footballjournalism.co.uk

The football journalism challenge focuses on offering budding football journalists the opportunity to practise their writing skills in real journalism situations.

Writers are given matches to preview or report on or topics to compose articles on, then set deadlines to meet. When all the articles are in, they are judged by a panel of writers from a variety of online publications.

Any questions please just ask below.

The Football Journalism Challlenge is on-going and open to anyone, so if you want to take part, just reply below to state your interest and I will be in touch.

Some examples of topics and articles written in the past:

• International Match Preview: England vs Slovenia Match Preview
• Great Football Rivalries: Fireworks, banners and dancing: The Superclasico!
• Predictions for 09/10: Experience the key to United’s nineteen
• The (Other) Manchester Derby: FC United v Maine Road FC
• Money in Football: A Criminals’ dream, A bookies’ nightmare
• World Cup Final Match Report: 1978 Holland v Argentina
• UEFA CL Match Report: Bohemians v Red Bull Salzburg

A new task will be posted on to the forum at least once a week, sometimes twice, every completed task earns you points. The writer with the most points at the end of each month wins a prize. There is also another prize for those with the most total points when scores are reset at three main stages of the competition:

FJC2 is running until the end of May, prizes are on offer monthly. The overall prize is on offer to the winner. FJC1 ran in 2009, whilst ANCFJC ran in January 2010. There will be a special WCFJC in June 2010.

Monthly Prizes include: (winners gets to pick one, awarded monthly)

• Club Team Football Shirt
• National Team Football Shirt
• Retro Football Shirt
• £25 cash

Main Prizes Include: (overall winner gets to pick one )

• £75 to spend at Kitbag.com
• £75 to spend at SubsideSports.com
• £60 Cash

To take part in the Football Journalism Challenge just reply below to state your interest and I will be in touch.

Any questions please just ask

Hello there. I am an ardent football fan and follow my team, Sheffield United, up and down the length and breadth of the country. I am highly interested on pursuing a career in football journalism, and your challenge appeals to me.

I do have previous writing experiences, with national newspaper 'The Independent' asking me to write up several reports from Sheffield United games - these are published in Monday's newspapers. I would be privileged if you allowed me to participate in the challenge.

Regards, Jamie Furniss.

P.S. I joined the site last year but have only just figured out how to work it properly, therefore I've forgot the email address I used. It might be best if you posted a reply on this thread. Thanks.

Please inform me of the criteria required to join your "Football Journalism Challenge", as I am very interested in joining.

I would be very interested in joining, if that is possible.

There are no set criteria as such. You just need to be willing to complete one article per week minimum, which usually has a word limit between 400 & 800 words.

I will enable access to the challenge forum for the three of you so you can see what is going on. I will then make sure you get an email when the next challenge is issued, we are nearing the end of the February, so you'll be able to get one practise article in before things start again in March.

Jamie if it helps you used the humbersufcs@********.**.** email address to register here.

Would it be possible for me to get involved, I'd be very interested in having a crack at this.

Hi, I'm determined to become a football writer once I complete my degree and would love to get involved with the challange as it looks like a fantastic oppurtunity to gain some valuable experience!

Snodders & JamesfhMartin you too have access to the forum, I am going to drop the five of you an email now, with some more information.

Anyone else wanting to take part, please reply below, this is an ongoing competition, with with winners announced and scores reset each month.

Hello,

I currently write for a local newspaper covering local grass roots football and I also write a blog on Sky Sports FanZone.

I am very interested in joining your challenge so I would be grateful if you could forward me any further information.

I follow both Arsenal and Dagenham and Redbridge and regularly attend matches for both clubs.

Regards,

Ricky

hi, i am a boro season ticket holder, i am studying at college before hopeflly doing sports journalism at sunderland uni, i regulalrly submit my darts or football reports into my local newspaper, i am very keen to enter this competition.
many thanks
jamie