COLCHESTER United stalwart John White became a proud dad, just a day before making his 196th league appearance for the club at Wycombe.

White might have been suffering from a lack of sleep, and could have been forgiven for feeling a little distracted, but that didn’t affect his performance in a gritty goalless draw.

Ever the professional, full-back White played a big part in the U’s latest clean-sheet, although understandably he couldn’t wait to return to Essex to bring his baby son Jacob and wife Lianne back home from hospital .

White admitted: “I am in a bit of a daze, but it’s going to hit me when I take Jacob home. I think I have been running on adrenaline!

“I’m obviously over-the-moon. It’s a great feeling to have a new addition to the family, to bring us closer together.

“That compliments the football on top of it.

“It was difficult to leave baby Jacob and Lianne, knowing that I wouldn’t see them again until the following evening, but we had that in our minds anyway. That happens in football.

“It was just fortunate that he was squeezed out between games!

“With the recent long trips to Yeovil and Oldham, I don’t think I would have made it.

“Last night I had a good night’s sleep, but going into hospital at 3am (Friday morning) wasn’t the ideal preparation for a game.

“It’s been a bizarre couple of days, going into hospital so early in the morning. I was in hospital all yesterday, having cuddles and things like that.

“But I had enough rest and managed to get through the game,” added White.

Baby Jacob was born at 8.30am on Friday morning, with White leaving for Wycombe on the team coach just 24 hours later.

And there won’t be much opportunity for White to spend time at home in the near future, due to the congested fixture schedule. The U’s entertain Sheffield United tomorrow, and then Huddersfield on Saturday.

“My paternity leave will just be one day! I’m back training on Monday morning,” confirmed White.

“But Friday was the best day of my life, and it’s been a good week and a nice way to end with a good result.”