As he prepares to lead his side into the FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying, one could forgive Nuneaton captain Gaz Dean for having other things on his mind.
Conference Premier side Nuneaton Town take on Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday in the final round of qualifying ahead of the First Round Proper on 8 November, and Dean has been keeping himself busy in the build-up to the big game.
In addition to the football commitments that require him to train twice a week and hit the gym after work every day he is not on the training field, the 24-year-old also finds time to hold down a challenging job.
Nuneaton Town v Hemel Hempstead Town
FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying
3pm, Saturday 25 October
Liberty Way, Nuneaton
Winning team receives £12,500 from FA prize fund
"I work for Jaguar-Land Rover as a design engineer," he told TheFA.com.
"One of the cars I’ve been working on is not far from full production so it’s all been a bit hectic at the moment.
"Then obviously you need to try and keep yourself fit in your own time and go to the gym after work. It can be difficult, but we do it for a reason."
But despite the gruelling schedule Dean says he is happy with the balance he has been able find between his professional life and football.
And as well as proven football pedigree, the defender has a rather impressive CV.
He graduated from Loughborough University with a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering – an area in which he holds high ambitions.
"We had flight simulators at the university and being a pilot is something I’ve always wanted to do," he added.
"That’s originally why I went into that degree. I wanted to go into the RAF and be a fighter pilot and then retire and go into commercial flying.
"I would never write that off and it was always a childhood dream. Whether that will come true one day who knows."
Local lad Gaz Dean grew up watching the club he now captains
As attention turned to Saturday's big game, Nuneaton-born Dean says having grown up watching the club from the terraces with his family – it would be a dream come true if he could lead his boyhood club on another Cup run.
"I’m a local boy and I’ve supported Nuneaton all my life," he added. "I used to go and watch the games on Saturday afternoon down on the terraces.
"To have the opportunity to play for them is something I never thought I would do so I’m happy to be here and have great pride in being captain of the club.
"To go on another Cup run with this group of lads would be something very special, and it's something we all want. It can light up the place."
As a player Dean has twice experienced the First Round Proper on two occasions, though defeats by Lincoln City and Exeter City ended hopes of reaching the promised land of the Third Round.
"Nuneaton had a game against Middlesbrough a few years ago where we got to the Third Round but I was only a boy then and too young to be involved," he recalled.
“We’re expected to win – but you never know and that’s the beauty of The FA Cup”
Gaz Dean Nuneaton Town captain
"But I was at the game watching. It’s always something to dream of doing again, but let’s take it one step at a time and try and beat Hemel Hempstead on Saturday first of all."
And on Saturday's opponents, the skipper says that despite being favourites for the tie, his side will be taking nothing for granted.
"We have to be confident. We’re obviously struggling in the league at the moment but performances under the new manager have started to pick up and we are at home.
"We’re in a stronger league than Hemel Hempstead so we’re expected to win the game – but you never know, and that’s the beauty of The FA Cup."
Nuneaton take on Hemel Hempstead at 3pm on Saturday. Click here for ticket and travel information.
