For many, language lessons at school were something to endure. An hour or two of your week that seemed to pass slower than most and would not lead anywhere, least of all to the seat next to the Arsenal manager.

The role of an interpreter is a niche but necessary one in modern football and is a role which has put Daniel Lane in a position many would dream of having.

Having grown up with a Spanish influence around him language seemed a natural path for the Arsenal fan. A brief and forgettable year in sales - "I hated it" - punctuated a degree in Spanish and Italian and a masters in interpreting, which is where an interest in working within football began, volunteering to assist the Bristol City women's team.

"When you're on the outside football seems like such a hard world to get into," Lane says. "But as soon as I had a little taste I really wanted to do that more."

More and more letters to clubs offering assistance followed before a daunting first day in a dream role, translating for Santi Cazorla during a Sky Sports interview.

Lane is not officially an Arsenal employee - working for the club on a freelance basis - but after Unai Emery's whirlwind unveiling he knew what was coming, and it has been non-stop ever since.

"I'm an Arsenal fan, so it's been perfect," Lane says. "To be honest, working in football it is really important not to stray into fandom. The last thing the players want is being asked for a photo and that kind of relationship. They are there to do a job and you are also there in a personal capacity.

"I think it is afterwards when you look back and reflect. Now at the end of the season you can look back on what has been amazing experience after amazing experience with the club.

"You often find yourself in the tunnel and it is the things that if you were told you would be there when you were a kid you would just think it is the best thing in the world. It is hard to savour these things in the moment but I'll treasure them."

Lane sits in as support on each and every one of Emery's press conferences, which have often been rather dull affairs with his commitment to speaking English in all of them. His grasp of the language is improving, but those capable of speaking to him in his mother tongue know a fiery character who is as obsessed with cracking English as he is a new tactical system.

So who exactly comes across when Emery speaks Spanish behind the scenes? "It is very much the kind of thing you see on the touchline," Lane says.

"Incredibly passionate, throwing himself into the game, that is how we've seen it in terms of him learning English. You can tell he really wants to learn, he has put an incredible amount of effort into that and has had the guts to come out and do the press conferences in English from day dot.

"It is that kind of passionate, 100 per cent attitude to English we have seen, he will ask for feedback on how his English was after every interview we do, he really cares about a correction or something like that. It is amazing to see when he is also trying to do one of the biggest jobs in football."

As well as working alongside Emery, which saw Lane put up with a "three-month Peaky Blinders time," as the manager took an unorthodox approach to learning the language, he also throws himself into Arsenal's community projects. On a voluntary basis he will talk with schoolchildren who visit the club, looking to inspire the same interest he holds in languages through the experiences it has given him, travelling to Baku twice in one season among them.

Lane is also on hand to help out those in the squad who need a linguistic leg-up. Lucas Torreira, who this week said there are few things about England he enjoys - with the language sometimes being a barrier, is one of his top clients.

"Obviously he doesn't speak much English and has come from Uruguay via Italy," Lane says of the midfielder.

"In the past there were a lot more Spanish speaking players who needed interpreting but he has been the one this season, which has been great because Lucas is such a great character, so humble. My season highlight is the goal against Spurs, to see him smash it in the way he did it was a great moment."

Characters such as Daniel Lane play a vital part in helping manager and player alike feel at home in a new country and a new job, all the while living out a dream at the heart of the club he loves.