New Year brings a frantic period for the sports desk to a close, not that we are complaining

The growing influence of television broadcasting means that there will be nearly 10 hours of non-stop football on New Year’s Day

The football fixtures pile up over a hectic Christmas period (Getty)

The festive Premier League fixture list comes to a close with a bumper New Year’s Day programme as nine games wrap up what has felt like non-stop football action over the past two weeks.

At The Independent, that’s certainly how it feels as our team of reporters find themselves more under the kosh than any other time throughout the year, slogging their way through three full rounds of matches just like the players do.

The workload takes its toll on the mind as well as the legs, with the team cautious not to overdo it with Christmas lunch in the knowledge that a Boxing Day crammed full of football follows – or at least that’s the plan...