5am starts and non-league football
Hockaday brought Semenyo into his team at South Gloucestershire and Stroud (SGS) College, who competed in the South West Counties League. Semenyo was living in digs in Swindon, so Hockaday would drive there to collect him at 5am on Saturday mornings — knocking on his door more than once to rouse him — and take him to matches.
The experience proved transformative. Playing against experienced non-league players in the south west, Semenyo's confidence returned rapidly.
