Tom Murray
Editor-in-Chief
“To invoke a horrid cliché, sport is a universal language that makes sense to people in every country on Earth. I am very lucky that I am able to marry my fascination with globalisation and geopolitics with my slavish devotion to sport in one job.”
After studying history, and then the ambitiously named programme of World History at York and Cambridge respectively, Tom found himself working in a local MP office in Bolton, about the time that Bolton Wanderers were going through major financial difficulty. Reading letters from constituents, he realised that the various ethnic and religious communities were saying exactly the same thing about the state of the club.
Afterwards, Tom moved on to Westminster politics and ran communication campaigns in the Civil Service and at a university department. He developed a strong record of placing interesting stories on the front pages of national newspapers but became disillusioned with the cynicism of Westminster and Whitehall. Everyone worked in isolation, laser-focused on tiny bits of policy or research, but wilfully blinkered to the interconnectedness of our globalised world.
Tom has taken the view that sport, in its ability to cut through social, religious, cultural and ethnic barriers is a brilliant vehicle for highlighting our shared human experiences. It can be the Babel Fish that translates the complex and distant into the immediate and tangible.
That is why he wants to tell these stories. Not every story has a hard-hitting political angle, and not everything can be related to capitalism, autocracy or the climate disaster. But some of them help people in one part of the world relate to others in a very different, distant part of the world, and Tom hopes that recognising a common love might go some way to building more bridges between us.
Joshua Stacey
Digital Editor
“Sport has enriched my life tenfold, and has provided me with my greatest opportunities and experiences. It seems obvious that I use my time on this planet to help people tell their stories of how sport continues to enrich their lives and communities around the globe.”
Through completing his BSc in Digital Film Production, Josh gained practical experience in creating short-form content, designing and pitching treatment plans, and conducting in-depth research. He has worked on a number of projects in a variety of genres including, music videos, documentaries, and short dramas, and specialised in screenwriting.
Josh discovered cricket at the 9-years-old and so began his devotion to the sport. He played from a young age and achieved success at a high level in the West Midlands. In 2017 he travelled to Australia to play semi-professional cricket for a club in the Gippsland Region of Victoria. Despite struggling with the dramatic change in playing style and conditions, his trip was a success and he returned with a wealth of tales which he is constructing into a memoir.
After returning to the UK Josh made a foray into the world of live music, another passion. He spent five years running music venues in London, another greatly enriching experience, allowing him to see some of the greatest Jazz musicians in history.
Alongside his work in live music, Josh worked to establish himself as a journalist, working with digital marketing company Online Buzz, and sports publications, The Cricketer, Wisden Cricketer and The Cricket Paper.
Like Tom, Josh is a great believer in the unifying qualities of sport and values nothing more than creating content which helps to tell the stories of how sporting culture creates unity and continues to bring joy to millions.
Michael Thomas
Staff Writer
"Sport has been the lens that I look at the world through since a young age. It has been my teacher of culture, geopolitics, history, and more. It has left its indelible mark on the person I am and continues to shape my future. I want to give back to this shared culture by telling its most fascinating and obscure stories."
Michael’s biggest asset is his encyclopedic knowledge of football. After much deliberation, he chose to pursue the career path where his abilities best find themselves. He met Tom and Josh whilst studying for his NCTJ Diploma at PA Training.
For several years Michael has honed his craft by curating articles for numerous online sports publications. He prides himself on uncovering niche and quirky stories. Becoming increasingly disillusioned with the behaviour of top-level professional sports teams; Michael has gradually shifted his focus away from the likes of the Premier League toward non-league, smaller overseas leagues, and international football. He is a fan of Swansea City and the Welsh National Football Team and attends as many live matches as he can.
Michael's sporting interests don't all lie in football though. Growing up; he played rugby, hockey, water polo, and more; and was captivated by ice hockey, athletics, and multi-sport events such as the Olympics. In recent years, Michael has developed a new love for baseball, and he hopes to play a part in developing the sport in the UK.
Outside of sports, Michael has a passion for music, his favourite genre is indie-rock music of the 00's and 10's. He is a self-taught guitarist and vocalist who is perpetually, and hopelessly, trying to put together bands and write music.
Michael hopes to carve out a career making insightful and entertaining sports content and be at the forefront of the weirdest, wackiest, and most beautiful stories.