Meet the British Gas engineer and insurance worker representing Heybridge Swifts in their first FA Cup first round tie for more than a decade.

They are among the players looking to lead them to the second round for the first time in the club’s history.

The Swifts travel to Devon on Sunday as they take on League Two Exeter City.

While thoughts are obviously drawn to the glamour tie, the players have had to stay focused not only on their league matches, but on their day-to-day jobs.

Goalkeeper Danny Sambridge has been at the Swifts for the past four years. Living and working in Grays, he commutes 50 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday evenings for training, often spending as little as ten minutes at home.

“It can be tough at times,” explained Danny “Last Wednesday was very difficult. We had Bury Town away on the Tuesday night and that ended up going to penalties. I didn’t get back until gone midnight, then with the adrenaline I didn’t end up getting to sleep until about 1.45am. Then you are up again at 7am for work. I think any non-league player will tell you that Wednesday mornings are the hardest.

“I’m lucky because my girlfriend, Cherrie, fully supports me. I was playing football when we first got together so she is pretty clued up on it. I can tell when she has been sat watching with my Dad because she will point out some things I could have done better, but she uses the exact words my old man would use. I can hear him saying it.”

It has been a long road to the first round for Danny, who considered packing football in over the summer.

He started out at Dagenham and Redbridge as a youth player, before spending time at Witham Town and Maldon and Tiptree, and eventually landing at Heybridge Swifts.

Danny, now 25, has settled at the Swifts, but at the end of last season he discovered the pain he felt in his lower back was arthritis. He was sidelined for around six months and at times doubted if he would make it back.

He said: “There were times I was finding it really difficult during the recovery. Cherrie was there and kept me motivated and I’m glad she did not because games like this make it all worthwhile.

“This is the first time I’ve been involved in the first round of the FA Cup. At our level it is one of the biggest achievements you can have in your career. I’m absolutely buzzing.”

Ryan Henshaw, 24, shares Danny’s enthusiasm for Sunday’s tie.

The defender, who signed for the club in the summer from Sudbury, is working for British Gas alongside his time on the pitch.

However, Ryan can’t even escape FA Cup fever at work.

He said: “Everyone has been talking about it. It is a shame it is in Exeter in a way because I think a lot would have come along, but it is a long way for them to go on a Sunday afternoon.

“My manager at work is a big football fan so he understands the football side of it and has been really good. He knows all about the Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday trend.

“I’ve never reached this stage of the cup before so it is a new experience for me. I have spoken to players who have made it before and they have compared it to winning the league or getting promoted and it feels that big to me.

“We are not expected to come away with much of a result, but it is the magic of the cup and you can never write the underdog off.” The Standard will be running a four page souvenir pull-out next week.