Chapter & Verse

He’s made millions running a company shaping steel, owns Billericay Town Football Club, is both publicly and privately a generous philanthropist and is a committed Christian. In typically unique style, Glenn Tamplin shares his life story (so far) with Robyn Bechelet

- Robyn Bechelet

BILLERICAY TOWN FC’S Blunt’s Wall Road ground is very much a muddy work in progress on the day of this interview. Well-orchestrated construction work is in progress. It’s Tuesday. Leyton Orient are expected Saturday. Really?

To a man, the build team are polite and helpful when I, and later our lovely make-up artist, Angela Pumo, pick our way through the mud in heels for our appointment in the being-refurbed clubhouse bar.

White T-shirted Glenn Tamplin has his back to the room, he is deep into talking finances with two men in the far corner of the clubhouse. The conversation drifts over. Single numbers seem to refer to millions rather than thousands. All three sit on ordinary plastic chairs. I later learn that already that day he has cut the programme price for fans and announced it on twitter.

Glenn’s gold neck chain (we later see) has a large gold crucifix hanging from it. He’s well cut (that’ll be the martial arts every morning). Respectful distance is observed.

To use one of Glenn’s words, everyone else, yes everyone, is ‘galvanised’. That includes his lovely mother-in-law, Denise, and beautiful wife, Bliss, who, it looks like, are learning the ticket machines.

Around Glenn a new pitch is being laid, Tarmac put down, plaster knocked up, floors swept, a mural of biblical proportions and content is being spray-painted on his office wall, floors mopped and someone somewhere is hoovering. Steel clangs outside signify that a new world is being built, in what feels like must be, oooh, seven days?

I am looked after, pieces of pristine white A4 paper are put on a dusty chair to sit on and tea offered. I watch one of Glenn’s legendary team talks on my phone. It’s time. We settle down for the interview and ask him to have his face painted to show

he stands with the fans. He agrees with a grin, ‘anything that will help the club’.