Being a professional football player during the holiday season can often be one of the most demanding times of the year.

I’m not seeking excessive pity.

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Indeed, we are fortunate to be well-compensated, so I don’t expect an outpouring of compassion.

Nonetheless, it can be a tough season. While your family revels in the festive spirit, with treats like Pringles, wine, and beer all around, you can only observe from afar.

Many of the holiday delights you would usually enjoy are out of reach.

I remember during my playing days having Christmas dinner, knowing a match awaited me the next day.

I had to be cautious with my portions, requesting only a third of what I would typically pile onto my plate.

Now that I’ve retired and am experiencing my first Christmas away from the sport in nearly two decades, I asked my family to give me a third more than I could ever hope to consume.

I was elated and thoroughly savored the experience.

As a professional player, though, you’d be mentally keeping track of how many potatoes you consumed.

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Then there were the club’s nutritionists watching your every move.

I used to find myself hitting the gym immediately after finishing my turkey dinner.

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Usually, if we had an away game on Boxing Day, training would occur in the late afternoon or evening on Christmas Day, followed by a trip to the hotel.

On Christmas morning, I would wake up, spend some time with the kids, have a light breakfast, possibly fit in a 5k treadmill run, and then host family for dinner while constantly glancing at the clock.

If we aimed for a 1:30 pm meal, I would check my weight at 2:45 pm and often discover an extra two kilos. This meant a quick sauna session for 20 minutes.

After that, it was off to training, weigh in again, and check into a hotel with 20 other teammates who shared the same sense of dread about being there.

You would find yourself scrolling through social media, watching everyone post videos of their celebrations with drinks, unwrapping gifts, and enjoying family moments. It could be pretty disheartening.

By the time Boxing Day rolled around, the general sentiment was ‘Thank goodness that’s over.’

I often hoped to indulge in a larger dinner that evening to make up for what I missed.

In my family, we would celebrate Christmas on the 27th, giving us a few days to relax before the New Year matches.

As players, we typically behaved well during the holiday season.

During my time at Watford, depending on our manager, we sometimes had to report for training at 8 am on Christmas Day, allowing us to finish before noon.

Quick in and out.

There was a time when we could take off after training until the morning of Boxing Day.

However, that changed when a few players showed up with bloodshot eyes after partying until the early hours.

The early Christmas Day training sessions were the most challenging; my kids would wake up eagerly asking to open presents, and I had to tell them, “Wait for dad to come back!”

It felt torturous.

Even when I got home, I would need to eat, shower, squeeze in a quick nap, and be back at the hotel by 7 pm.

When I first started dating my wife, she assumed my training schedule was just a couple of sessions a week leading up to games on Saturdays.

She quickly found out that my life was much more regimented, even during the holiday season.

In the end, it’s just part of the job. While this lifestyle comes with financial rewards, it can weigh heavily on the mind, especially for those who greatly value family time.