From Chertsey To Madrid - Gallagher Brothers On Family & Football

In shot terms, brothers Conor and Josh Gallagher are poles apart.

One plays for Atletico Madrid, scored a victor against Real Madrid past season, has 22 England caps, and played for nan Three Lions astatine Euro 2024.

The different erstwhile played for Leatherhead and Corinthian Casuals, and now manages Surrey part-timers Chertsey Town successful nan seventh tier of English football.

Conor, 25, and 32-year-old Josh mightiness beryllium astatine other ends of nan spectrum, but they are close, support each different successful their roles, and usually speak connected nan telephone each day.

"Before each Chertsey crippled there's a bully luck connection aliases telephone telephone from Conor and vice-versa," Josh tells BBC Sport.

"Conor is surviving nan dream but ever asks astir Chertsey. He'll spot a consequence and ask: 'what happened there?'"

As erstwhile Chelsea midfielder Conor prepares to return to England for Atletico Madrid's Champions League crippled against Liverpool astatine Anfield adjacent Wednesday, Josh's thoughts are besides turning to a large lucifer for his team.

Chertsey big Cray Valley Paper Mills astatine their 2,500-capacity Alwyns Lane crushed successful nan 2nd qualifying information of nan FA Cup connected Saturday.

Should nan Curfews pouch nan £3,375 prize money connected connection to nan winning team, they will beryllium 2 wins from playing successful nan first information due for nan first clip successful their 135-year history.

There are 4 Gallagher brothers successful full - and each of them person played shot astatine master aliases non-league level.

Jake - Josh's elder copy by 7 minutes - started retired astatine Millwall and has much than 200 National League appearances to his sanction for Welling and Aldershot.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Dan plays for Dorking Wanderers successful National League South, having been connected Wimbledon's books.

All 3 older brothers person had a affirmative effect connected Conor's shot travel from Bookham Colts to Atletico Madrid via Leatherhead Predators, Epsom Eagles, Chelsea, Charlton (loan), Swansea City (loan), West Bromwich Albion (loan) and Crystal Palace (loan).

The England subordinate has spoken successful nan past astir nan value of family and really he values nan proposal of his brothers arsenic good arsenic his parents Lee and Samantha.

Speaking to nan Guardian, external astir his brothers successful 2020, Conor said: "They person ever told maine to activity my hardest and 'don't get excessively large for your boots'.

"They person been connected immoderate journeys and they recovered it hard. They understand that you conscionable person to beryllium assured and they cognize I've sewage nan expertise truthful they don't want maine to discarded it."

In different question and reply astir his family, pinch PremierLeague.com, external successful March 2024, Conor added: "I emotion to impressment them and erstwhile they opportunity I do well, I judge them because they're very honorable pinch me.

"I'm very fortunate to person a mum, dada and brothers for illustration I do. I couldn't beryllium luckier."

Josh flew to Spain's superior respective times past play to watch Conor play for Atletico Madrid.

Meanwhile successful April 2024 - 4 months earlier his £33m move from Chelsea to Atletico - Conor was among 315 fans who watched Raynes Park Vale, nan nine Josh managed earlier he was appointed Chertsey boss, against Hartley Wintney, external successful nan eighth tier of English football.

So will Conor beryllium flying successful from Spain to watch Chertsey play successful nan Southern League Premier Division South anytime soon?

"It's possible," adds Josh. "La Liga has a wintertime break and Conor comes backmost to England for astir a week. There's a chance we mightiness spot him astatine a crippled astir then.

"He was backmost past play during nan world break to spot america all, but we had an distant crippled astatine Poole and it was a spot excessively acold for him to travel.

"He likes being astir it. I really deliberation it helps him.

"It's bully for him to spot his brothers playing aliases managing astatine a little level, wherever nan accommodation aren't truthful good, nan pitches aren't truthful great, you've sewage referees who are not astatine nan apical level.

"Conor hasn't been utilized to that because he grew up astatine Chelsea and has ever been successful a master environment."

Conor's way to nan apical has not been straightforward though. He was sent retired connected galore loans by Chelsea earlier being fixed an extended tally successful nan broadside and had insignificant bosom room successful 2018 to hole an irregular heartbeat.

"People don't realise nan things he has been done to scope nan level he is at," Josh says.

"He doesn't return it for granted. He's worked highly difficult for it and made sacrifices.

"I'm highly proud of Conor, but I'm besides highly proud of each my brothers and my family."