In the big time: Chris Smalling (right) lines up with Joe Hart (centre) and John Terry
Chris Smalling insists he is still a centre-half, even though Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello insist on picking him at right-back.
Meteoric does not quite cover Smalling's rise from non-League football with Maidstone United via Fulham reserves to being first-choice right-back for Manchester United and England, all within three years.
The 21-year-old was collecting his A-level results this time in 2008 - he achieved three B grades at economics, media studies and business studies - and had only just signed his first professional contract with Fulham.
'Things keep happening so quickly that I haven't really been able to take stock of it all,' he said.
'I have no idea why I wasn't picked up by a club at an early age. I was finishing sixth form when I was spotted, so it happened relatively late for me. I didn't expect England to come along so quickly.
'My aim for the season was to play as many games as possible for United and to take it from there. I played a few games at right-back in pre-season, but so did Phil Jones because we had lost players like Wes Brown and John O'Shea.
Three-sy peasy: Smalling celebrates with Terry and Rooney (left)
'It was a case of seeing who would fit in, and I did OK. But my aim is to play in central defence.
'I want to be challenging Rio (Ferdinand) and (Nemanja) Vidic for their places because that's where I feel at my best.'
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