Football League to sponsor sports journalism exam award

Picture: The winner will get to report on the Championship play-off final – won last season by Blackpool F.C.

The Football League is to sponsor a new award that recognises the best performing candidates in the sports journalism exam. Students who achieve an A grade in the exam will have the chance to report on The Football League play-off finals at Wembley in May 2011.

At the end of the football league season, play-off finalists will go head-to-head in the Championship, League One and League Two. The winner of the award will report on the final of the Championship play-offs, the second place runner-up will report on League One and the third place runner-up will report on League Two. The match reports will be posted on The Football League’s website.

The chief examiner for sports journalism, Dave King, editor of Swindon Advertiser, is judging the exam papers for 2009-10. Award winners will be announced in September.

Gavin Megaw, director of external affairs at The Football League, said: “The Football League is delighted to be working with the NCTJ to recognise those students that have excelled in the sports journalism exams.

The Football League Sports Journalism Award demonstrates our long-term commitment to help the next generation of sports writers. We look forward to welcoming the three winners to the npower Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals, and seeing their match reports published on www.football-league.co.uk.”

The next sports journalism exams will be held on Monday, 15 November. Please complete the application form by Friday, 1 October if you would like to sit the exam. Candidates for the upcoming academic year will be eligible to report on The Football League play-off finals in May 2012.