Thank Fergie for Small merciesBy ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
CHRIS SMALLING went to Tottenham and it changed his life.
Which is surprising because Fulham had played a stinker and lost 2-0 back on a January night the blossoming defender will never forget.
Only afterwards did Smalling's luck change when he was whisked upstairs at White Hart Lane for a face-to-face meeting with Alex Ferguson - the man he will soon call boss.
Manchester United chief Fergie even shelved preparations for a titanic Carling Cup semi-final against Man City to fly south and sneak into Spurs on a mission to tie up a £12million deal for the little-known centre-half, who has still only made nine senior starts for Fulham.
Smalling, 20, heads up to Old Trafford at the end of this season, a season which has been full of adventure for the Cottagers and the England Under-21 starlet.
Europe, Premier League, big-money moves and tonight an FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham, which brings all the memories of his nervy introduction to the most successful British football manager in history.
Smalling said: "It was a hell of a night for me. I had the game at Tottenham to concentrate on, then I was told Sir Alex was in the crowd.
"When you're told that you wonder about what you're going to say to someone like that.
"I waited and someone said he would be along in a little while. My hands were a bit sweaty. I was thinking of some ice-breaking lines, how to get the conversation going with him, that sort of stuff.
"He has such a reputation, such a fantastic record that it can be quite intimidating.
"We had a little chat and I noticed his distinctive Scottish accent.
"But the mere fact he came down on an important night for his club tells me a lot about Sir Alex. To meet him in person made me feel so good."
Brainbox Smalling, who was born in Greenwich, is the grammar school kid with four A-levels, a grounding in non-League football with Maidstone United and a determination not to get swept away by the hype.
It is why he quit Millwall as a kid because the commute from his childhood home in Kent was a strain on his studies.
Fergie knows his stuff too and was equally set on snapping up the potential locked inside the 6ft 4in frame of the player regularly touted as the new Rio Ferdinand - the star he will soon be calling 'skipper'.
Smalling added: "I went up for a medical and had a chat to Sir Alex generally about the club. To be honest they don't have to do much of a selling job with it.
"We spoke about how I would develop, joining up in pre-season and being part of the first-team.
"When you go to a top club, you know there will be world-class centre-halves. Sir Alex said he hopes I will start strongly in pre-season and hopefully I can deliver.
"In the treatment room I met up with Owen Hargreaves and John O'Shea, who are injured. Rio and Michael Carrick were around, too.
"Rio said 'You're from my neck of the woods, so don't worry. There's a few of us up here'.
"He said he'd help me settle in and that life in Manchester is good.
"It will be strange moving up North. I moved to Kent as a kid but that's only an hour-and-a-half away even now.
"I can look after myself though and am a decent cook.
"My brother Jason is delighted by the whole thing.
"He is a Manchester United fan and his first reaction to my signing was that he is angling for a free season ticket!"
United is next season. This season has gone into a kind of limbo as Smalling has barely figured for Fulham since the deal was announced in the dying days of the January transfer window.
But with boss Roy Hodgson set to make changes with a Europa League trip to Juventus next Thursday and precious Premier League points up for grabs, Smalling is champing at the bit to get involved.
Smalling's career has hit a sharp upward curve.
He made his debut only in the last game of last season with a brief runout against Everton.
Just two years ago he was playing non-League with Maidstone United and supplementing his wages by waiting tables for £5 an hour.
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson, a former Maidstone player himself, used his contacts to secure Smalling as a project, a work in progress to polish up from a rough diamond.
And the lad with brains as well as boots has repaid Hodgson's patience and eye for a player by making Fulham a potful of money as United and Arsenal slugged it out for Smalling's signature.
Smalling has still only played seven Premier League games for Fulham, four as sub, and boasts four Europa League appearances, a Carling Cup start and one FA Cup outing.
Now he hopes to play at the Cottage tonight and earn Fulham a semi-final trip to Wembley.
Though the last time these sides met in the competition - in the fifth round three years ago - Spurs romped to a 4-0 win in west London.
Smalling said: "I played a few FA Cup qualifying games with Maidstone. And I played against Swindon this season, I reckon that's been the highlight so far.
"I was at the back with Aaron Hughes and we kept a clean sheet.
"It led us to the quarter-finals and now we are one step away from Wembley.
"Tottenham are a handful for any side, they have international experience right through the team.
"When it comes to the Cup it all comes down to the day. I've been working hard in training and waiting for a chance to get back out there.
"Hughesy and Brede Hangeland are doing a great job, mind. I don't want to let anyone down. I started the season with Fulham and made my debut at the end of last season.
"It's been a great experience and although we're parting company at the end of the season I'm just carrying on as normal.
"I went to Australia last pre-season and that helped me get to know the first-team on a social basis.
"Europe has also been a great opportunity for some of the fringe players this season like myself.
"United have seen some potential and hopefully I can fulfil it. When I go up in pre-season hopefully I can be involved with that.
"I want to start strongly with United and carry it on from there.
"I haven't set a time frame on getting into the first-team.
"There are world-class defenders at Manchester United. But I do have big ambitions and want to go as far as possible.
"I've learnt from players like Hughes and Hangeland and now I want to take it with me to Old Trafford."
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