Young journalists to report on West Lancashire League clubs

The West Lancashire League has teamed up with aspiring young sports journalists to help promote its clubs and raise the league’s profile online.

The league approached lecturers at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston to see if students could help develop the website and the league’s social media presence.

The link-up will be aiming to throw a brighter spotlight on everything involved in your club, from managers, players, match previews and reviews and any other news item you want to highlight.

From next week, you will see daily stories at www.westlancashireleague.co.uk as the countdown to the season continues apace.

If you feel there is a story from your club that needs promoting online and through the league’s Twitter account, please get in touch and the students will be happy to help.

All results and goalscorers should continue to be sent to Dave Sponder as usual.

Andy Sykes, sports journalism lecturer at UCLAN, said: “We’re really hoping this will be of mutual benefit – the West Lancs League has a great reputation in the region and we’re delighted to get involved in helping bolster its online presence.

“For the students, it will help them develop their match reporting skills, practice how to interview people and structure news stories for a digital audience.

“They will be allowed to use the material they gather each week for their university assignments, both broadcast and digital, so it will be a huge help for their studies too.

“Popular local photographer Steve Taylor has also agreed to use of his excellent photos to help bring the website to life.”

John Brown, Hon General Secretary, said: “The West Lancashire Football league is delighted to join up with UCLAN - this will allow the league to further its website and bring it up to date and mainly bring more interest to member clubs on who we hope will use it.

“The league management committee would like to thank Andy for his help and show of interest towards what we would like our website to achieve for the league and member clubs.”

UCLAN has around 80 undergraduate sports journalism students across three year groups.

To find out more about the course, click here

* In the interim, please send your stories or information to ASykes3@uclan.ac.uk until the students are in place to take on the role.