The best thing about club journalism is that players “love” creating content and some are even “obsessed” to get involved with it. So much so, that you feel “involved” and a massive part of the club’s environment.
Many people due to certain interviews tend to think that footballers do not like the media and do not like creating content, I have the argument that is completely contrary to this, with quotes too from people who work within the industry, with the players, who “just want to get involved and are “eager” to create content.
Early on in my journey speaking to club journalists I spoke with Shrewsbury Town’s Head of Media, Joe Masi, who displayed an absolute enthusiasm to his job stating that: “it’s just a different world, the players love it.”
“That’s the thing I’ve learnt in this job that the players love creating and engaging in content. Especially younger lads, like today we had the younger ones obsessed with the graphics and want us to work on creating that type of content for them.”
“In the nicest way, there a pain, we’ll be filming training with a photographer and as soon as we’re back in the office they are asking for the pictures and can’t wait to be involved with TikTok’s.”
“And when it’s going like that it’s the best thing because that’s what fans want; to be connected to their football club, so if you can give them a peek behind the curtain and show a bit of the players personality, fans love it.”
Kev Wilson 📸
Luke Woolston (left) and Cain Sykes (right) posing for the camera as usual.
Middlesbrough AFC: Dan Prince (
When speaking to Dan about what it’s like working with the players and what their thoughts is on the media Dan said:
“I mean, every player is different but some of the lads here, I can’t stress that they can’t get enough of it.”
“A lot of the younger lads have been brought up in a social media generation which I think is why they love it and want to engage with it.”
“Football is a short career. And they want as many memories as they can get from it. So they want to be close to the photographer and get as many good pictures as they can.”
“As well as being close to the videographer, to get as many good clips as they can.”
“A couple of the lads at Middlesbrough have almost become content creators for us.”
“We’ve got this behind the scenes feature which we do weekly, where we put out 10 to 20 pictures on Instagram and TikTok from the week. And a lot of the pictures are actually supplied by players.”
“So we’ll just drop them a message and ask them to get some pictures for us behind the scenes.”
“However, what is key for me is – as long as it’s not distracting for them, I think they’re all pretty happy to be involved with the media and content creation.”
“Another amazing thing is that at Middlesbrough we’re a tight-knit group. And every day you just, you bump into the players and feel like you’re part of that environment, part of that team.”
Shrewsbury Town’s Joe Masi & Jonny Drake
Early on in my journey speaking to club journalists I spoke with Shrewsbury Town’s Head of Media, Joe Masi, who displayed an absolute enthusiasm to his job stating that: “it’s just a different world, the players love it.”
“That’s the thing I’ve learnt in this job that the players love creating and engaging in content. Especially younger lads, like today we had the younger ones obsessed with the graphics and want us to work on creating that type of content for them.”
“In the nicest way, there a pain, we’ll be filming training with a photographer and as soon as we’re back in the office they are asking for the pictures and can’t wait to be involved with TikTok’s.”
“And when it’s going like that it’s the best thing because that’s what fans want; to be connected to their football club, so if you can give them a peek behind the curtain and show a bit of the players personality, fans love it.”
So too, I had the opportunity to talk to Jonny Drake formerly a Club Journalist and Social Media Manager for Shrewsbury Town
South Shields FC: Will Jenkins (Midfielder)
A few days prior to one of South Shields most crucial games of the season I got the opportunity to sit down withJenkins to talk about the season so far, the upcoming game but most importantly Jenkins’ views on the media with him claiming that the media is a “good thing” and a “positive side” to football.
“It gets the exposure of us as a team and us as a football club out there. It’s a good thing it makes us better because if we’re not doing well we don’t do as much media, interviews and these sort of things.
“It’s a positive side to football I think.”
South Shields FC: Sam Jones (Media Officer)
“It all deviates on the personalities you work with.”
“This season we have a really good group where a lot of younger lads have come through academies and seen their peers do media, and because they were the ones not involved back then – as they were academy players – they now really love being involved.”
“They take to it quite well. Obviously this season we are doing fantastic, so in terms of content I have the freedom to shell out all types of content with the players because of the form we’re in.”
“The football is the main part of the football club, so as long as that goes well and the team is winning games you have much more freedom to be able to create content around the players manager etc.”
“Infact the players and the manager have grown to love the content that we do.
“At first they were like what do we have to do today, whereas now (Question of the week as an example), they are eager to know what the question will be which is really fun for me.”
Shrewsbury Town: Jonny Drake (
“We’ve never faced a problem with the players. Footballers understand football. So a loss is never the end of the world.”
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