There are some obvious similarities between being a lawyer and a football manager.
Both can be extremely stressful for instance. But there are some key differences.
While a football manager can perhaps have the occasional moan about to the referee about a decision every now and then, the lawyer most definitely can’t do that to a judge. It would certainly be a red card offence.
Tom Killick has quite a lot of experience of both roles.
He has been a family lawyer in Poole for more than three decades.
But he’s also been the manager of Poole Town FC for the past 20 years and spent all his adult life in non league football.
Tom, 53, works for Rawlins Davy Reeves as a family lawyer and is based in the Poole office.
“Yes it has been a bit of a balancing act throughout my career,” he admits.
He recalls: “I was 17 when I started playing for Poole and I was still at college. Then Chris Reeves encouraged me to join his law firm.”
Tom also turned out for Wimborne, Dorchester Town and Basingstoke.
He finished playing in 2004 and went to Salisbury as assistant manager but then soon returned to Poole to take up the reins.
“It was always a lot easier as a player than as a manager in terms of balancing my legal career and the football life. As a manager there’s obviously much more to do and a much bigger impact.”
But ‘new’ technology has helped.
“In the old days but I would have to ring everybody up about the games and sometimes players didn’t answer their phones.
“Now of course we do most of our communicating on WhatsApp, which is a lot easier.”
Football management is stressful, even at non league level.
Tom said: “If things aren’t going well at work and the football is not going too well either, it can be a bit tough because you feel things are mounting up.”
He reckons he puts in around 20 hours a week on the Tattenham-based club, especially when there are away fixtures, which can be as far as Truro or London in the Southern Premier League.
He also juggles work and football with having a young family.
Tom’s stint as Poole makes him one of the longest serving managers.
“Someone once said I was the third longest serving after Arsene Wenger and a chap at Maidstone. It’s been a long old time and I have had a few opportunities along the way.”
Has he ever thought about a quieter life?
“Part of me fears what life would be like without it. I am very competitive and people do talk about that competitive instinct which you miss.
“I will pack it in at some point because you don’t realise the impact it has on your mood and those around you, especially if you’re losing.
“But one of the great things about non league football is the relationship you have with the supporters and the players and the camaraderie that surrounds it. It’s all very personal.
“Managing those relationships is the biggest thing and the biggest reward.
“It’s striking up a rapport and dealing with people one-to-one. And in my job and family law I think the same thing applies. It’s a very similar approach, building relationships.
“Family law can be quite emotional time because people are looking for support expertise, help and reassurance. As unlikely as it may seem, there is definitely a crossover between the law and football. They are both all about people.”
