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 this week we speak to Billericay Town defender Steve “Nutsy” Sheehan, 24, who helped his side to the Essex Senior Cup final this week, and even got himself on the scoresheet!

 

SATURDAY

I wake up around 10.30am as I was at work until 2am so I try to get as much sleep in as possible.

I run a bar called Unit 4 in Chafford Hundred – which is a stone’s throw from Lakeside shopping centre.

As soon as I’m awake I’m up and out the door and on my way to the cafe – unfortunately not for a fry up but for my double scrambled eggs and beans on toast! Normally I meet Keithy and Higgo (Joe Keith and Sam Higgins – my old East Thurrock United colleagues) in there but they were playing away and didn’t have time this week...those two don’t hold back on the grub in there!

The game at Maidstone United could have gone a lot better as we lost 3-0 after a good first half and we could have built on that. We just didn’t get out the changing room for the second half.

Personally I always beat myself up when we lose as I hate losing at anything! After the game in the bar I see my mum, dad and brother who always give me an honest opinion about my own performance and the team’s.

Bevs (George Beavan) ensures that me Dunney (Callum Dunne), Pooley (Glenn Poole) have our post-match recovery drinks.

They normally come straight out the Carlsberg tap behind the bar and, after a phone call to Higgo to see how East Thurrock played, I’m showered, changed and back down the bar for 8pm ready for work.

 

SUNDAY

I wake up at around 10am and this gives me enough time to get out, have a light road run and blow away the cobwebs from Saturday afternoon’s match and Saturday night’s work!

I’m home watching football on the sofa all day with my mum’s lovely Sunday roast going down a right treat credit to her she knows her way round the kitchen!

When 6pm comes around it is back to the bar.

Sometimes I remind myself of Tom Cruise in Cocktail – a right good looking bloke serving drinks!

 

MONDAY

I have a lay in as the weekend takes it out of me and when I finally get up I get myself to the gym and have a workout along with a steam and sauna.

I have been at Unit 4 for nearly two years now and got the opportunity as my mate (Ryan) has had the lease on the bar for the past few years.

I meet with Ryan to talk about the agenda for the coming week and do a bit of work in the bar before I leave to get ready for tonight’s Essex Senior Cup semi-final at Aveley which is no more than a five-minute drive for me!

I’m excited for the game, not only because it’s a semi-final but, because I will be up against a very good friend of mine in Spencer Harrison – the only bloke I know who makes my nose look smaller!

That’s not the only reason I like him though! He’s a top bloke.

We win the game 3-1 and we are into the final!

I have even managed to get on the scoresheet which I’m delighted about, but the most important thing is that the team got the right result.

The changing room is buzzing and the gaffer (Craig Edwards) starts the traditional victory song and everyone joins in with their top singing voices!

Ring a ding ding!

 

TUESDAY

Two games in three days have taken its toll on my body and a little work out, swim and stretch later I am back to normal.

I have loads of paper work to do that been stacked up for a couple of weekends but I am behind the bar from 4pm and, as the regulars come in they ask about Saturday’s game and what happened as a lot of them look out for my result. After a discussion about Monday’s game, and my goal of course, I almost forget I’m at work.

I don’t have a girlfriend as I have no spare time to fit one in – although I normally fall in love at work in the early hours of a Sunday morning – generally around 1am after a few drinks!

I chat with the football boys on the group chat after work and there’s never a dull moment on there as Pooley and Scotty (Ryan Scott) keep everyone entertained with their antics and Teddy (Nesbitt) rarely shuts up on there!

 

WEDNESDAY

Another day. I am checking stock and placing orders to make sure everything is in place for the busy weekend ahead!

I get a phone call from Spencer and he is going to pop down to watch the football with me. Bill Lumley pops up on the group chat telling us about how he is conquering Australia and that he has a couple of dates lined up with some “Sheilas”!