Brentford defender Moses Odubajo spends Saturdays trying to nullify Championship wingers but has overcome far greater hurdles in his life so far. 

His mother died of Malaria when he was only 13 years old; Odubajo could have been sent off the rails but has a more pragmatic view.

“I feel like it’s been a blessing in disguise,” he said.

Odubajo’s mother Esther contracted malaria in Ghana, having travelled there to work as a sexual health nurse in 2006.

She was diagnosed on her return to England but chose to travel back to Uganda for treatment. 

Odubajo said: “A lot of my family don’t really believe in the NHS. They feel like they can go back to Africa and get treatment for whatever they’re feeling at the time.”

Esther died in Uganda.

It had a huge impact on him at the time. Odubajo said: “When she didn’t come back, I went into a state of shock for several months.

“That’s how I dealt with it whereas my brothers cried and let it all out.”

Idris, the defender’s eldest brother, turned to crime soon after and was sentenced to two years in prison for robbery.

His other brother Tom plays for Sutton United.

Shortly after his mother's death, Esther’s sister – Odubajo’s Aunt – also died from Malaria.

Odubajo was appointed as special ambassador to Malaria No More UK during his time with Hull City.

He said: “Before my Mum died of Malaria, we used to go on holiday, get the jabs and I would think that my arm was just going to hurt again for a couple of days.

“If I can doing something to help a family not go through what me and my brothers went through then I am all for it.”

Odubajo knows first-hand how damaging the disease can be but one notable account from his time as ambassador was from TV presenter Charlie Webster who fell into a coma in 2016 after catching Malaria in Brazil.

He said: “I was lucky enough to meet Charlie Webster. She spoke to me about how it felt and some of the things she was saying broke my heart.”

After coming through more adversity than most, Odubajo is optimistic about his future and that of his club.

He is particularly excited about working under Smith’s former assistant Thomas Frank: “I think it’s always good for someone to come in that the players know.

"When the gaffer was here, Thomas would take training a lot of the time and instil the things that he wants us to do as players.

“Now he is the guy at the front that fans are going to hammer if things don’t go right but as players we are confident in him.”

“My dream growing up was to play in the Premier League. If it’s with Brentford then great but if not then it’s still great for me to overcome what I’ve overcome.

“Hopefully it is here because this club deserves to be in the premier league.”

Bees fans will certainly be hoping for the latter.

Fans can donate to Malaria No More UK at Brentford’s next home game vs Bristol City.