“First impressions count.”
The last thing I remembered as I approached the building for my first day of work experience at The Independent. The alarm sounded. I’d become trapped in the revolving doors for trying to go through without a pass. A queue began to form behind me as the security guard signalled for me to use the visitor’s door. I waited what felt like a lifetime to be released from the clutches of the dreaded revolving doors. Here I was, my first time at a national newspaper making a fool out of myself. As I made my way up the escalator all I could think was “first impressions count.”
Who’d have thought two and a half years before that moment I’d be going to work at one of the country’s biggest newspapers? Me. I thought I would. That’s a tad arrogant you could say. No. Just ambitious.
I can remember my first lecture at university, we had to do the usual, “My name’s Dan, I’m from Croydon, I like football, I support Crystal Palace,” as we went round the class introducing ourselves. There were about five other people called Dan and one other Palace fan. Come third year, there’s just two of us left and it’s just me representing the pride of south London.
Looking back, whenever I’ve had the opportunity to write a story or contribute to a debate in class I’ve somehow managed to find a way to relate it to Palace. Does it get on people’s nerves? You’ll have to ask them that. I’m proud to support the club I’ve been watching all my life and I’d hope that shines through in my passion I have when writing. I’d like to think when people hear ‘Crystal Palace’ they associate them with me because it’s a huge part of my life and one of the reasons I made this career choice.
I wouldn’t say I lacked confidence around my peers in my first semester. Sure I was far from the loudest in the group but I wasn’t afraid to add my viewpoint in discussions or more often; ask a question if I was struggling.
The truth is, I’ve absolutely loved every minute – that’s a lie I hated those media law lessons – of my time at university. But particularly my course. How many people can say they’ve had a lecture with Jim White and afterwards got his phone number? What other course has an exam that finishes at 11pm and involves just watching a game of football and writing a few words about it? That’s not an exam, that’s fun. Is there any other course that can justify going to watch England vs Lithuania at Wembley as part of an “educational trip?”
Of course it has its downside. Shorthand. Whoever invented that should have kept it to himself. Did he not think that a few years down the line someone would invent the dictaphone? Two things have defeated me in my time at Brighton; one is shorthand and the other is media law. I’m not the kind of person that gives up easily at anything I set my mind to. But, shorthand, I just couldn’t grasp. I’d put so much effort into first year trying to memorise the outlines and yes, no matter how much I practised there’s always the option of “you could have done more,” but I just struggled.
Media law is another that I just couldn’t get. I am way out of depth with the whole political scene. Some may call it naïve on my part, some would say it’s important to learn. But why would I want to debate whether the monarchy is a good thing or bad thing when I could happily debate Roy Hodgson’s latest squad selection for hours? That’s the sort of thing I care about -not where the Conservative party sit in the House of Commons and what colour the seats are. The truth is, I’m just not cut out for intellectual ‘stuff’ like that. I don’t have an interest with it and I don’t think that’ll change. I’ve learnt the things I need to know that relates to being a journalist – anything else can stay quite firmly lodged in the end of my little toe.
But back to the lectures and my course. I think I missed three lectures in my first two years. One; Palace were playing, two; my flatmate’s tyre suffered a puncture and three; that fifth Jaigerbomb might have been one to far. While to some people on my course the thought of a three hour lecture learning about the ‘Ultras culture in Rome’ may seem boring, I’d look forward to it. I’m always interested to find out new things and learn more, especially if it’s going to further add to my knowledge of sport.
I’ve lived two lives at university. One day I’d be sat in a press room with ‘The Special One’ at Chelsea’s state-of-the-art training ground; the next I’d be sat on a till serving anything but special ones at supermarket, Iceland. Having a part-time job in retail just motivated me even more to succeed as a journalist. I want something that’s a new day every day, something that challenges me, that gives me the opportunity to travel the world; a job that makes me want to get up in the morning and stay behind in the evening because I’m enjoying what I’m doing.
And that’s what I got with work placements; some of them at least. Placements have without doubt been one of the highlights of university. Eastbourne Herald seems like a lifetime ago having just completed two weeks at the Daily Mail. The Mail was different to other national papers like The Guardian and The Indy; they trusted my ability. Within a couple of days I’d picked up the operating system they use and I was suggesting ideas and publishing stories. Even though it was in a small way, I felt like I was doing my part for the team and contributing to the site which was a satisfying feeling. One story I wrote, at one point in the day was the most read sports story out of 160 stories that day. Not bad for a work experience kid.
Which is exactly what I was at The Guardian and The Indy. I understood the task of researching stats, somebody’s got to do it, right? But what will I gain from that? You have to make the most of these opportunities. So, I took it upon myself at both of these placements that after working several hours at the London offices I would go home and write an article and show them the next day. Each of the ten days I was there I got ten articles published which I was chuffed to bits about. I can put that on my CV. But did I learn anything? Only how many goals Robin van Persie scored in the 2012-13 season.
Of course, I offered to do so much more than just the basic research duties. One day I offered to work the late shift to see the sports desk in full swing hoping to get involved. The closest I got to doing a live blog was stood over some guy’s shoulder watching his shoddy attempt at one. I offered to do a think-piece, a five things we learnt, a player ratings. Nope, of course, they had someone covering them all. Frustrated didn’t begin to explain my emotions. All I wanted was a chance to show them what I could do. If they don’t like it I can accept that, but at least give me the chance.
At each work experience place I’ve been to they’ve been happy with my work and offered to have me back, but when it comes to getting a job it’s the same old ‘we just haven’t got the budget to take on any more’. It’s frustrating, but my time will come, I’m sure of it.
Before I went to any of the national papers I went on work experience at the Croydon Advertiser. I set out to impress them with my Palace knowledge, my writing ability and my hard-working attitude. In that week, I interviewed my Mum’s all-time hero, Geoff Thomas, which became the back-page lead of the paper, and sat in the press box at a pre-season friendly at Brentford covering the game. That was a dream I’ve had for a long time; to cover a Palace game and although I didn’t get to do the match-report, I still did my bit. One day though. My reward for all my efforts? See the next paragraph.
I have covered the manager’s press conference at games all season and I absolutely love it. I get a great sense of pride when I see my name in a by-line or even better printed in a newspaper. It’s a great feeling and I imagine that’s the same for most journalists. But being at a press conference and knowing you get to hear Alan Pardew’s thoughts before anybody else AND THEN you have the pleasure of telling everyone else about it; that’s the most rewarding part. I don’t get paid, ‘it’s all experience’ as the saying goes, but that doesn’t matter, the truth is; I love the job I do.
I hope people don’t think I’m cocky or arrogant about the work I do and what I want to achieve. I’m just determined and believe in myself in the work I produce. I’m just a sports fan wanting to express my opinions. I still get star-struck chatting to a player whose name I have on the back of my shirt, believe me. I’m incredibly lucky to be embarking on my journey to become a successful sports journalist. Sat seven rows behind Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge in the press box as I watched Chelsea celebrate winning the Premier League title, I realise how many people would give so much to be in my position. I’m incredibly grateful for all those experiences and the ones I will hopefully get to achieve in my career but never for one moment will I take it for granted.
Have I got any regrets? Narrowly missing out on the Arsenal placement, perhaps. I was devastated at the time to miss out on that opportunity, but deep down I knew the right person got the job, and maybe, looking back, I wasn’t prepared to give everything up to take it on. “Everything happens for a reason,” people told me – and they may be right. By not getting the Arsenal gig I was able to chase the dream of covering my own team.
I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far but I still have a long way to go in what I want to accomplish. I know there are a lot better writers out there than me. I know there are writers who still don’t have to double-check whether it’s ‘practice’ or ‘practise.’ I know there are journalists who know when PSV Eindhoven won the treble off the top of their head (1988 – Wikipedia tells me). I know I still have a lot to learn. But what I do have in my favour is my passion, desire and willingness to succeed that will help me to make it.
I have a mental bucket list in my head of what I want to achieve in my career; from covering a World Cup, to being sat in Barcelona’s incredible press box to travelling Europe covering Palace (I can dream!); to a few hidden ones that I’ll keep for myself.
And until I tick every single one of those dreams off my list; I won’t stop working.
Dan Gibbs 