Look up the definition of the word ‘addict’ and one of several explanations given is “an enthusiastic devotee of a specified thing or activity”.

That’s a definition that could be used to describe Marc Lane’s involvement in all things Tewkesbury Town Football Club.

The 36-year-old still plays for Tewkesbury’s reserves in Division Two of the Cheltenham League but that is just a fraction of the time he devotes to the club.

He also manages the team, plays for the club’s Sunday team and occasionally turns out for the vets’ team – who play all their matches at All Saints Academy in Cheltenham – as well.

Throw in his coaching role with Tewkesbury Town Colts Under-16s – his son Ellis plays for them – and you can see that Lane senior is a pretty busy chap most weekends.

“Yes,” he laughed, “Some weekends I can be managing the under-16s on Saturday morning, then playing and managing the reserves on a Saturday afternoon before playing for the men’s team on a Sunday morning and then an occasional runout for the vets’ team in the afternoon.”

And that’s not all. As well as training a couple of times a week, he is also big on the administrative side at the club.

“I got involved on the committee and started doing secretarial duties,” he recalled. “Then I took on the role of treasurer and two years ago I took over as chairman and I combine all three now in a coordinating role.”

No wonder he is single! So how much time does he devote to football each week?

“I reckon I spend 10 hours a week on admin,” he said, “and what with playing, training and coaching I’m involved with the club seven days a week.”

Born in Oxford, Lane spent the first 10 years of his life living in Chipping Norton before moving to Tewkesbury in the early 1990s.

He played some football at Tewkesbury School but it wasn’t until he joined the now defunct Northway at the age of 16 that he started playing regularly.

He played for their reserves for five years before giving up the sport for three years after Ellis was born.

“I went back to Northway Reserves but after they folded I made the short trip to join Tewkesbury Town,” he said. “Oli Kavanagh, who was a friend of mine, had just started a reserve team so I played for them in Division Five of the Cheltenham League.”

It was to prove one of the best things he ever did. The defender who can play anywhere across the back line has made his presence felt for every team he has played for and is now looking forward to playing in the same team as his son next year.

“He turns 16 in January,” said his proud dad, “so he’ll be old enough to play adult football. He’s already trained this summer with the men and I’m really looking forward to playing in the same team as him.

“I’ve been coaching his team since the under-11s and the aim is to take them into senior football.

“We’ve got two under-16 teams which means that some 20 lads could be moving into adult football next season. It could be that we form a development team to compete in the Cheltenham League next season.”

That would be good news for the league’s officers, of course, as they look to increase the number of teams following the decision this season to cut the number of divisions from five to four.

It would also reflect very well, of course, on not just Lane, but all those who have worked so hard to develop a bridge between youth and adult football in Tewkesbury.

Lane is keen to pay tribute to the help he has received from John Smith who co-runs an under-16 team with him, while Andy Pepperell and Sam Byde have run the other under-16 side.

Goalkeeper Pepperell and midfielder Byde are part of the Tewkesbury Town first team that have enjoyed some good results in Division One of the Cheltenham League this season and there is plenty of ambition around the club’s flagship team.

“We want promotion to the Northern Senior League,” said Lane. “We’ve got a really good team under manager Phil Millington and we’ve got a couple of good goalscorers up front in Kieran Dyson and Nathan Smith.”

The first team currently play their home matches on the artificial surface at Tewkesbury School while the reserves and Sunday team play at Northway.

“We’ve got a lease to play at Northway’s old ground,” Lane said. “The aim is to get the pitch up to a good enough standard so that the first team can play there as well.

“What we want to do is have all the teams together, have our own home and build the link between Tewkesbury Town Colts and adult football.

“My focus is to put in the foundations to help make this happen.”

And you certainly would not bet against Lane and people like Matt Tarling – “He helps me a lot,” said Lane – making it all happen.