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Fear not if Alfie Pavey looks like he’s struggling - he probably just needs a puff of his inhaler.
Pavey has had asthma since he was a child but the returning Maidstone striker has never let it affect his football.
The 25-year-old took a quick puff before coming on during the second half of a 3-1 friendly defeat at Folkestone last weekend.
“I’ve had asthma my whole life,” said Pavey, who scored 300 goals for United’s academy before joining Millwall in 2013.
“It’s just about managing it when the weather changes and stuff like that. It’s how I feel on the day but it’s part of my life.
“I take the inhaler in the morning and the evening and when I’m playing if I need a little top-up to get the lungs going.
“It sometimes takes me a little while to get into a game, to get the lungs going, but I know how to manage it.
“At times you might see me blowing and it’s because I can’t breathe, so I might need the inhaler.
“I’ve had it my whole life, I’m used to it now, it is what it is.”
Pavey broke the 20-goal barrier in his previous season in National South, the 2018/19 campaign at Dartford.
He goes into this year with added responsibility, as fellow frontmen Jack Barham and Reece Grant are out injured.
That doesn’t worry Pavey, who’s looking forward to delivering for the Stones after leaving Barnet.
He said: “At the moment I’m the only centre-forward here, due to Jack and Reece’s injuries.
"First of all I want to wish them well, because it’s not nice to see your team-mates injured. I don’t ever feel pressure because I know what I’m capable of.
“The team know how I can score goals and if they put crosses in the box, there’s no doubt I’ll be the one putting the ball in the back of the net.
“Every footballer has something to prove, no matter who you are. I’m still only 25 and, no disrespect to the club, but I feel I have another move in me.
“I know what I can do at this level. Yes, I had a difficult time at Barnet, due to injuries and managerial changes, but this is a great place for me to kickstart my football.
“The first time I played at this level was with Dartford and it was a great season.
“I was managed well by a great manager in Tony Burman, who’s well-respected.
“I always go back to what he did for me at a time when I’d been released by a pro club.Barnet didn’t go well but I’m here to re-find my career.”
Pavey became a dad for the first time last month - and is loving life with his baby girl - but there’s no Bebeto-style goal celebration lined up to mark the new arrival.
He added: “I’m not one to celebrate goals. I’m just here to score goals. I’ll do my celebrating once we get promoted at the end of the year.
“Listen, this football club deserves to be in the league above - I think that’s clear.
“We’ve got a great squad, the recruitment’s been really good and we’ve got good experience at the back.
“It’s going to be an exciting season - let’s enjoy the ride.”
