Liam Rosenior: Boxing Day fixtures are something to look forward to, turkey is always on the menu and training on Christmas Day
The Brighton & Hove Albion full-back has enjoyed a stellar season so far, and lifts the lid on what Christmas is like for a footballer
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FOR as long as I can remember my Christmas days have been a bit different to most other people.
As a kid I’d get up at stupid o’clock and wake my parents so I could open presents then around 9am my dad would leave us to go to training.
Now, my kids have the same experience when I set off to do my job on a day that’s supposed to be a family holiday.
In all honesty I don’t really mind. I’m used to it because my dad – Leroy- was a professional footballer during my childhood and so I was very familiar with the sacrifice that had to be made.
What happens very much depends on the manager and I’ve been at clubs where I’ve had the whole day off – even though we had a game on Boxing Day.
Generally though, the rule of thumb is that you start training on Christmas Day at 9am rather than 10.30 so you’re back home with the family by one o clock.
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If you’re playing away next day then you go back around seven in the evening and travel and spend the night in a hotel.
That can be a bit tough on the kids who want you to be there playing with them and getting together to watch a movie and stuff. Usually I’ll FaceTime with my kids from the hotel but they understand.
I still have turkey for my Christmas dinner but hold off on the roast potatoes and the desserts. It’s just like any other day before a match and I doubt many players would over do it or even have more than a glass of wine.
Every year we debate about a winter break but I’m against it for the simple reason that the Boxing Day games have always been a favourite part of the season. As a kid there was nothing like the excitement of Christmas Day followed by going to watch my dad play the next afternoon.
I wouldn’t want this generation of kids to miss out on that either. It’s very much part of our culture to have football over the Christmas holidays and it’s an ideal time for kids to get to a match.
Footballers can be judged quite harshly on some things but ironically the issue of ‘missing out’ on Christmas Day seems to get some sympathy.
We’re not the only ones who have to work when everyone else is celebrating and I have a lot more sympathy for the likes of nurses and the emergency services who work Christmas Day.
The holiday fixtures are traditionally an important factor in deciding the honours over a campaign. This year will be no different.
Happy Christmas to all of you and get out and enjoy your football over the next few days. It really is a wonderful time of the year.