When Owen Dale's loan move to Portsmouth was confirmed, his partner Jessica Beaumont had just given birth. Owen had been on the phone with his manager and agent during labour, and by the time Jessica left hospital, he was heading to a city more than 200 miles away — one she had never visited.
The timing could not have been more difficult. The couple had only just received the keys to their first home together in Congleton, a town close to Jessica's family in Stoke-on-Trent and within commuting distance of Blackpool, Owen's parent club. They spent a single night under its roof before renting it out and moving south.
"In that moment I did feel really out of control," Jessica recalls, describing how Owen chose their new home via FaceTime house viewings while she was still recovering from post-natal complications.
Five homes in five years
"Since living together, we've moved five times in five years," says Jessica. "You have to be prepared for anything in the transfer window."
That preparation has demanded significant personal sacrifice. Jessica was completing a law degree and had a job when the Portsmouth move happened. She had to inform her employer she would not be returning from maternity leave. Her legal career is currently on hold — she now works in social media from home, posting about her experiences on TikTok under #wag and #waglife.
"My career can be picked up at any time — whereas his career is right now and you've really got to take every opportunity," she says.
The reality of lower-league football
Owen, now 27, has spent the bulk of his career in League One, with spells in the Championship at Blackpool and Oxford United. Last season he was on loan at Plymouth Argyle and is currently a free agent, meaning he can join a new club without a transfer fee.
Many of his moves have fallen on deadline day, and the financial realities of life outside the Premier League add another layer of pressure. While top-flight footballers can earn tens of thousands of pounds a week, lower-league players and their families must plan with far greater caution.
"When you think 'Wag' and you think 'footballer', both of those terms come with this stereotype that our lives are easy," Jessica says. "People put League One players in the same bracket as Premier League players. In the Premier League they're often set up for life — we can't live in that way because we have to prepare for life after football."
The risks extend beyond uncertain transfers. When Blackpool were relegated during one season, Owen was out on loan and not involved — yet his wages were still affected. "You have to be prepared for everything," Jessica says.
Raising a family on the move
The couple have two children: Xavier, aged 4, and two-month-old Etta. As Xavier approaches school age, the question of stability is becoming harder to ignore. His fourth birthday party could not be planned in Plymouth because the family did not know if they would still be there — so it was held near Jessica's family in Stoke-on-Trent instead.
To ease the constant transition, the family tends to rent unfurnished homes they can personalise. During their time at Plymouth Argyle, the club provided accommodation. They placed Xavier's trampoline and outdoor toys in storage and told him they were staying in "the holiday house."
"I think it's teaching them a good life lesson that they don't need to be tied to one place," Jessica says.
Owen acknowledges the weight of those sacrifices. "There's always the risk that a move might not work," he says. "I might uproot my whole family for this next venture and it all goes south. Over the years I've learned that until there's a contract signed on the dotted line, you could end up anywhere."
Jessica, for her part, has found her own way to cope — including a friendship with another player's partner during the Portsmouth loan, who would stay with her whenever both men were away. "I'll appreciate that time forever because I was just so isolated," she says.
Despite everything, she insists the experience carries its own rewards. "It's still a really fortunate position to be in — but as much as people say it's a glamorous lifestyle, you do make sacrifices so your partner can have their dream."
