Elsie helps fill my days

“Technical ly, I ’ d be comfortable at most places but it’s not al l about that now.

“You need to be big and strong, an athlete.

“And some boys have got everything now. That’s maybe why I fell

“I don’t care if it’s in the lower leagues or Sunday league football with my mates in Birmingham.

“I’ll just keep playing if I’m fit and I’ve started to look after myself a bit more. When I was younger I was sti l l eating crisps and cans of Irn-Bru but as you get older, it’s true, you start to think about things like diet.

“Although I’m not eating kale or spinach yet, I’d never go that low. I’m from Coatbridge, I can’t do that!”

Barry Bannan insists fatherhood has changed him – and says the COVID-19 lockdown has helped him bond with daughter Elsie.

The Sheffield Wednesday star is missing football like mad but the si lver lining is s getting to spend d every day with his s 10-month old girl.

The 30-year- old d said: “I’ve gone from m seeing my daughter for three hours to seeing her all day.

“Normally, by the time I leave from BiBirmingham, i h she’s just waking up.

“Then when I get back from training in Sheffield she’s almost going back to bed at 7pm. Now I’ve loads of time so I’m enjoying it.

“Getting this bonding time with her is precious.

“For other people the lockdown will be a lot worse. If I was single and didn’t have her, it would be absolute torture.

“Obviously, I’m missing football but because I’ve got her to wake up to, it’s great. Being a dad has changed me. You suddenly realise that people are reliant on you.

“The stuff you did before, like going out with mates or playing Playstation, you can’t do that. But I wanted this, I was ready for it.”