Journalist Portfolio
Welcome to my journalist portfolio! Here you can find my latest articles, interviews, and news stories. As an aspiring sports journalist, I have covered a variety of sports and events. Click on the links to read my work and get to know more about me.
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Southampton fail to convert their chances against Crystal Palace and are EZEly beaten by ‘old boy’ Hodgson. The Saints continue to sink while the Eagles spread their wings and start to fly.
Immediately, Crystal Palace had a chance to score from kick-off when a ball played back to Maitland-Niles was misjudged and rolled into the path of Ayew who drove into the box and had a go from a tight angle. It was blocked and cleared away by the Southampton defense. However, despite this quick Crystal Palace start, it was Southampton who looked the stronger team over the duration of the first half. They had a hat full of chances that should have been buried away, it could’ve been two maybe three nil within half an hour. Theo Walcott was by far the best player in the first half, creating tones of chances. For example, he made a clever run between the defenders to find space in the box but his shot was smashed into the side netting. The best chance of the half came from a Ward-Prowse corner (obviously) which he took quickly to find Walcott’s feet at the front post, who flicked the ball towards Aribo on the penalty spot but his shot was lashed over the bar. It was still level at half time though despite Southampton’s dominance. This was due to poor finishing from Southampton and rigid defending from Crystal Palace. A very poor half of football from both teams, I have to say.
The second half started in the exact same pattern as the first with Southampton pushing to score but Palace snuffling out any danger. It doesn’t matter who you are in football, if you fail to score you will get punished… and that’s exactly what happened on the 54th minute. Olise played a lovely cross field pass to Ayew who had a touch of silk to bring the ball down and fire a cross at Bazunu. It was too powerful for the Southampton keeper and all he could do was push it to Eze in the six yard box for an easy tap in. 1-0 Crystal Palace. The flow of the game completely flipped at this point and the Eagles became more and more dominant. There was nothing Southampton could do. They made substitutions on the hour mark, brining on Onuachu (60 minutes too late) to try and give them an aerial threat. 68 minutes in and Eze produced some magnificent skill to beat three players and smash a shot into the bottom corner. It was now game over. The Saints tried to find something but long range efforts from Alcarez and Bella-Kotchap either smashed against the post or were saved by Johnstone.
The match ended 2-0 to Crystal Palace and as St Mary’s began to drain so did Southampton’s hopes of surviving in the Premier League. Saints boos rumbled across the city and as the fans looked to have little hope left, is it goodbye and goodnight to the Premier League?
Non-League
Bexhill United struggle to score after creating a bucket load of chances, leaving them only a point to take home.
The first half between Bexhill United and Little Common was a very exciting one. It was very even but both teams where having a go at each other and looking to score goals. This exciting attacking football meant the game was very open, leaving gaps in the defences which caused there to be more chances. The majority of the chances came from what I can only describe as ‘Burnley ball’ (prior to the change from Vincent Kompany) with the bobbles in the pitch causing the ball to run off in unexpected ways creating breaks for the attackers. Both teams created similar chances with two headers having to be cleared off the line from either team and wild shot being slashed over the bar. Most of Bexhill’s good chances came from the pace and skill of Harrison Smith down the left hand side. The best chance he created was when he used his pace to breeze past two players and fire a cross into the box for Tom Vickers who headed his effort inches over the bar. The most spectacular chance of the game was a 35 yard curler from Joe Summerbell who’s first time finesse dipped just over the bar. That would’ve been some goal. However, the first half wasn’t dominated by Bexhill at all. Little Common had a few chances from in and around the box that they dragged just wide and a long ball forward from Matt Cruttwell (Little Common’s goalkeeper) that bounced awkwardly and had to be dealt with by Alex Zamani. Common’s two best chances came in quick succession when a long range strike was smashed against the crossbar, this effort fell to their left winger who’s low curled shot was tipped past the post by Bexhill’s number 1. A very open first half with a tone of chances ended 0-0 with both sets of fans slightly baffled as to how neither team had scored.
The second half started in the same fashion as the first. Plenty of chances for either side but they were dragged wide of hit over the bar. The best chance of the half (maybe even the game) came after a cynical foul by Ollie Hull around the half way line. Little Common loaded the box and dumped the free-kick towards their tall players. The ball was headed down and cleared off the line but it fell to another Little Common player and his shot was also cleared off the line before the ball was finally smashed up the pitch and away from any danger. A few minutes later Joe Summerbell picked the ball up in midfield and played an inch perfect through ball to Harrison Smith, to set him up for a 1v1 against the keeper. Matt Cruttwell was quick off his line to narrow the angle and push away the Bexhill number 11’s shot. The encounter became scrappy after the first 20 minutes and neither team created many clear cut chances. The Little Common number 1 was forced into a few easy saves but apart from that the attacking threat had dried up. There wasn’t long to play and the players had become increasingly frustrated which led to some handbags and yellow cards for a player from either team and the Bexhill manager. The game ended 0-0 after an adventurous attacking display from both teams entertained the fans but the finishing touch was missing. A solid point for Bexhill after a great performance but I can imagine they’re going home slightly frustrated.
Wrexham ‘The new Hollywood blockbuster’
The view of a neutral
Wrexham Football Club, based in the north of Wales, is a team steeped in history and tradition. With a rich past and a strong local following, the club has been an important part of the community for over 150 years. However, in recent years, the club has been in decline, struggling to compete both on and off the pitch. That is until the recent takeover by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, which has put the club firmly back in the spotlight.
The takeover by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney was met with a mix of excitement and scepticism by fans and pundits alike, with some fans even doing some ‘research’ on their new owner’s TV shows. Simon Cooke (a Wrexham season ticket holder) took to the sofa to watch Rob McElhenney’s ‘Always Sunny in Philadelphia’. “I think I managed the whole fourteen series in two and a half weeks – claimed to the missus’ that I was doing it for research.”
On the one hand, the new owners brought with them a level of star power and financial backing that the club had never seen before. On the other hand, some fans were wary of the motives of two Hollywood actors, and worried that the club's history and traditions would be lost in the pursuit of commercial success.
As the new owners have begun to make their mark on the club, to me it’s clear that they are committed to respecting the club’s history and traditions, while also pushing the team forward. In my opinion, the most exciting aspect (apart from their recent promotion to the EFL) of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s time in charge so far is the ambition they’ve shown in the transfer market. From the off they made numerous (what can only be described as crucial) signings, with two stars, Paul Mullin and former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster, coming through the door.
And these two players showed their worth in the biggest game of the season, against second place Notts County, where they won 3-2 in dramatic fashion. Paul Mullin bagged himself a goal and two assists before Ben Foster stepped up and saved a last-minute penalty to secure all three points. Rightly so, both the owners were overcome with emotion, “I’m going to break ribs, I’m going to hug him so hard,” said Ryan Reynolds. If I was Ben Foster, I’d be accepting that hug without hesitation.
Even after Wrexham’s history making promotion, there’s still people questioning the owner’s motives (which we will discuss later in the article) for no reason whatsoever. The passion and determination they’ve shown was beautifully summed up in an interview with by Ryan Reynolds after the Welsh club’s promotion. “The one thing that is running through my head over and over again is that people said at the beginning ‘why Wrexham? Why Wrexham?’… This is exactly why Wrexham. Happening right now is why.”
One of the most exciting aspects of the new ownership is the potential for the club to compete at a higher level. In recent years, Wrexham has struggled to compete in the lower divisions of English football and has not played in the top two divisions since the 1970s. However, with the financial backing of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and the expertise of a new management team, there is a real chance that the club could climb the leagues and eventually compete in the Premier League.
Of course, there are no guarantees in football, and success on the pitch is never a given. However, what is clear is that the new owners are committed to doing everything they can to give the club the best possible chance of success. They have already invested heavily in the playing squad and have also made improvements to the stadium and training facilities. They have also been actively engaging with fans, both online and in person, to build a strong relationship between the club and its supporters.
But it is worth noting that not everyone is happy with the new ownership. Some fans have criticised the focus on high-profile signings, arguing that the club should be investing in local talent instead. Others have expressed concern about the potential for the club to become too commercialised and to lose its identity in the pursuit of profit.
“The fear is that it might become more of a brand than a better football team.”
These concerns are valid, and it is important that the new owners listen to the views of all fans and work to address these concerns while it is also important to recognise the huge potential that the new ownership brings to the club. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have a track record of success in their respective fields, and their commitment to the club is clear. They have already made significant investments and have shown a willingness to engage with fans and the local community so if they can get the balance correct between profit and maintaining the connection with the local community, there is no reason why this takeover will fail.
While there are still legitimate concerns from fans, so far, it’s clear to see that Wrexham owe a huge debt to their new owners already and would never have achieved their magnificent fa cup run this season and of course their incredible promotion to the football league without them.
If Wrexham do manage to carry on rising through the leagues in the coming seasons, fans who doubted the takeover will ultimately have made themselves look very stupid.
