Kelly Somers: “Work hard, and be prepared to be patient – it won’t happen overnight”

For many, football is a huge part of family life, with children growing up attending matches with their parents and then going on to do the same with their own children. Kelly Somers spent her childhood following Watford FC, with her Mother and late Grandparents having season tickets at the club. After begging to go […]

Michelle Walder: “Talent is evenly distributed through the population but opportunity unfortunately isn’t. The way we’ll encourage change is to be visible”

The sports industry in general is known for being hugely male-dominated, however when it comes to key senior roles in organisations such as football clubs, the number of women is even fewer. Michelle Walder is one of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Non-Executive Directors and also the Chair of the Women’s and Girls’ clubs. I spoke […]

Katie Shanahan: “One of my main aims in life is to try and inspire people to get into sport”

When an athlete’s career ends, there are many opportunities to try and remain involved with their particular sport. However, sometimes when their career can end prematurely due to injury, it can leave them wondering what to do next. After Katie Shanahan retired from the England Women’s Hockey team aged 21, she decided to get involved […]

Kate Mason: “When I was offered the chance to come and work on football in the place that will next host the World Cup I couldn’t believe my luck!”

The number of women and young girls taking part in sport is increasing with figures published in the Telegraph, sourced from Sport England, showing that the number playing sport regularly has risen by over 200,000 in the year 2015/16. However, many still feel they are discouraged by the stigma around it. As a child, Kate […]

Kenzie Benali: “I definitely have the competitive Benali streak in me!”

Many football fans spend their childhood attending matches at the club they support to watch and cheer on their team. However, not all of these youngsters are there to support their family. Kenzie Benali spent many weekends at Southampton FC watching her father play for the team. Now she has her own career at St. […]

Emma Saunders: “Anything is possible, just work hard, be a nice person to work with and believe!”

For many football fans, working at the club they support would be their dream job. Then for that to lead to going to a FIFA World Cup would be unbelievable. However, this was the case for Emma Saunders. A lifelong Watford fan, she is currently Vicarage Road’s stadium announcer, also doing features for the club’s […]

Semra Hunter: “If you are truly passionate about becoming a journalist, you will make it happen”

Although football, or soccer, is most commonly associated with Europe and South America, leagues such as the Premier League and La Liga are becoming increasingly popular in the USA. Particularly the Spanish league are hoping to increase their fanbase in North America, something Semra Hunter is keen to get involved with. Born in the USA, […]

Women at the World Cup: Inspiring the masses, ignoring the criticism.

The World Cup has already thrown up many shocks and stories despite the teams not even having completed the group stages. However, not all of these stories have been about the football and the players themselves, with some people’s attention on those presenting and commentating on the games rather than those competing. This tournament has […]

Natalie Pirks: “Get a foot in the door and don’t let it go”

Working as a sports journalist is a dream for many and with a changing media landscape is now a reality for many also. However, the pinnacle of the job is reporting on the greatest sporting spectacles around the globe for world-renowned outlets such as BBC, Sky and ITV. Natalie Pirks has worked for both the […]