There is something special about playing games over the festive period.

The crowds are always good and there is a different atmosphere at the grounds.

I think a lot of people come to football matches who wouldn’t normally go. If your team’s at home, you might have family members up so you bring them along as well. It’s part of their Christmas tradition.

Obviously as a footballer, you can’t do too much different from the usual routine. You can’t go overboard with anything because it’s such a busy part of the season now.

I’ve found that everyone does it differently at Christmas.

Since I’ve had a family of my own, I’ve thrown myself into Christmas again and really enjoyed it. But I know other football lads with children who put everything on hold until after the game and then do their celebrations. It’s each to their own.

As a footballer, you have to make sacrifices at Christmas but you know that from the start. I’ve always thought that when I pack in football, I will be able to really make the most of my first Christmas – but that’s the only thing I’ll look forward to when I can’t play again.

Come Boxing Day, I know I’ll feel the disappointment of missing out on the big game. I’d loved to have been playing tomorrow afternoon.

I enjoyed both games against Lincoln last year. We had a win on Boxing Day with drama at the end and also put in a good away performance over there.

As a player you do get a feeling about certain games and this one would be a good one to be involved in. You’ve got the emotion between the two sides, and with Peter Jackson being Lincoln manager that adds a lot more interest to fans who remember him from playing here.

And with the Morecambe game coming up on Sunday, it’s coming thick and fast.

That’s why Christmas is good to play in because if you do pick up plenty of points in a short space of time, the table can look so different in a couple of days.