CHESHAM United goalkeeper George Legg’s baby daughter was born at 12 minutes past four. At quarter past four, after just three minutes with her, Legg legged it from the hospital so that he could go off and play football.


He said: “I gave her a little hug and then I had to leave.”


His team-mates were amazed to see him turn up for the match while his girlfriend Charelle was literally left holding baby Jheneah in hospital.


Legg told the Bucks Free Press: “My teammates gave me lots of stick when I turned up for the game; they asked what I was doing there! I don’t think they could believe that I had left Charelle and my daughter.”


What makes it even more remarkable is the fact that Legg is only on loan at Chesham, but there was no way the Reading keeper was going to miss the match.


He said: “I had two bad knee injuries last season. I needed keyhole surgery twice and missed so much football that I now need to be playing games and make a good impression.


“I had spoken with my girlfriend about it and she agreed that I should play. We both agreed it was the right thing. I have got a daughter to support now so it is even more important that I put everything into my football.


"I have got responsibilities now and I couldn’t run the risk of someone else coming in, having a good game and possibly taking my place.”


The 19-year-old is in his third year at Reading, having signed a new one-year deal in the summer and he knows it’s a big year for him if he is to make it with the Championship club.


He said: “I need to be playing games and coming to Chesham has been brilliant for me. It is just the type of competitive football that I need. I need to be playing men’s football now after playing in the U18s before and this is a big opportunity for me to take my game on and develop at a really good club.


“I’ve only ever wanted to be a professional player and now it is not just about me. I have got to do it for my family as well. A and each time I go out there to play now it’s more important than ever because it is about all of our futures, not just mine.”


Legg’s dedication to his career wasn’t rewarded on the night though as Chesham lost 1-0 away at Cambridge City, but last Saturday went much better as Chesham ran out 5-1 winners over Frome with United’s veteran player-coach Barry Hayles scoring twice in the victory.


Legg, who trains with Reading during the day before linking up with Chesham for their evening training sessions, said: “It’s great for me as a goalkeeper to have a striker like Barry Hayles at the club.


"He has got so much Football League experience that I can only learn from someone like him. He’s got a great footballing brain and, as a goalkeeper, it’s good to be able to get such an insight into a striker’s brain.”


Legg is at Chesham until January and that could mean a lot of football.
He said: “If I can get 30 games under my belt that would be fantastic.”


Tomorrow Chesham visit Stratford Town in the Evo Stik Southern Premier Division before hosting Slough Town on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm ko).