Reflections on Christmas in Football Management
For me, Christmas as a manager typically meant one thing: I would be on the motorway, somewhere!
Throughout my 30-year management career, my family home remained on the south coast. If I wanted to return in time to see my children open their presents, it was common for me to travel back after training on Christmas Eve—or even on Christmas Day itself.
No matter where I was based, from Middlesbrough to Plymouth, or Bristol to Stoke, I always made it a point to share Christmas dinner with my family.
Often, I would leave right after training on Christmas Day to ensure I could get home in time, only to drive back later to the hotel where my team was staying or to my own accommodations.
Even when I granted my players the day off, I still traveled back on Christmas night.
I had to—because despite all the time spent on the road and even while enjoying my turkey dinner, the upcoming Boxing Day match was never far from my mind.
This was true whether I was facing Manchester United, whom we narrowly lost to in my first Premier League Boxing Day match with Stoke in 2008, or preparing for a long trip to Bradford or Barnsley during my time in the lower leagues.
My best Boxing Day results came while managing Stoke, achieving a 2-0 victory at Blackburn in 2010—the club's first Premier League Boxing Day win—or coming from behind to defeat Liverpool 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium in 2012.
My worst experiences? Any defeat, even if it was close to home.
However, there was always the opportunity to bounce back quickly—usually with another match just a couple of days later.
Football management is intense throughout the year, but Christmas—and Easter, too—has always been a particularly busy time with matches coming thick and fast.
During this period, hiring and firing can still occur—both have happened to me during the festive season—but as a player and manager, I cherished this time. That's why I feel a deep disappointment looking at this year's Premier League Christmas schedule.
Traditionally, attending matches on Boxing Day has been a family outing, drawing large crowds at every level. Yet this season, I see only one Premier League fixture on Friday evening, with the rest of the matches spread over the weekend.
Top-flight clubs no longer seem to rely on the additional revenue from these larger crowds, but has it truly come to a point where those responsible for scheduling Premier League fixtures don't understand or care about what genuine supporters want—those who show up week after week?
I commend the Football League for maintaining tradition with a full slate of games. Kudos to them, and bah humbug to the Premier League!
A Shift in Culture: Christmas as a Player
Much has changed in football since my first Christmas as a player, 50 years ago.
As a young apprentice at Bristol Rovers in the 1970s, the holiday season was a time of giving—if I was fortunate!
Each apprentice was responsible for maintaining the boots of at least three senior professionals, a duty taken seriously.
Cleaning dressing rooms and repairing worn-out pitches was also part of the job, but ensuring the match boots were in pristine condition for every game was paramount.
During the busy Christmas and Easter periods, we worked tirelessly, cleaning, drying, and polishing boots.
There was some reward, however. Christmas was one of two extra paydays we anticipated; the other came at the end of the season when the players we assisted would show their appreciation with a small tip.
At 16, I had left home to join Rovers, who were then in what is now the Championship. After training on Christmas Eve, I was allowed to return to south Wales.
If senior players were in on Christmas Day, apprentices in Bristol were expected to cover for them. Even at that young age, it was made clear that our roles required us to work during the holidays, and on Boxing Day, we were either watching the first team or playing in the Football Combination league.
Becoming a professional player relieved me of those duties, although I continued to take care of my own boots. Christmas remained a special time.
At every club I played for, someone organized festive outings—both days and nights.
We frequented various venues, enjoying themed evenings. Times were different then; our wages were comparable to those of most workers outside the game, making footballers more connected to their communities. Socializing with the public was not an issue, and nights out at local pubs and nightclubs were often accompanied by alcohol.
Indeed, many managers encouraged team bonding through these outings, fostering camaraderie within the group.
We now know that excessive drinking is detrimental, but in the 1970s and 80s, the culture in English football accepted and embraced it.
Just look back at how many European Cup finals our teams not only participated in but won during that era—Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa are prime examples.
Drinking was never stigmatized; it was common to add a splash of whiskey or brandy to a pre-match cup of tea if the weather was particularly cold. I played alongside some heavy drinkers, but compared to rugby players of the day, they were merely novices!
Managing Players' Nights Out
When I transitioned from player to manager, I initially adopted the same approach I had during my playing days.
Over the years, we have become more aware of how alcohol and smoking affect physical conditioning. In previous columns, I've discussed how I carefully evaluated the characters of the players I signed.
During Christmas, I allowed players to organize their night out after a home game early in December, ensuring it wasn’t too close to the festive schedule.
I entrusted one or two senior players with the responsibility of looking after the younger members of the team and ensuring everyone behaved appropriately.
In my early management years, with players in the lower leagues, they generally enjoyed themselves locally, just as I had as a player.
My rule was that Monday would bring a tough training session, allowing them Sunday to recover from what would inevitably be a challenging workout.
I was always amazed at how some players could party hard and still perform well the next day, while others struggled to regain their momentum.
As I progressed to higher levels, I became increasingly aware of the need to influence their Christmas nights out, including their choice of venues.
Mondays would inevitably bring banter about the previous night's escapades, and I must admit that some of the stories I've heard are better left unshared.