EXCLUSIVE: In recent weeks Abbie Orchard has given a raw insight into the reality of being a football WAG – and below she speaks about how difficult it is making family plans
Abbie and Callum have been together for many years and they are getting married this summer (Image: abbieorchard1/Instagram)
A mum believes people underestimate how hard it is to be a football WAG - saying the sacrifices are huge.
Abbie Orchard, 26, previously spoke to us about how “extremely lonely” it can get and here she explains how she navigates family life.
She met her fiancé Callum Guy, 27, when they were both in school and the midfielder now spends most weekends playing football for Carlisle United.
The professional sportsman has a hectic schedule and he does everything possible to make life comfortable for Abbie and their young children Ava and George.
Speaking to the Daily Star about the challenges of making plans, she said: “I definitely think people underestimate the work that the partners have to put in and the sacrifices we have to make.
“Most of us live nowhere near our family and we cannot book things in advance as the schedule is so unpredictable. Our partners miss a lot of important things such as birthdays and Christmas.
“It is so hard planning things to do as a family. We now only book on the day of as his schedule can change at any time. Days off can change so we like to book on the day so it saves having to disappoint the children.
“I definitely think it is just as hard as Callum. He is a very present dad and to miss birthdays and school plays is hard for him. But so that nobody misses out we usually celebrate those things on his days off.”
She is set to marry Callum this summer having been by his side throughout his career – including previous spells at clubs like Port Vale, Bradford and Blackpool.
They are both from Nottingham and in the first part of our interview with Abbie she gave a candid insight into how difficult it was upping sticks.
She said: “To move to a new area completely is extremely lonely and not knowing anyone or where anything is is hard. It was made harder by having my first daughter and I had no village or help as a young mum who didn’t have a clue. I could really have done with some help from family.
Despite the challenges, Abbie says it is a privilege to be able to raise her children (Image: abbieorchard1/Instagram)
“I would find myself waiting for Callum to come home to have anyone to talk to. FaceTime really helped me keep in touch with friends and family.”
As for her kids, she added: “I don’t really think anyone knows the effect that it has on my children growing up with just their mum and dad. They didn’t trust other people for a very long time and their own family members would hold them and they wouldn’t remember who they were.
“As a result my children refused to say goodbye to people and they get really upset about it. I believe this is because they don’t know how long it will be until they next see them.”
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