Being a media student myself, I was thrilled to get the chance to report on the official press conference hosted at the University of Bedfordshire, where Luton Town manager Rob Edwards and goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski came to attend. It was exciting to see all the professional reporters in attendance for the official Premier League press conference, including the likes of Sky Sports News and the BBC, and I couldn't help but wonder if that could be me one day. Seeing the press ask questions to Edwards and Kaminski ahead of the match with Crystal Palace inspired me to ask a few questions of my own. Despite being very nervous, I was grateful for the opportunity and experience.

During the on-campus press conference, we were treated as though we were official journalists, and our questions were just as valid as any other members of the press. It was great to be able to contribute questions as the conference was taking place, and we were praised afterwards by our lecturer, Jon Boyle, and Luton Town’s PR manager, Andrew Barringer, for a job well done.

Luton Town Football Club also invited us to attend the match the following day against Crystal Palace held at Kenilworth Road as members of the press. When we first arrived, we were greeted with lanyards that permitted us access to restricted areas where only the media could go. This got me and the other students in attendance buzzing with excitement for what was to come.

We walked into the press room at the stadium, where delicious food and drinks were offered to us upon arrival, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. All around the room were professionals hard at work typing away. It was so much fun to see what life is like for professionals in the field of journalism and PR, particularly as I am studying BA Hons Media, Marketing and PR in my first year at uni. We were then taken upstairs to where we would be positioned during the match. The Bobbers Gantry is an area specifically for professionals reporting on the match away from the regular football fans, up high in our own zone. We felt like VIPs and enjoyed the view that the extra height brought to the game. It was a surreal feeling to see and hear the fans from both sides cheering below us. 

Having never been to a football game before, I spent half my time cheering and chanting for Luton Town and the other half typing as fast as I could to write down the ever-changing highlights for my match report. This was a challenge as I was often too busy enjoying my time to remember to write, but the bigger challenge was preventing my fingers from locking up due to the cold. But, regardless, I managed to complete my notes before the end of the game ready to type up for later.

After the match, we were brought back into the conference room where the atmosphere was electric from a 2-1 win to Luton Town. Everyone was discussing how amazingly the Hatters played. Kaminski's brilliant double save was a hot topic, and we were all eagerly waiting to hear what Rob Edwards had to say after their first home win in the Premier League. Sports journalism students (and me!) followed closely alongside the professionals as they placed their recorders on the table and eagerly waited for the post-match press conference to begin. I took some photos of the conference taking place and recorded some of the interviews, excited that I was getting first-hand content from the conference to be able to use later in my studies. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my two days as a football reporter; the whole experience was fun-filled from start to finish, not only from a professional experience standpoint but also as it was my first football match experience! 

This experience was invaluable and one I will remember for years to come. This opportunity has already sparked my imagination on what type of role I will aim for in my career after my time at university. I'm looking forward to when the club will invite us back to watch another match – after all, Rob Edwards did tell us we were his lucky charm!