles between them, you want to rise to them.

A lot of successful teams are based on having two or three solid partners that rarely change.

I always hoped I'd get a chance to prove myself at the top level because I believed I could do it, but making your way up the football ladder is very tough.

I think every manager has that, the so-called hairdryer treatment when things need a little turnaround.

Ultimately it's the simple things that make a difference.

I think racism is unacceptable and should not be stood for. It is not an issue just in Italy, it is around the world.

With United the spotlight is always on and there's always going to be that pressure, no matter what the game is.

Everyone becomes a lot more focused when you come towards the critical stages of the season.

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.

As players we don't want to be sitting on the touchline or watching the games in the directors' box. That is no fun.

I guess football is a game of opinions.

My wife is vegan and has been for a few years.

Even before I went vegan, in terms of cutting out red meat, my tendinitis and recovery after games was vastly improved.

I didn't know too many people in life, not just in sports but in life, that were vegan, so it was something that I had to educate myself on fully before I could, one, do it myself, and, two, talk to others about it.

Throughout my career I have developed a thick skin against verbal abuse, justifying it as just 'part of the game' but the time has come for Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to consider regulating their channels, taking responsibility for protecting the mental health of users regardless of age, race, sex or income.