Colin aims to fix up

Part-time star lifts lid on full-time working life

AS ARBROATH gear up for their second bite at Premiership promotion, their play-off rivals will be hard at it on the training ground.

Lichties stars, meanwhile, have to graft on and off the park ahead of tonight’s semi-final first leg.

The Angus club are the only part-time team in the Championship, with their squad squeezing in full-time jobs around their remarkable league escapades.

The Tele joined Arbroath ace Colin Hamilton for a few hours at his day job as he gave an insight into his working life.

The 29-year-old is a qualified mechanic and owns a car garage and showroom in Larbert.

Hamilton has to oversee his business before training with the Lichties twice a week in Perth, as well as being on dad duty for his three kids.

6am: “I get up and have some breakfast then, if I can, get into work early. I always had an interest in cars and my first thought was mobile valeting. I started that for just over a year, then the garage came up eight years ago. We then got our first employee, moved into the garage and it has spiralled from there. We now have nine employees on two different sites.

9am: “After I’ve done a couple of hours, I’ve got Millie, my eldest, to take to nursery. Then I’m hard at work again, whether that’s sorting out car sales, valeting or garage work up to lunchtime.

2pm:” I’m back at nursery to pick Millie up, then drop her home before heading back to work. My favourite part of the job is the interaction with people I meet every day. I like the customer service side. Without the customers, we wouldn’t have a business.

5pm: “I try to get finished for 5pm, then head home, have some dinner and head for training.

7pm: “Training is in Perth and lasts up to two hours. It’s nothing complicated and we work on a few drills and a team talk.

10pm: “Depending on when training finishes, I get home about the back of 10pm. After winding down, I usually head for bed about 11pm. It’s a long day, but I enjoy it. Life is busy. Trying to fit the family in and around that is pretty hard work.”

Even with most Saturdays taken up by football, Hamilton still finds time to squeeze in some work before heading for Gayfield.

6am: “I don’t need to take Millie to nursery on a Saturday but I still get up early to come into work early and put a few hours in.

Noon: “On a match day I’d probably work up to 11.45am, get home, changed and a quick bit of lunch then head up to Arbroath.

Normally, it takes me about an hour and a half to get up the road.

So, it’s a quick 15-minute change over in the house, then I’m away again.

3pm: For 3pm kick-offs, I’m normally back home at about 7pm.”

Arbroath player Colin Hamilton at work in his car garage and inset above, he celebrates after scoring a goal against Partick Thistle.