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 and managers 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 Essex this season about how they juggle two of life’s most crucial aspects – work and football.

This week we speak to former Southend United midfielder and current Grays Athletic player/ manager Mark Bentley, 37, who has led his side on an 11 match unbeaten run to move into Ryman Premier play-off places, and has a cup final to look forward to next week.

 

SATURDAY

Awoken as usual at around 7am by my eight-year-old son Olly who wants to get on his Xbox to play online with his mates! After resisting cries from Holly (the dog) wanting her breakfast I usually get up around 7:30am - how things have changed from my old playing days where it was important I had a proper lay in!

It is a strange feeling this week as Grays have no game this weekend and I decided to give the lads the weekend off as they have just played four games in eight days. This was greeted with some interesting replies from the players as I'm sure it gave them an extra incentive to have an extra drink or two. Not going to moan as I was young once and it's a well earned drink after the run we have been on.

It also gave me an opportunity to watch the little man in action and not have to leave half way through. He plays well and team wins so he is happy and I'm a proud dad on the sidelines.

This may be a good opportunity to take in a local game but it’s been a hectic few weeks and I haven’t spent much time with the family (wife Nicola, Olly and daughter Rosie, six), so I take them out for a nice lunch and just enjoy spending the day with them - while checking up on the results to see if we can hang on to the play off place!

Most of the results go for us but with Enfield winning we drop down one place but feel positive that we are still in a very good position.

How Saturday nights are different! We all sit down in anticipation for the last in the series of Ant & Dec. Not even a sniff of an alcoholic drink!

 

SUNDAY

Easter Sunday and two excited kids (and wife) who can't wait to indulge themselves in stupid amounts of chocolate!

Sundays normally consist of a fixture for my Leyton Orient under-15s team so it's nice change to have an entirely football free weekend.

Another family day planned this time with the in laws and a lovely country pub!

With a game tomorrow my evening involves writing opposition notes and watching clips of previous games.

Trying to juggle around a squad of 18 fit players is not easy especially when each player justifies a starting place! I decide to leave the final decisions until I arrive at the ground the next day and get a good night’s sleep!

 

MONDAY

I am a lead football coach at College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London football programme but today is Bank Holiday Monday and half term so fortunately I do not need to deal with any students for a while!

We have a big Essex derby against East Thurrock today and the wife takes the kids out for the morning enabling me to have some time to myself. I was never the most sociable on game day when I played and it seems to of stuck with me now I'm manager!

I get to East Thurrock around 1pm, early enough to finalise the team and check out the pitch. The usual couple of texts arrive from players saying they are going to be late, something that does irritate me as I believe that's bad preparation and quite disrespectful towards others!

A tough game but after a poor first half the lads really play well second half and in the end finish quite comfortable 2-0 winners. That’s now 12 games unbeaten and five wins on the bounce away from home which is tremendous effort from the squad.

With three very tough games coming that was a big win for us, but the way the squad are playing at the moment we have nothing to fear! I have a squad who will give everything and they are very determined to get one of those play-off spots, and with a cup final next week to look forward to it makes for an exciting final few weeks!

After the game it's off to my niece’s sixth birthday party. It is just a family event but the combination of my two kids and my niece and nephew was guaranteed carnage. I wasn’t disappointed when I arrived and was greeted with four grubby kids high on Smarties!

 

TUESDAY

It's a lovely sunny day so I decide to get the shorts on, exposing the pasty white legs, and wash the cars and I have two keen volunteers! First mistake letting the kids have control of the hose, secondly the sponge. An hour later and soaking wet we finally finished.

After a bit of lunch and change of clothes it was over the park for the afternoon. Luckily I took the dog as I have quickly discovered I am a redundant dad these days when the kids’ friends are about! I loved watching Olly playing footy with his mates though using jumpers for goal posts, and it brings back my own great child hood memories.

Evening spent wondering why my face was sore, of course the first bit of sun burn in 2015!

 

WEDNESDAY

Although half term we have a college trial day for potential new students for our football programme in September The programme is partly run by Leyton Orient so we get many boys turn up thinking they are on trial to get into the youth team...not sure whether the boys have been misguided or just slightly deluded as, without sounding harsh, some couldn't trap a bag of cement!

Getting the Grays squad into training Thursday this week so another afternoon/evening spent with the family - something which is where I love to be!