April 16/17 - I was honoured to be allowed to have a two-day placement at Manchester United Football Club - one of the world's most recognisable sports teams - with the club journalists and online news team.
On the Thursday I was taken to Carrington Training Ground where I sat in on player interviews of David de Gea and Maroune Fellaini. It was really cool to see how MUTV operated with players like David de Gea who opted to have his interview done in Spanish. As an aspiring club journalist, one of the few who says that from the start apparently, I got to ask various questions about how the press office works, how news is covered - what is and what isn't - and the reach of the website.
Naturally, I was the most insignificant individual at the training ground. Although my parents may say otherwise... When de Gea finally turned up he was shaking hands with folks from MUTV before stepping into the room where he would be interviewed and where I was stood. As he walked by he reached out his hand to shake mine. One of the world's best goalkeepers, shaking my hand. He and I exchanged pleasantries of nothing football related in his native Spanish. Needless to say, he is one of the nicest guys about.
The Friday was dedicated to seeing a press-conference with manager Louis Van Gaal. He is an incredible intimidating and smart person. According to Gemma, the club journalist who was in charge of me on the Thursday, Van Gaal knows exactly how to use the website and national media to get across his message. At 12 minutes past eleven, he strolled into the room and stared me dead in the eyes. I was the outlier in the room and he knew it. Immense.
I was able to write a number of news articles for the website including ones on Chris Smalling and Jesper Blomqvist. I also did tour profiles for a number of potential clubs United may play on their preseason tour as well as a longer piece on Dwight Yorke for their Legends game in June.
Overall, a crazy experience.
April 25/26 - Nationals were a product of reluctance and caving into my "I feel I am letting the team down by not playing" guilt. With eight skaters, we took to the ice to be smashed by four teams on two different days. That's not so much the story as the wait for Saturday night...
OUR LAST NIGHT. They were a last minute decision and one of the best I've made since seeing Silverstein earlier in the month. OLN, another band I had wanted to see live for ages, put on a tremendous show playing a number of songs off their recent albums which I liked including Dark Storms, Fate, Reason to Love, Same Old War and Sunrise.
I had already debated on missing Nationals entirely just to see these guys but once I saw the early finish we'd have I immediately booked my ticket. The tiredness the following day was worth it - they're textbook and really energetic. The crowd response was great for a smaller audience than I expected... everyone must've been at the Sheffield date the previous night.
Now who is left to cross off the must see list... Parkway Drive, The Black Dahlia Murder, All Time Low and several more.
