I think Ritson's job would be my dream job... how do i get one like it?
If youre serious this is the answer ....
Firstly a degree in English would be helpful (4 years) - this is the bit Ive got.
Then a Masters in Journalism (1 more year). Then you need to do the approved Journalists course for about another 6 months. After that you can then apply for jobs but you are unlikely to get any unless you get some work experience whilst you are doing all these courses.
Specifically for Sports Journalism you can do further MA on Sports Journalism - last time I checked there was one at Brighton or there is an interesting one sponsored by Eurosport and known as Eurosport Masters and is held in Madrid but this is hard to get on to.
I saw an advert the other week for football reporters wanted for the Guardian but they wanted 3 years experience -so its obviously a competitve field.
The other thing you can do is write your own match reports and send them to the advertiser - start your own superior website with these match reports on (ala Huddersfield's top webpage that has been mentioned in the past) - or just post these reports everywhere you can - such as here.
I was considering journalism but it was so cut throat I realised quite soon that it wasnt for me - hence I ended up in the easier world of IT and historical research.
Having said all this its hard to believe how lazy writers such as Ritson acutally are - Im sure like myself you would all put so much more effort into it if you were chief swindon town footy writer - Clive King was the best (god rest his soul) - even invented Lou Macari's Red and White Army with an article - Im sure Swindon were the first to sing it ..