BUSY DAY: Tony at ante-natal classes with wife Helen
FOOTBALLER Tony Carroll was determined not to let either his manager or his pregnant wife down when a game clashed with an ante-natal class.
Veteran Bacup Borough striker Tony first went to Saturday's class with wife Helen, who is expecting twins, from 1pm to 3pm in Salford before rushing to Abbey Hey's Abbey Stadium, Gorton, Manchester, to come on as a second half substitute for his team.
And this was after Tony, 38, who couldn't stop Bacup losing 1-0, had completed a 15-hour night shift as a firefighter!
Club manager Brent Peters gave Tony permission to join the game late so that he could attend the ante-natal class with Helen at Hope Hospital.
The couple, who live in Worsley, go to a special class for women expecting twins on Saturdays every few weeks and Tony doesn't want to miss any of them, which has caused problems with some of the fixtures.
Tony said: "I got there at 3.20pm but we were already 1-0 down. I watched the rest of the first half from the bench and then Brent put me on at half-time but we couldn't do enough and we lost.
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"It was a bit disappointing after all the rushing around!"
Tony had just finished a 15-hour night shift at work in Edgworth, Swinton, and been out shopping to buy some cribs. After the match he had to go straight back to the station for another 15-hour shift!
Tony in action later on with Bacup Borough
He said: "I've been with Helen 10 years and she accepts that I miss weddings and can't go on holiday during the season. Brent understands my situation because he has kids himself. When it comes to my family, they take precedent.
"We've got one more class to go to now but it's important because they'll take us round the birthing centre.
"Because we're having twins it's more complicated - there will be a midwife, anaesthetist and a doctor there. The first birth will be okay but the second can be quite tricky."
The couple decided not to find out the sex of the twins on their 20-week scan as they want a surprise.
Tony joked: "I'm hoping for a boy and a girl - girls can play football now so I'll do my best to push them into football.
"Then again a lot of the lads I play football with are good footballers but their kids don't play at all!"
Tony, who has played for Bacup for two seasons and scored 12 goals this year, said he was hoping to carry on playing for Borough next year.
He added: "I'll have to see how it goes but I can't see myself playing for anyone else. I enjoy being at Bacup. I get on well with everyone and I'm quite happy."
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