BEING a football manager these days is effectively a 24 hours a day, seven days a week job - whether it is at a Premier League club or here in Division Three.

And the workload for managers has increased for different reasons. At the highest level, while there is more support from back-room staff, there is increased pressure from the media, with managers and players under the microscope and every decision analysed.

At my level I do have to face the local media but my job is more hands on and that is what I like - it is what I'm used to doing.

It is impossible to give you a 'typical week', because there is no such thing. The job is so varied with different things constantly cropping up.

But, to give you an insight into my life as a football manager and what is involved, we can look at last week.

On Monday I arrive at Bootham Crescent about 9am. Today we check on the fitness of the players, so everyone turns up at the ground.

We train for a couple of hours from 11am, then in the afternoon I have a staff meeting.

As we are playing Notts County the following night, I hold a press conference with the local press.

Tuesday we train at 12.30pm to prepare for the Notts County game, before departing Bootham Crescent at 2.45pm.

We stop for a pre-match meal in the outskirts of Nottingham, before arriving at Meadow Lane for the match. We lose 2-0 and head back home, arriving about 1.30am.

After a late one last night, I get a rare luxury of a lie-in before heading to Blackpool to watch the Reserves.

They win 2-0, which is a boost after the previous week's results. Myself and Adie Shaw take advantage of the post-match fish and chip supper, but while the players head back on the coach, Adie and myself enjoy our food sat in the sun on Blackpool promenade!

In the evening, we make the short trip to the Reebok Stadium to watch Bolton Reserves v Sunderland Reserves, before arriving back home at 11.30pm.

There is no lie-in on Thursday though as we begin preparations for Saturday's game against Southend.

I firstly check with Jeff Miller (physiotherapist) on the injury situation, before holding training between 11am and 1pm.

In the afternoon I deal with calls from the wider regional press about the game.

After my usual Friday morning press conference with the local media, we hold a training session to go through the final preparations for the game.

Things don't go well as worryingly Matt Hocking picks up a bang to the thigh, while Nick Richardson is feeling poorly. It means I can't announce my side until the following day and call Leigh Wood up as cover.

I hold a staff meeting with my backroom team in the afternoon and we run through the Southend match.

The game goes through my head in evening, especially the injury to Mattie, but there is little I can do at this stage.

Saturday morning is very hectic. Nick reports in feeling worse and is ruled out with a viral infection, but fortunately Mattie passes his fitness test. I keep Leigh in the squad as Nick's replacement.

About 11.30am we head off for the pre-match meal. Last year it was an omelette for me, but now it is a healthy pasta! We head back to the ground at 1pm to get ready.

I spend the first half of the match sat in the stands, running down occasionally to pass on some information. The second half, I move down to the bench.

After the game I hold a press conference with the gathering media, before inviting the Southend manager Rob Newman into my office for a chat.

In the evening, I head off for a meal with my wife Barbara, who always watches the games, and some friends.

There is still no escape from football though as the two husbands of the group we are out with are football-mad, so we end up talking about that, while the women talk about their own stuff.

Sunday is the only day I get to really relax and let football take a back seat. If possible I try to do something with Barbara like the gardening, but somehow I always manage to be back in front of the TV by 4pm for the football!

I tend not to read any of the Sunday papers, although I have been known to pop into the local newsagents if we have won!

In the evening, the mind is back on to football as I start to look ahead to our next lot of games.

Fortunately I've got a very understanding wife!