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 Great Wakering Rovers goalkeeper ADAM SEAL, 28, who has been one of the club’s most consistent performers this season.

 

NEW YEAR’S DAY

Last night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations weren’t too late. My girlfriend Hayley and I went for dinner around my friend’s house. It wasn’t a late night and we were home by 1am.

I woke up around 10am because I could hear Hayley getting ready as she is off to Cardiff for a couple of days. I get up and we have some breakfast together before she hits the road. After she’s gone I put my football head on as playing football on New Year’s Day is a new experience for me. As I’ve mainly played in the Essex Senior League you get the festive period off!

Normally I pick up Paul Smith the goalkeeper coach but as he’s away I travel to the game alone. My older brother Wayne, who also is the Southend Manor manager, texts me to say he’s coming to watch.

It’s a hard-fought game against Romford but we won 3-0 and a clean sheet is always nice!

My evening was somewhat tame as in less than 48 hours we’ve got Harlow.

 

FRIDAY

Luckily I am not back to work until January, 5 so I go out for a little run along Southend seafront to get yesterday’s game out of my legs and have a stretch.

I have a read of the match reports before the joy of washing my football stuff ahead of tomorrow. Then I meet Wayne in Southend to see if we can get any January bargains before we go back to mine for some dinner.

We watched “Marvellous”, a film about Neil Baldwin, the former-Stoke City kit man, which is a must-watch for any football fan.

 

SATURDAY

I was woken up by the rain hammering against my bedroom window but the rain was not going to stop today’s game as Harlow Town have a 3G pitch!

As I am getting ready – beans on toast and Soccer AM – my dad rings me and wishes me good luck. He doesn’t make it to many games as he lives in Windsor.

Wayne’s game is off so he and a couple of his players are coming to watch.

I have a good warm up as I know today is going to be hard. Harlow are second in the league and seem to score goals for fun.

In the match I make a string of fine saves and have my best game of the season. Come full time I am still gutted as we lost 3-1 but it was nice of some of the Harlow fans and committee members to congratulate me on having a good game.

I get home from football and meet my brother in the Prittlewell for a couple of pints which is always a laugh as there are some great local characters in there.

 

SUNDAY

Most Sundays are very chilled. I like to catch up with all the football highlights and reports – from Match of the Day right down to my match.

In the afternoon I took a FaceTime call from my younger brother Dean who lives in Vancouver, Canada and it was nice to have a good catch-up and chat with him.

My mum was out there visiting for Christmas and New Year and when speaking to my mum she seemed to know more about my games than me and I played in them!

Early evening and Hayley is back from Cardiff so we relax in front of the TV before going back to work tomorrow.

 

MONDAY

The alarm goes off at 5am and it’s back to work for the first time in 2015. It is an hour and a half drive to my office.

I work for Thames Water in their customer leakage department as a leakage technician. I go out and help customer get leaks on their water main repaired, deal with customer complaints, burst water mains and general testing and maintenance on the mains.

After work had finished, Hayley and I have got our first scan appointment at the hospital as just before Christmas we found out we were both going to become parents for the first time!

The scan goes well and in the car on the way home, we have both got the world’s biggest smiles on our faces!