They both agreed that elite sport had prepared them for emergency response work.
“We enjoy pressure,” Sigsworth said. “In football, you’re playing in front of crowds, under scrutiny, constantly wanting to prove yourself. That mentality never leaves you.”
Even the daily routines are familiar.
“You must pass so many fitness tests to get into the fire service,” explained McManus. “We do loads of PT and the togetherness you’d have as a football team you have here.
“It’s cringy to say, but when you’re at an exhausted part of a workout, that’s when teamwork comes in. It’s the same on a job if you’re in a really hot fire, you’ve got to pull each other through. Nobody gets left behind – it’s the same at football pre-season.
“You arrive, get your kit sorted, train together, eat together.
“If we lost a football match, we’d analyse it afterwards. It’s the same here after difficult jobs. It’s like one big family.”
Still, there are parts of a match day they miss.
“That moment before you walk out,” Sigsworth said. “The music is blasting in the changing room, everyone is shouting. I think you miss that forever.”
They did put their boots back on recently, representing the fire service in a seven-a-side emergency services tournament in Spain. They won, although Sigsworth’s brief stint in goal did not go to plan.
“We won’t mention Jess getting lobbed,” McManus laughed.
“I’m a centre-forward!” Sigsworth replied. “They stuck me in net. One girl just booted it from kick-off and I was daydreaming.”