TONIGHT, Chris Swailes will settle on the sofa with a takeaway, and try to stop his kids from hogging all of the sweets.
Food has nothing on his appetite for football however, and even at 40 his hunger to play in tomorrow’s FA Trophy quarter-final between Blyth Spartans and Gateshead is greater still.
Gateshead-born, the Spartans player-assistant manager spent last season at the International Stadium, making 23 appearances.
So a knock niggling his calf seems unlikely to stop him from lining up against his old club.
For Swailes, an almost inevitable draw is “extra special”, and he anticipates a “great occasion”.
He accepts the Tynesiders’ higher standing in the pyramid and full-time status, not to mention their recent good form of six straight wins and one defeat in 12, makes them favourites.
But with just one loss in 11 themselves, Blyth are on some run too, and Swailes insists his Spartans side have what it takes to get at Gateshead.
“They will be favourites on the day, no doubt about it,” he said. “They’re a good side in good form and a full-time outfit, training day in, day out. Doing that, you’re going to improve your game, working on everything you possibly can.
“They’ll have the advantage on fitness as well. But hopefully with a bit of luck, you never know.
“We’ve got players who can and have played at a higher level and we feel like we can compete against Gateshead. On the day we can hurt them and home advantage with a good crowd behind us would give us a great chance.”
Swailes’ path is just one of many to have crossed both Blyth and Gateshead.
And with so many players on both sides preparing to face their former clubs tomorrow afternoon – when supporters have been advised to arrive early – there is even more spice amid an already heady concoction.
“Mick rang me straight after the draw was made to say that we’d got Gateshead,” Swailes said.
“I was really chuffed, I think it’s the best draw we could have got. There are some very good teams in the competition but to be playing Gateshead is extra special.
“It’s not just for me either – there’s also Wayne Buchanan, Phil Cave, Stephen Turnbull, Nicky Deverdics and Paul Brayson who have played for them, and they’ve got a few who’ve played here at Blyth too.
“It’s also going to be a great occasion for the fans and for the North East as a whole.
“It’s had everyone talking ever since the draw, there’s great interest and excitement about it. I just hope I make it. I’ve been carrying a bit of a calf injury for a couple of weeks now. I got a kick on it and it’s turned into a little niggle now.
“With Alan White cup-tied and Wayne Buchanan also struggling with a calf injury at the moment, it was best to come off on Tuesday night and get some treatment on it through the week.
“It’s something I could do without but we’ll just have to see how it is.
“Hopefully I’ll shake this injury off enough to play, and I’m sure we’ll go in all guns blazing.
“I can’t wait for Saturday, it’s definitely one I really want to be a part of – everybody does. I’ll do everything I can to play.” Everything, including tonight’s special pre-match meal. “I had a great time at Gateshead but I’m having a great time at Blyth too,” said Swailes.
“It suits me fine not being full-time, a couple of training sessions a week are ideal for me.
“Being 40 it just means I’ve got to lesson the load on my body. I can still give everything during games but it’s all about recovery. That’s what gets harder and harder.
“So Friday night will be the normal, a Chinese takeaway with the wife and a big bag of sweets with the kids. I’ve got to get in there early to get the good ones though!”
