Many of us enjoy visiting our local non-league club at the weekend and during the week. We finish work, watch the match and head home ready for a new day. But what about the players who have to fit in their work commitments around the football? How do they do it?

The Echo will be speaking to non-league stars from across south Essex this season about how they juggle two of life’s most crucial aspects – work and football.

This week we speak to Billericay Town favourite GLENN POOLE, 33, who has played professional football for Rochdale and Brentford.

 

SATURDAY

I always lay in on a Saturday until 10am if possible before I have my Coco Pops. I start drinking water as early as possible to hydrate for the game.

I have spaghetti on toast with grated cheese, yoghurt and a banana before jumping in the motor to go to the game.

We are at Harrow Borough today and I drove Callum Dunne and Ryan Scott. Fashionably the two Brentwood boys were late so I had to get us there in an hour and 15 minutes...the Sat Nav said 1 hour 13 minutes and that left it tighter than Richard Halle’s wallet. Even my mum and dad, who always come to watch my games, left an hour before us.

I have a few superstitions – an energy drink before the game, more water and another energy drink before the warm-up and before the game itself.

If I'm playing well I wear the same boots, underpants, cycling shorts and under socks and also warm up in the same training top!

It works as we win the game 2-1 after playing with 10 men for 80 minutes. We kept the ball as well as we have all season and I was very happy with my performance.

I get home at 8.45pm, had an Indian takeaway, a hot bath and watched Only Fools and Horses.

Our Christmas night out is a week away and I’m pretty sure it will be just as low key, especially if Billy Lumley and Stevie “Nutsy” Sheehan have anything to do with it.

 

SUNDAY

I am up at 8am as I am Redbridge’s under-15s manager in the Eastern Junior Alliance. I want to manage after my playing days are up and we are playing Buckhurst Hill.

We drew 1-1 and I was delighted with the team’s performance and the way they conducted themselves.

After the game I went home and watched Barcelona on the TV, followed by a traditional Sunday nap. I had a roast dinner and dozed off at about 11pm.

 

MONDAY

I run my own soccer school, “The Glenn Poole Soccer Academy”, and go into primary schools in Hornchurch and Dagenham where I lead football and multi-skills sessions, breakfast clubs and teach the children about health and dietary needs.

I have been doing that for three years since I left the professional game and I love it as I can help children’s development.

I am single at the moment so I can focus on expanding the business and concentrate on my playing career which is so important to me.

I am up at 7am to lead a before-school breakfast club. There were a lot of children this morning and that was my working day done as the school I do my after-school club finished their football sessions last week.

My sister, Kirsty, bought my three-week-old niece Isabelle around so I had a few quality hours with her before I picked up our coach Alex Fiddes and headed to tonight’s game against Brentwood.

I was feeling fine until Scotty (Ryan Scott) lashes a ball into my face from a yard.

We won 2-1 and I set up the first goal which pleased me as I have quite a lot of assists this season, but not as many goals as I would have liked. They scored a soft goal when Billy (Lumley) went to get a drink from the bar but Rich Halle scored a great winner.

I get home at 11.15pm after having a drink and chat with Scotty and Nutsy at the club. I’m asleep by midnight.

TUESDAY

Waking up after two games in three days is normally not too bad, but this morning I am in a world of pain. I have a sore groin, hamstring, toe and, to top it off, a banging headache thanks to Scotty’s shanked pass, but I still go off to work at 7.15am to do my breakfast club and a sports session with a group of children with learning difficulties.

I do my after-school club and then a development club in the evening before going home to watch Liverpool with my feet up and a nice cold beer. George Beavan was letting the boys and I know what is in store for us at Faces Nightclub this weekend. Sounds like it will be a quiet affair.

WEDNESDAY

I was booted out of the school hall earlier today as the children prepared for their nativity play so I prepare my upcoming soccer school courses in the Christmas holidays.

Then I’m off to the Oakside Stadium to coach Redbridge under-15s and I put on a short-sharp session before I go home to watch Barcelona v PSG.