Chris Smalling may run down Premier League strikers for a living at Manchester United, but he left the sprinting to wife Sam Cooke as they narrowly avoided a parking fine on Wednesday.
The couple had been enjoying a day off in Hale Village, Cheshire, on Wednesday but fell foul of local parking laws.
They returned to see a traffic warden preparing to administer a ticket to their Mercedes 4x4, but Cooke left her footballing husband in the dust to make sure she reached the car in time and avoided a penalty.
A quick investigation using Google Maps reveals the bay allows for one hour of free parking, which the England international and his wife were evidently pushing to the limits.