Former Newcastle United and Everton star trusting 'chicken feet' to keep his Premier League career afloat

Former Newcastle United and Everton star Andros Townsend is taking unusual methods to prolong his career and keep him playing in the top flight, such as tucking into chicken feet for his tea.

The forward spent a brief spell at St James' Park in January 2016, making 13 appearances and scoring four goals, but moved to Crytal Palace that summer after the club was relegated to the Championship. The 32-year-old has also played for the Toffees, Spurs and Birmingham City, among other sides.

Townsend joined newly promoted Luton Town as a free agent in October after a planned move to Burnley, where he had been training in pre-season, fell through. The midfielder has had injury struggles in recent years, missing the end of the 2021/22 campaign and the whole of the 2022/23 season with a knee injury.

The former Magpie is now determined to avoid another lay-off and is putting his faith in some home remedies to keep him ticking over.

Townsend told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I've only got a three-month contract. Luton need to use me straight away and I need to make sure I'm fit. One of the best natural sources of collagen is chicken feet. It is simple

"It tastes exactly like a chicken wing. It is low on meat, it has a lot of cartilage close to the bone. It's got skin around it. It's very nice. In China, South Africa and in Portugal, it is eaten quite commonly. It's 20 minutes in the steam oven and get it down you."

Townsend went on to give further detail on his unique detail and admitted he felt the "little one per cents" were adding up and keeping him fit.

The Luton Town man continued: "A lamb's heart is another one I've just ordered to try. Mouth taping [to aid sleep], I am doing that. All I know is that I am 32 years of age, I've been out of the game for two years and I feel absolutely amazing.

"In my prime at 27, 28, it would take me so long to recover after games - I'd be struggling for the rest of the week and sort of managing myself. Now I am feeling so much fresher and ready to go on Monday. I don't know what it is specifically but I think all these little one per cents are adding up. Nutrition and recovery, the hyperbaric chamber, red-light therapy, flow therapy... all these things I am doing seem to be working."