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
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.
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.