FORMER Premier League star James Collins has revealed that he once played a match with a STEAK in his boot.
The ex-centre back suffered a broken foot during his time with Aston Villa but refused to sit on the sidelines.
Instead, he started the following match – but used a hunk of meat to cushion the area surrounding the injury.
Speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast this week, Collins admitted: “I’m not sure you’re going to believe it but it 100 per cent happened.
“So I was at Villa and I basically broke the top of my foot. But I was one of those players, you know, you want to play on, I was fine.
“On the Friday before this particular game, I forgot who we were playing, I got the broken foot.
“Our doctor at the time said: ‘Right, you’re going to think I’m mad but we’re going to get some cling film and put a steak at the top of your foot to take the pressure, or whatever, away from the broken bone.’
“So I played a Premier League game with like a 10oz sirloin at the top of my foot!
“It couldn’t be a fillet, I wouldn’t get my boot on!
“Honestly, a game with a lump of steak cling filmed to the top of my foot. It did f*** all!
“But it was almost cooked by half-time because I was sweating!”
Collins left Aston Villa in 2012 to re-join West Ham.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”I tried following Gareth Bale’s diet to see if I could be as good as him” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6364082244112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]He made 214 appearances for the Hammers before joining Ipswich Town.
The Welshman called time on his playing career in 2020.
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