l 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 Southend Manor goalkeeper LAWRENCE PRIDDLE, 23, who has had a tough season between the sticks in the Essex Senior League.

 

SATURDAY

I am up nice and early today. My little boy Freddie (10 weeks old) wakes up wanting his bottle so I feed him and then make myself scrambled eggs on toast, which I have before every game.

I take a Marmite bagel and cup of tea up to my missus Megan and we will chill out watching some TV before I have to get ready – usually during the first half of the Saturday midday game. Then it’s shower time before I head off to the ground.

It’s a big game today as we are down the bottom and play Eton Manor who are one place and four points above us. But it was disappointment come the final whistle having come from 2-0 down to 2-2 only to concede a goal in stoppage time. I played OK and made a few decent stops to keep us in it at times but, as they say, there’s no luck when you’re down the bottom.

Saturday night I head out for a curry with the boys and have a few glasses of wine. We ended up on the vodka and in East Coast Social but as a few of the boys carry on in town I head home, trying to sneak into bed so Megan doesn’t wake up and see the time!

 

SUNDAY

Freddie and I are up early again to watch the Football League Show from the previous night (I am a York City fan – so best you don’t ask!) and it gives Megan a bit of a break and lets her have a lay in!

Once she's up we go for our family walk over the Garrison in Shoebury and pick the house we want to have in 10 years time before coming home.

The we sit down to watch a film and chill out.

Usually Megan’s stepdad knocks up some decent dinner for us all which works well for me and then it’s off to bed for an early night.

 

MONDAY

I was up and at the gym for 7.30am as it was my day off work. I had a good stretch and did some weights.

I had to get home quickly as the BBC are filming the missus and I for Panorama – as we are in the process of buying our own house (watch out I might appear on EastEnders soon as the new owner of the Queen Vic!) It’s a long day filming before I meet up with my dad and older brother down our local club. We catch up, talk football and play some darts (the old man usually shows us both up on the oche).

 

TUESDAY

I am up for work at 6.45am for a long day at work. I work in insurance in Basildon, and mainly deal with money recovery.

It's hard being away from home for 12 hours but time is money. No training tonight so out for a run to keep myself ticking over.

I could of done with a game as I am a bit rusty having being off on paternity leave and missing 10 games of the season but the days of playing regularly during January and February are gone!

 

WEDNESDAY

It’s the same routine for work but I am down the Beehive for a beer or two at lunch. A lot of people question why we drink in there, but it’s our base as we call it!

I cooked dinner tonight (I’m a bit of a Gordon Ramsey on the quiet) for the family which I quite like doing.

Megan, Freddie and I stayed in, watched Frozen and looked at things we will buy for our new house.

Exciting times!