my 2012; 1 to remember, one never to forget

A Cunning look back of the last year and give my thoughts of what happened.

Evening all,

As like last year on my note page on my Facebook account, I thought that now is the right time to look back at a unforgettable year for me over the past year which without a shadow of a doubt  saw some real highs and a few lows.

so here we go:

January 2012:

A really quiet start to the year, did make a few job enquiries as i started the year off continuing to be unemployed but sadly nothing was coming up for me so i continued my work working as a newsreader and radio presenter for my hospital radio work. i was approaching being with them for a year now and I have really enjoyed the past year with them.

February 2012:

This is where things start to turn for the better as with a little bit of luck, i was given the opportunity to be a sports journalist and write for the Medway Times website for football matches involving Gillingham FC. I continued this for the rest of the season and the feedback i was given for my work was really helpful to make my work more better and more informative and opinionated. It continued right through to the new season as well and with my new iPad, it got easier for me to do my job as well as i did it from my seat in the ground. but later in the year things got better.

May 2012:

Things got really good for as for the first time since 2010, i was offered a job to work with Paul Simon in Strood as a sales assistant. It was quite shocking but to be honest, after the interview, i had a gut feeling that I was going to be offered a job to work. But little did i know who difficult it was going to be to do the job. I had to learn a lot about selling stuff i have never sold before in my life but after a lot of training and patience, i did manage to sell some stuff and it very rewarding to get some decent pay in my account.

But also this month was the Rugby League festival i was covering for both the Medway Times and the Kent Sports News as well. After i had some excellent interviews with everyone who was involved, the weekend finally came with some excellent weather on the Saturday but bad weather on the Sunday. But the event was a complete success for the Medway Dragons, but also for the London broncos as well. The game at Priestfield was also my first game where i was given full access for the press box at the ground and the whole game was a great way to learn what it was going to be like as a proper sports reporter. after the game i learned a lot from the weekend and i was very pleased with the feedback i got from the work i did. 

July 2012:

A big month for as i was going to hit the big 30, but before that, I was given an opportunity to help, work and learn with the BBC again as I was given a chance to work with the team at BBC South East Today. i was there from the start of the day and i tried to contribute as much as i can to the team for the news on that day. I gave them a hint that Gillingham will announce the mew manager either on the day i was there or the day after - sadly for me and for Neil Bell  it was the day after i was there that the new gaffer got announced, just my luck - but also i went out for a 'live link and report' with Jon Hunt - an exceptional journalist - for some new pylons which could blot the landscape near Ashford  it was great to go out for a story as it helped me understand what it is like to be out on the patch as a reporter. Overall i did learn a lot from the day both in the newsroom and out on the patch. 
However personally, i didn't think that i did enough good work to persuade the guys at BBC SE that I deserve a chance to be a reporter. I felt that i upset sports reporter Neil Bell by telling a story which did happen but not on the day it happened, i felt that i disappointed the production team especially Sue Nicholson, Quentin Smith and Jon Hunt that i did not contribute to the days news and i let all of them down when i failed to get information for a possible interview as well. so despite the positives there were a lot of negatives as well. but i still learned a lot from the day. 

I did manage to cheer myself up as i celebrated being 30 although there were no proper celebrations due to some food poisoning which ended up me throwing up in a toilet of my local curry house - lightweight i know - but i did mange to celebrate with the annual Gillingham game 'near enough' on my birthday which was fully enjoyed in the sun at Priestfield. Then it was time to enjoy my day at the London 2012 Olympic Games. I only managed to get tickets for the archery at Lords, but still i enjoyed the day out in London in the rain at Lords and the atmosphere was pretty good and I got to see some great action as well. afterwards i went to Hyde park to catch the evening's Swimming action and it was enjoyable to watch especially when Chad LeClos beat Phelps in one of the swimming finals. I did feel bad that i could only afford one day at the games but still it had given me the taste to try and go for a Rio 2016 job so i happy i went in the end.

October 2012;

The rest of the year after the Olympics and Paralympics were spent working at both Paul Simon and for the Medway Times/Kent Sports News as a sports reporter, But them luckily for me, I asked if i could be given the opportunity to work from the press box for the AFC Wimbledon v Gillingham. And after some phone calls, i was given the access to report from the game in the press box for the first time. I was pretty excited for the game so i went there and did my job as working as a sports reporter. Although i did my job pretty well, being with better journalists around me was very eye-opening. it was great to see guys like Ben Croucher (BBC Radio Kent) and Luke Caldwell (Kent Messenger) doing their jobs and other guys from the BBC Final score and Sky Sports Soccer Saturday  there as well, i felt that i was like being a bull in a china shop. I didn't know what everyone was doing around and i acted like i upset Ben, Luke and everyone from Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon. I also learned a few things as well from Martin Weller - Gillingham FC Press Officer - which will help me be a better sports reporter in the future, so I'm glad and thankful for the access from AFC Wimbledon, I'm hopeful that i will be given another chance for press access soon. 

November 2012:

Things went from bad to worse as from out of the blue, i was called into my managers office at work and due to to poor sales figures i was made redundant from my job with Paul Simon. This definitely upset me as i had made plans to use the money from work to help do stuff like learn to drive and help me get back on my own too feet with my own place. but i wasn't the only one who was upset. all of the staff were upset as they felt i was a key member of the team and to do it before Christmas was a low-blow for the company. But i respected the decision and i was promised of work when the market picked up again. but how long will that be is a question which remains unanswered. 


December 2012;

Despite being made unemployed again, i was determined to see the end of the year with a positive attitude and with Christmas around the corner i decided to visit my mum in Torquay but this time though i was not a healthy man. At the beginning of the month, i started to feel a lot of pain in the right side of my mouth, i went to my dentists and they said that my wisdom tooth got infected and i need to have it out. but the antibiotic tablets didn't get rid of the infection. So whilst on my visit to my mum, i went to the local A&E to let them have a look at it, after a long wait and some x-rays, i was told that i need to have it out ASAP and i needed to stay in hospital whilst they took it out. Being my first proper time in Hospital did frighten me but i was pleased that it was being dealt with before i went home. After nearly a week in Hospital, i had my jaw relined and 2 of my teeth were removed due to the infection. I was pleased that it was all dealt with although at present i still have problems talking and eating but this will pass eventually.

Overall, a really eventful year with a lot of high and lows but it is one year i wont forget and my hope is that 2013 will be more enjoyable for me just as this year was.

JS

Things that... post 1

Following the major success of my 30 for 30 series, I’ve decided to follow this up by explaining to you a bit more about me. This series of blog are titled:

Things that: 

No.1:  Things that:  I would like to be involved with but it’s not happening

Evening all,

Well there are many things that i would like to be involved with at present but it’s not happening. Obviously there’s the chance of working as a reporter for a TV news team but i know that not happening for the foreseeable future but this topic is today still the major thing i want to change in my life.

And the answer is pretty simple; it’s being involved in a relationship with someone.

Now i know what you’re thinking, why is this topic being mentioned here?

It started off when i have been kept asking by a few people that “why haven’t you settled down yet?” or even “how come you don’t have a girlfriend yet?”

Well to put it simply one way or another, girls do not like me and yet i can’t understand why. Although i do like the attention of a lovely looking girl maybe I’m doing something wrong to attract someone who really likes me.

It started badly for me when i was in secondary school, although i did have a troubled time at secondary school, this for normal people is the excellent opportunity to meet someone young and enjoy yourself. Sadly i didn’t get any of these experiences as i was always the one where the girls would tend to avoid. Eventually i did make some friends with some girls but nothing happened. I wasn’t too worried at this time as i was young but willing to move on from this.

When i was at uni on my 3 occasions – yes i do count the times when i was at Nottingham Trent for 3 months in 2006 – the girls i have met at uni were very nice and i can easy get along with them i only saw them as friends from my uni and nothing more.

Apart from a couple of girls who i though were lovely and i would like to get to know them more away from my times at uni. But sadly it seemed that other matters would get in the way like other people beating me to the girls i want to ask out and my dropout of my course in 2006-07.

Plus the other experiences i have had as well have also driven me away from chatting up girls when I’m out on the town. One night out when i was in Torquay i did get chatting to a nice looking girl but as i went to get some drinks a couple of people told me that she was a ‘he-she’ so i put my drink down and immediately ran out of the pub.

At present, well it has gone really downhill firstly, after i have started my new job i did try to make friends with someone i met at work but sadly other commitments put paid to that.

Then i thought i would try to ask out one of the girls who i previously liked from university as she was living local and i thought it would be nice to see her. To put it simply it was not going to happen, even though i do have some genuine feelings for her i will never get the opportunity to express how i feel and although it makes me sad there’s nothing i can do about it.

It is just simply not ever going to happen but one reason i want this to happen is that i do not want to end up like my dad and my brother. My dad is constantly moaning about being tired and lonely and not doing anything about it. And my brother can’t even meet a girl because of his Aspergers Syndrome. So i am trying to get out there and meet people but with no luck so far.

Now i do have to admit, i am no Brad Pitt or anyone who is totally “Sex on legs” because that is totally not me. I also have a bad set of teeth which i have been told that it will cost me over £2000 to repair and i don’t see myself as a attractive kind of guy – although i do visit the gym twice a week to help me with this.

But to count against my negatives, i haven’t cheated on anyone, i see myself as a loyal guy who is passionate for what i do and what i believe in. 

John Seager's 30 for 30: Epilogue

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Epilogue:  24^th July 2012 – The day i turn 30

Evening all,

Well the day has finally come when i finally turn 30. A very daunting day, it’s a day when i can’t act like a child anymore and i have to be more adult around everyone, especially in a media newsroom.

Whilst writing these 30 days up it does take me back when times were good and especially when times were bad. But i do prove by writing these days that for every bad day something good does come out of it.


But i totally underestimated myself on how popular this was going to be. I was expecting at least a few hundred views from my close friends and family to read them but to get a lot of my other friends reading them is quite a surprise. 


However, i have missed out a few days on purpose which i will not go into in great detail as they are too painful for me to write about.

I hope that you have enjoyed a small peek into my life and i hope that over the next 30 years they’ll be many more to come. Like when i get my first paid reporter job, when i pass my driving test, when i meet the girl of my dreams who i want to settle down with, and of course having children. But there’s it plenty of time for that, I’ve got to go out there and start enjoying my life..

Till next time as they up ‘north

Ah’ll Sithee

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 30

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 30:  20^th May 2012 – Rugby League in Kent??

Evening all,

Previously on here, i left you with the idea of the following:

“But little did i know, football would not be the only that i will be covering from the area.”

Well it was true i was mainly covering football for the Medway times and i feel in order to try to add to my sporting journalism knowledge i had to try other sports.

Then one day after at trip to Priestfield to see Gillingham play at home i found out that there was going to be a Super League being held at the stadium not only for the first time but also it will be the county’s first ever Super League match.

Naturally i had to find out how big when this was going to happen and it was going to be held on the 20^th May 2012, but there was other events going on that weekend. So it was an excellent opportunity to showcase my work to do Rugby League as well as football.

So i met up with the local Rugby League team who where also having a Rugby League stampede event being held at the same weekend at the Super League game being held at Priestfield. The Medway Dragons have worked really hard to profile the sprat not just across Medway but further afield across the county of Kent. It was really interesting for the plans they have over that weekend.

Medway Dragons - the local Rugby League team. 

I also met up with the London Broncos who were one of the teams involved in the game. They told me that they were really looking forward to the game and are hopeful that if it was popular that they will be back the following season.

The Stampede started off with a Wheelchair Rugby League match being held on the Friday, it was really interesting to see the pure physicality of the sport especially without using your legs.

The stampeded continued on the Saturday and the Sunday with other events being held at Medway Park, before it was time for the main event on the Sunday.

Luckily for me this time was that i was allowed in the press box for the very first time at the Priestfield Stadium. And the view i had from my seat was totally unbelievable. I will go on record as calling the seat i had as the second best seat in the stadium – only being my seat in the Rainham end of course. However, it seemed that i was the only person covering the game for the local media; there were a lot of people in the press box from the RFL and BBC Humberside. But not a single local journalist, it was worrying for me being there as i was the only local journalist but i did meet the assistant editor of ‘The People’, he was there not only for the game but also was working on an article about the Medway Dragons. After the game he took my details in case they ever need a football reporter in the future.

The game in action - still weird seeing Rugby goals at Priestfield.

The match itself was really interesting to watch, the only rugby league i would normally watch are the national games and the super league grand final. Being a southerner you don’t normally get associated with a sport with a northern feel to it. So watching this game really showed the sport can catch on here in the south of England.

After the game, it was time to be whisked off to cover the interviews from the two team coaches before meeting up again with the Medway Dragons to reflect on a massive weekend not only for them but also for me as well.

I had a brilliant time with them over the weekend and seeing the sport being quite popular with the children as well as the adult and the Wheelchair team helped me understand that if they continue as they are going; the dragons will be a very popular rugby league team in Kent – St Helens and Warrington watch out.

After reading my the feedback from my articles from the Medway times and the Kent Sports News – where i now cover all aspects of Rugby for them – i feel that it was a great weekend to get out and report on a sport not normally associated with me but i can’t wait to report on it again. 

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 29

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 29:  22^nd February 2012 – finally get to be a sports reporter.

Evening all,

Since starting out as a reporter, opportunities to work have been very few and far between. I mean i have my radio work which is still very good as a reporter to show on his CV but actual reporting work had really dried up. I have tried so many times to apply for journalism jobs but i have not been successful.

So when an opportunity comes my way i see it as a brilliant opportunity to showcase me work as a reporter.

The opportunity came my way oddly by default and looking on twitter i saw a local online newspaper called the ‘Medway Times’ which is from the Medway area. That area has recently lost a printed paper over the last year and i thought it would be great to write some articles for them.

The Medway Times - the newest way to get the news in Medway

After a few enquiries, i asked being a sports reporter for them as they didn’t have one at the time. And to my joy they gratefully said yes.

My first work was going to be after the Gillingham v Rotherham game, which meant that the articles was going to be published on the 22^nd February 2012, so i didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for the article.

After the game, i just basically reported on what happened, using my journalism knowledge from Nottingham Trent and write an article of what happened and also give opinion about the performance from the team.

After the article was written and sent to the editor, i got some really good reviews from the people who read the article and also some guidance of how to improve it as well. Which for me i feel will make the articles more readable.

Since then I have been the main person who writes articles in and around Gillingham FC and they get published on the website. It was been a learning curve for me especially getting the work doubled checked before sending the article to the editor.

During the new season i will be adding new work as well from the club which i believe make more people read the online newspaper of the Medway Times.

But little did i know, football would not be the only that i will be covering from the area.

To be continued...

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 28

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 28:  4^th September 2011 – A piece of unofficial broadcasting history

Evening all,

Well that special project involved the studio manager Mark – who works as a DJ across the clubbing land known to me as Margate – broadcasting live from the studios for 8 days and 8 nights nonstop.

If we were able to do this, then it would be classed as a Guinness world record. Which i thought at the time would be great to have on the CV. So i was on the bus from day one.

The main day which i found to be quite interesting for me was the last day, the 4^th September 2011, a day which i had to do something very extraordinary.

At the beginning of the broadcast on the 27^th August, Mark announced that the support team would be doing various special challenges over the week and our individual main challenge would be performed live on the radio.

We had little challenges like i had to get a pizza for a meal for the studio and i had to do a 2 hour trance DJ set which i have to say i thoroughly enjoyed doing.

Then we all found out what our main challenges would be for the week. My one was one the most difficult ones set for the group. I was told that i was going to perform a song on the guitar live on the radio on the final morning of the broadcast. But i didn’t know what one i was going to perform so Mark played the song live on the air which song i was going to perform. It was ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry.

At that point my head just dropped with fear knowing that i will be killing a song live on the radio. Luckily for me i had 7 days to learn the song and whilst being unemployed at the time, i feel that i had a good chance of doing a good attempt of performing the song.

Over the week i spent whatever available time i had to learn the song and i only had the internet to do it. Lucky for me i had found a very good tutorial video to watch over and over again. By the end of 6^th day i near enough had the chords and the song in my head.

 Me getting doing my final preparations 

So it was time to get ready for the performance live on the radio. Luck came my way again as i had to perform live at 7am in the morning so i had a bit more time to practise, Sadly i needed a power nap in order to help me perform the song.

When 7am came it was time to perform the song to a packed studio and a few listeners as well. I feel that i did ok with the song and i did struggle with the notes on a few lines but i did an ok performance in the end for a first timer. At the end of the song i got a massive round of applause from the studio so i was pleased that i have passed my challenge for the radio marathon.

Sadly due to a technicality, we didn’t get the world record but we did prove that anyone can do an 8 day radio marathon and if we had the chance to do it again i most definitely would.

If you want to hear the performance is it on my Facebook page under the video section. I couldn’t find a copy to put on here sadly. 

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 27

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 27:  28^th June 2011 – Finally get to step up my game

Evening all,

Previously on here, i left you with the idea of the following:

“I was just hopeful that i can enjoy this experience and help me be a better reporter. Then i had an idea of how to stamp my mark on the station.”

To put it simply, my idea was to broadcast my own local news bulletins like they do on other local radio stations where i live. I would be sourcing and writing my own stories and broadcasting them on the hour every hour that i am in the studio.

The plan was popular with my radio colleagues, they may have known more for a small period of time but they like me to bring my experience i have to the station. But i had to go to the committee in order to start broadcasting. I got the green light to start this work in May so i was hopeful that i can start straight away after this.

My first broadcast would come on the 28^th June 2011, and boy i was under pressure to perform well on my first bulletin.

 Gearing myself up for another broadcast, Danger, High Voltage!

I manger to find at least six stories from the Canterbury and Herne Bay area – the area that the station can be received – and write a total of three 60 second bulletins to go out on the hour.

Luckily for me, I did my writing homework before i left home as i did my main block of writing at home. So all i had to do was to write any updates before my first broadcast.

At 6.02pm, it was time to start, and initially ok, my first bulletin i did not stumble on ay words and i did not miss any words out. So after the bulletin finished it was relieved but eager to do the second one an hour later.

After the night finished i was very happy with my work and i feel that i can do this over and over again and i feel that i can improve with every broadcast.

Since then, i have sated to really nail on the bulletins with time and with less words as well. I even had a crack of doing the national and local bulletins as well with the station. So i was happy to continue with this for a long time.

Although i did have to take a week off in September for a special project with my other colleagues at the radio station

But yet again, this is for another story. 

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 26

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 26:  29^th March 2011 – Are you Moyles in disguise?

Evening all,

I came out of the ITV News traineeship interview with one goal in mind; try to step up my game into being a reporter. I did send a lot of emails asking to be an intern within regional news programmes across the ITV News network, I failed with this attempt but i did get some encouraging emails about where to go from here.

One of those emails suggested that i try to become a radio broadcaster at a hospital radio station. I have never considered trying to apply for a radio station before as i wanted to work in TV news but i then realised that at this present time, its best to be multi-skilled as a broadcaster working in any form of work. So i decided to give it a chance.

I was initially going to work for Hospital radio swale but Canterbury Hospital Radio got back to me first and invited me along for a night to see what it is like.

This could be the start of good times ahead

My first day would be the 29^th March 2011 and i was hopeful it was going to go well.

It did take me a little while to find the studio which was situated right at the back of the hospital but i did manage to get there with plenty of time before the shows started.

Once i got to the studio, i managed to sit on the rest of the shows for the day and i also manage to get involved during one of the shows as well.

Overall i did enjoy the day and i was eager to get started with some ideas i have for my show over the next few weeks and months.

I was just hopeful that i can enjoy this experience and help me be a better reporter. Then i had an idea of how to stamp my mark on the station

But that’s another story...

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 25

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 25:  10^th January 2011 – Almost my big break

“The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes” Earl of Beaconsfield

Evening all,

Once i left university with my qualification as a qualified broadcast journalist, i felt it was natural to try and get my career of to a great start. So i tried to get as much work experience as i can. This was difficult than i thought it would be as all i go t was a local placement on a radio station for a week. So i decided to try my luck further afield in Kent and i got a placement with the KM Newspapers group based in Maidstone.

It was a good period of time that i spent there and i learned a lot from the team in Maidstone. But after my placement was over, it was time to continue to find my own work and i applied for a job as an ITV news trainee – which I’ve been told is one of the best ways to being a career as a reporter.

However in the past my past applications have ended in defeat – I’ve also upset a few people as well as one my past applications ended with me apologising after a 4 word comment was mentioned on Facebook about everyone in ITV news. But i was determined to overcome this and apply again.

Luckily for me this time i was shortlisted for an interview, i was pretty happy that i made it this far and i was hopeful that i can do what i need to do in order to be selected for the traineeship. So i setup a plan to help me with this.

The interview was going to be held on the 10^th January 2011. So i didn’t have a lot of time to do this. But with a couple of days to go before the interview, i managed to get a few critiques and news stories for the day itself.

I hope that we will meet again really soon, once I've proved myself. 

On the day of the interview, I got to London in plenty of time to have a look around and try to find the ITV studios in Central London. One i got there i was pleasantly surprised that i bumped into one of my old friends from the Nottingham Trent Uni 2006-07 group who was working at ITV at the time. Chris and I had a nice chat about the day ahead for me and he wished me luck.

After that we were ushered upstairs ready for the day to begin, i had a feeling that it was going to be a long day but i didn’t know how tough it was going to be.

I spent the first half of the day trying my hand of organising a structure of an idea for a news story and also sorting out a programme order for a local news programme. I felt that i did pretty well in the news story idea; i contributed a lot and had some good ideas which were well received by my colleagues in the group. However, the same can’t be said for the programme order; as a group we failed to come up with a programme in the time allowed and although i did contribute to the task, i didn’t stand up for what news stories i believed would make a good local news programme.

After lunch, the tests got tougher as it was time to showcase our general knowledge and writing skills. I did feel that i did well and both of these tests although looking back now i felt that some of the answers i gave were incorrect but at least i tried to answer the questions. With the writing tests it did take me a few goes just to get it right which i felt did hamper me as i felt that they were looking for someone who can write news intros in an instant. I can do it now but i couldn’t do it then.

The final part of the interview was a 2 on 1 interview. I got drawn Richard Frediani – Ex ITV Granada’s head of news and now ITV News at 6.30 programme editor – and Phil Braund – Ex ITV Central head of news.  I felt that i did have a decent interview with them. I was given the opportunity to improve what changes i would have made from my earlier tests. Although i felt that impressed with my critiquing of work from local news storied across ITV News, i failed to impress them with my story ideas and other ways which i felt that they were looking for as an ITV News trainee. After the interview finished it was time to leave.

I left the building, knowing in my head and heart that i failed to get onto the traineeship, and i only had myself to blame. I couldn’t impress anyone on the panel that i was worthy enough to be an ITV new trainee. And within a week i found out that i didn’t make the final 8 for the traineeship.

Although this did upset me at the time i felt that it was time to move on and wait for the next opportunity – should it come. Although i did take a small positive from this was that i wasn’t the only one currently in my position. But it’s what i do next which i feel will help me become a reporter.

To be continued...

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 24

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 24:  4^th December 2009 – Target achieved (finally)

“Believe it or not, this is the fun part!”

Evening all,

Evening all,

Since the end of 2006, my main goal was to get university finished and start my career as a qualified broadcast journalist. But as you many well know whilst reading my 30 for 30, things never go to plan.

So after returning a second time to Nottingham, I got the finances for my course and i finished it with getting the qualification that i think that i deserve, not just on skill and enthusiasm but on dedication for completing the course after a break of nearly 2 years.

I got my certificate on the 4^th December 2009, but i could’ve had it earlier if i was able to attend the graduation ceremony.

 My certificate - proudest moment in my life so far

Sadly i wasn’t able to attend the graduation ceremony in Nottingham a couple of weeks before. This was due to work commitments on a new job i was working in Exeter over the Christmas period.

But i did make a video message for everyone on the course to see just to day thanks for putting up with me over the past year. It was a shame i didn’t get to meet the people that i have made friends with on the course over the past year.

There were a few differences between the courses over the time i was on the course. Although i did enjoy the input i had from the TV News tutor Chris Hesketh, I felt that the impact i had from Barnie stills stay with me today. It was a shame when i found that he moved onto pastures new before my course started but i wasn’t going to let that change my decision about taking the course.

 Me with the NTU CBJ MATV class of 2008-09

I also felt that although we had a lot of new equipment to play with – NTU had a new building open in 2008 just for the journalism course – I personally prefer working with some of the other students from my first time course rather than the second course. This is because i felt my work was better appreciated from the first group than the second one.

However, socially I felt more bonded with the group from 2008. I was the manager of the infamous CBJ Athletic FC. We were a Uni 6 aside football team which was run and managed by myself with some of the guys from the newspaper course getting heavily involved as well. We only won one game over the 2 seasons – the only win was done by the CBJ famous 5 which i wasn’t one due to reasons beyond my control. I will never forgive myself for missing this game.

With hindsight, i felt that going first time around was the right thing to do and definitely gave me the understanding and the commitment to go back second time around to finish off what i started.

The only problem is now where do i go from here, as in a kindly reminder by my friend and ITV journalist Lee Comley said on my Facebook picture:

“Now the fun bit really begins,”

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 23

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 23:  27^th September 2009 – 24 unforgettable hours in Leeds

“In a faraway place, great things can happen”.

Evening all,

In my opinion, the north of England has never been kind to me. Even as far north as Nottingham was a daunting place to live. But since my return to Nottingham in 2008, i have learned so much about myself about being in a different place doing what I’ve always wanted to do.

So in theory my trip to Leeds for the week with the team at ITV Yorkshire should be an enjoyable experience. But as with the same as my other days here on my 30 for 30, things never work out the way they go.

But there was going to be an added bonus as well as part of my trip. Basically i was waiting for one more result from Nottingham Trent Uni to wait for. If i pass this result then i am officially a professional and qualified broadcast journalist. If not, then i have to start all over again back in Nottingham.

It was going to be 24 hours i will never forget and the say in question is the 27^th September 2009, a long day started oddly enough on the south coast of England.

It was about 9 in the morning when i had to leave my home where i was staying and head on the coach north to Leeds. I had the week all planned out and i was hopeful by the end of the week i will have achieved something special.

After a 10 hour coach journey, i arrived in Leeds confused where to go and what to do. I initially was going to meet my would-be landlady for the week and settle down for the night. But this is where it started to go wrong.

Unaware by me, the room i was staying in was doubled booked. I was hacked off as i should have had the room as i asked for it first. But the landlady asked who had the money upfront for it. As i didn’t have any money till i get paid, i was kicked out of the house and told to find a room elsewhere.

After a massive argument with the landlady, which i nearly punched the landlady after telling her how i felt, i left the house and spent the rest of the night trying to find a hotel for the night. As i did not have much money on me i was not having much luck. After a quick brainwave i got in contact with West Yorkshire Police and they kindly guided me to stay at Leeds train station for the night.

Leeds station - a weird place to stay the night

Both Leeds train station and West Yorkshire Police people were very helpful trying to make me feel calm and positive in a dark situation. I stayed the night in a warm waiting room where i had the opportunity to get some sleep before the day at ITV Yorkshire.

The next day came and after a quick freshen up in a disabled toilet in Leeds station, it was time to go to the news studios of ITV Yorkshire. Once i got there, i settled down to try to help them out with whatever i can do to help with their news programme. It also felt weird about telling them what happened to me the night before. I bet they never will have a work placement guy in the future who spent the night at Leeds station. But they did help me out with a new place to stay for the week. I found a really nice house in the Roundhay part of the city centre.

ITV Yorkshire - I hope we meet again soon. 

After the lunch bulletin, i quickly checked my email to see if a message has been sent about my final result.  And there was a message from my tutor telling me about my final result from University. I opened it and it said that i had successfully passed my final result and that i have graduated from University for a second time.

My first reaction was that i yelled out YES!!!! When i read the email out, I did manage to upset a few colleagues at ITV Yorkshire. So i took myself out to the corridor where i just simply cried my eyes out with joy.

I couldn’t believe that i have finally did it, 2 years of coming and leaving Nottingham, working in 2 different groups to get what i want and all of the other challengers that came my way came down to this. I never felt so happy before in my life.

I spent the rest of the day with a smile on my face i will never get rid of. After the placements shift finished, i called my parents to let them know what happened and they were both happy for me. I spent the evening with a cider in my hand reflecting on a momentous 24 hours that i will never ever forget. 

John Seager's 30 for 30: Day 22

A Cunning look back of 30 days which have changed my life over the past 30 years

Day 22:  9^th December 2008 – man, I love the FA Cup

“There’s nothing better than seeing your team win away from home, even if it is in the FA Cup”

Evening all,

Away games are the best to follow your team especially if you win way from home in a meaningful game like a promotion or in the FA Cup.  For me this time around it was a cup replay for the Gills and they were up against Stockport after the first leg finished 0-0.

I knew it was going to be a cold Tuesday night in Stockport but i was hoping that we can do something special.

The trip to Stockport wasn’t going to be that long to me as a Gills fan as i was based in Nottingham at the time.

The game was played on the 9^th December and the winners would be at home to Premier League side Aston Villa. So i finished uni early to catch the train to Manchester.

Once i got there my early fears were right, it was bitterly cold and but it was dry and luckily no rain which is the ‘norm’ when going to Manchester.

But after a couple of Bovril’s and ciders, it was time to head to the ground to see the game. There were not a lot of Gills supports who made the trip up north – i estimated that there was about over 100 fans. I even saw a couple of kids with their families who took the day off work to see that game, now that’s dedication.

Being behind the end stand behind the goal wasn’t easy to see the action in the first half, well i said that then Stockport promptly took the lead early in the first half.

At this point i was thinking that it was a trip that wasn’t going to have a happy ending. That was before Andy Barcham scored from the edge of the box to make it 1-1.

Naturally we were in bedlam when the goal was scored and it got even better latter on the first half when Barcham scored again after a brilliant run by Curtis Weston which gave the Gills the lead.

At this point going into half time i was worried about the score line. Although we were ahead Gillingham never perform very well away from home and i felt that we would implode at this point.

But After a quiet end to the half and after a lot of huffing and puffing by both sides in the second half the game ended 2-1 to Gillingham and the final whistle was the start of a massive disco by about 100 Gills fans in the away end.

I still have patches which went blurry that evening after the final whistle. There was a lot of man hugging and man kissing, even the odd cry of “Bring on the Villa”. It was a big party which the players, management and even Scally himself got involved with. It’s not every day when you tem cause an upset and get a premier league side at home in round 3. Even the stewards of Stockport were gracious in defeat.

 A kind reminder of the final score :) 

After the game there were a lot of man hugging and drunk phone calls on the way back to Stockport train station and i manage to get back to Nottingham in the early hours of the morning. But it was a game i will never forget and it was part of something special to see your team win away from home in the FA Cup.

I spent the next day at university with a sore headache and a sore throat. It was worth every single minute of me going.