Two journalism students have managed to sign soccer pundit Mark Lawrenson up as their student newspaper’s star columnist.
Mark
Welford and Rob Gill from the University of Central Lancashire trawled
through their contacts books and tracked down the former Liverpool
defender, who agreed to contribute to The Preston Independent.
The
students are reluctant to disclose how much they have signed Lawrenson
for, but hope to buy him a pint to show their gratitude.
The Independent competes against rival tabloid The Preston Journal, staffed by 19 third-year students.
Senior journalism lecturer Delwyn Swingewood said: “Rob and Mark showed great initiative using their contacts to get Lawrenson.”
Lawrenson
added: “When Rob rang me up I actually thought he was a journalist from
The Sunday Times, but when he told me he was a university student I
thought ‘what the hell’ and was more than happy to help out.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog