Will Smallbone, Republic of Ireland midfielder and Southampton academy graduate, has said that his journey with alopecia has made him stronger. Smallbone was diagnosed with the condition, which affects hair loss on the body, while recovering from a knee injury in January 2021. He commented that he has shown resilience and character to take on anything that is thrown at him.
Smallbone made his Premier League debut for Southampton in February 2020 and was a regular first-team player before his ACL injury in January 2021. After recovering, he spent the last campaign on loan at Stoke City in the Championship and will return to the relegated Saints after the international break.
Smallbone made his Republic of Ireland debut in March’s 3-2 friendly win over Latvia and could make his competitive bow in the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers with Greece and Gibraltar. He was named man of the match on his debut in Dublin and said that he was both surprised and proud of the achievement. He expressed that it has always been a dream of his to reach the senior international stage and he now feels ready to push on and play a big part in the campaign.