AS a player, he relished it – but the challenge that faces Football League managers in the coming fortnight isn’t a task Swindon Town boss Richie Wellens particularly looks forward to.

By full-time at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday, it was undecided if players would report for training on Christmas Day – although a strict timetable had been formulated for Town’s members of management.

The timetable will not be changed, largely owing to the fact that Swindon have four games to fulfil in the space of 10 days.

Football in and around the festive period has been a tradition since the late 19th century.

The pull of families gathering annually to watch their local team play appeals to Wellens.

But for a manager, the period is a logistical nightmare.

He said: “I enjoyed it as a player – I enjoyed training and wanted to play.

“But, as a manager, I don’t enjoy it as much. There will be a lot of indifferent performances over Christmas simply because you can’t plan.

“A lot of planning will be through videos and watching. In terms of getting players out on the grass and actually executing stuff, it’s very difficult.

“This time of year, the weather isn’t great and the pitches are heavy – Forest Green on Saturday was extremely heavy.

“Even the County Ground was a bit heavy last week. It’s great for the supporters – it’s the festive period and they can go out with their families and enjoy football.

“But it’s physical, mentally and emotionally draining for us. The planning part of it can go out of the window at times.”

The Town boss wasn’t too disheartened by Joseph Mills’ 95th-minute equaliser for Forest Green on Saturday – a goal that denied Swindon what would’ve been a remarkable eighth League Two win on the spin.

Mills’ second-half brace acted as a kick up the backside to Town’s squad – and a timely one too, it would seem.

Wellens added: “Saturday was a bit of a kick up the backside. If we get ahead of ourselves, then this game can come back to bite.

“I’d prefer it to bite us when we’re away and can still get a point instead of dropping points at home.

“Twenty-two points out of 24 is alright.”