Obviously when you grow up in the area you love playing on the street, and to go from playing on the street with my mates to playing at Upton Park is a bit surreal, and 15 years on to still be in the heart of the West Ham midfield is quite good going!
I owe a lot to playing on the street. And what was even better than playing on the street was playing football with my friends in the local graveyard. It was fantastic. We forgot what the time was and didn't even go home for our meals.
I've had a bond with West Ham since growing up as a kid, going to Upton Park, looking up to the players.
Playing left midfield a lot at West Ham has been tough but the manager has put me there and I've got every faith in what he's doing.
I still think I'm playing back home in the street in my town with my mates. That's why I love the game, and mostly, I don't pay too much attention to social media or look at stuff that's out there.
I started playing football with my mates and my brothers, in the playground or the park or the front garden. It was just about enjoying it, having a good time playing. I wanted to play all the time.
Obviously ice hockey's much faster. You play street hockey, most likely, with a ball. Where the puck is more difficult to maneuver with. There's not too many things that are different. Playing on the ice is totally, totally different than playing on the street. It's totally a different game in that aspect.
I'm only 20; you've got your whole career ahead of you. I'm just focused on playing for West Ham and playing with a smile on my face and enjoying it.
The street is where we all learn. I played organized football growing up as well, but when that was over, I went right to the street. I remember twisting my ankles, breaking my thumb, I hurt everything when I was little playing street ball.
I wasn't just playing football on the street. I grew up on the street.
... You get surreal numbers by playing games. I used to feel guilty in Cambridge that I spent all day playing games, while I was supposed to be doing mathematics. Then, when I discovered surreal numbers, I realized that playing games IS math.
I've been playing the viola since I was 6 years old, and then I decided to switch it up a bit, so I've been playing the violin since I was 11. I started playing the piano when I was 11, and I started playing the guitar when I was 10.
I did go to public school, but that's only because my parents were abroad. As a matter of fact, I think that's helped my work. I can go from Victoria Wood's 'Dinnerladies' to playing Barbara Cartland, from 'Coronation Street' to playing Celia in Last 'Tango'.
Growing up I've been playing as an attacking midfielder, more central in the midfield. I wouldn't say if I'm most comfortable there but that's where I grew up playing.
I watched football, but I was a kid who really preferred being out on the street with my mates playing hide and seek!
I'd gone very quickly from playing in a park with my mates to sitting next to Wayne Rooney at dinner. It was a bit weird.
Playing and fun are not the same thing, though when we grow up we may forget that and find ourselves mixing up playing with happiness. There can be a kind of amnesia about the seriousness of playing, especially when we played by ourselves.