The Originals

Founded from the idea of one of the writers, Luke Augustus, and implemented by another, Scott Balaam, the organisation started with a group of 32 sports journalists at Southampton Solent University.

Below are their bios about themselves during the early stages of the website’s creation.

We wanted to keep this element of our website to remind ourselves and our audience of our humble beginnings.

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Aaron Aquilina

A sport journalist with a passion for all things, well, sporty. With a key interest in the English Premier League and in particular Chelsea FC, my experience has been vast: from Oxford Journal newspaper/website to writing for numerous football blogs including ‘A Stamford Bridge Too Far’ and my very own blog, ‘Prem-de-la-Prem’.

Follow Aaron on Twitter: @AaronAquilina25

Andy Maynard

My main area of expertise is football and being a Plymouth Argyle fan I tend to focus on the latest goings-on in the Football League. Away from football I closely follow darts and have developed a recent interest in horse racing. In the past I’ve written for local Plymouth newspaper The Herald as well as writing a weekly Argyle column in the Cornish Times.

Ashton Schorah

Budding reporter Ashton here! I’d like to say that I’ve worked a lot in website writing before, but I can’t, simply because I haven’t. My background involves writing for the daily newspaper on the sport section, and a brief stint at Spire FM Radio Station. Much love.

Follow Ashton on Twitter: @AshtonSchorah

Ben Blackmore

A massive football fan and non-league admirer. I support Crawley Town and Liverpool. Sports Journalist having worked for IMG Media, Shoot Magazine, Aldershot Town Football Club, Crawley Town Supports Alliance. My interests surround sport, I love NFL, Golf, Tennis and Football.

Follow Ben on Twitter: @benb556

Chris Nightingale

Chris is currently a Sports Producer at the BBC and a sports presenter for Sonar TV. Having worked for the BBC since February, he began working in the industry as a intern for KOTV. He looks to be working in the Formula One broadcast sector in the near future.

Follow Chris on Twitter: @Chris_Nighty

Chris Boxx

A budding sports journalist in the making with experience on and off the football pitch, previous work for the Daily Echo, Sports Tonight and Shoot. My main interest is football but I have a mega passion for all kind of sports.

Follow Chris on Twitter: @Boxxy91

Craig Farrington

I’ve been writing sport blogs and articles for a few years now I enjoy writing profile pieces, previews and reviews of upcoming sporting events. However, I would say I most like writing about sporting stories that have a lot more to them than just who won and lost but reveal a really good story that’s not only interesting to sports fans but non-sports fans as well.

Greg Hobson

Hi there readers, I’m Greg the token northerner of the group! I’m a proud Yorkshire-man from Huddersfield and a huge Huddersfield Town fan. If you share my interests in golf, cricket, football on a whole and in particular Scottish football or have a hatred of many things including the lack of tackling and amount of diving in football I think you would enjoy my work. Most of the time outspoken and enjoy a ‘debate’. Also I’m the editor of ‘Blue Moon Over Manchester’.

Greg Styles

Passionate about producing sports stories which inform, entertain and create debate on all media platforms! I’ve produced content for Hampshire C.C, Football friends and The Daily Echo and now currently co-host ‘The People’s Preview’ on Radio Sonar. Massive fan of the NFL to the amusement of fellow TIBS News writers!

Follow Greg on Twitter: @GregStyles91

Harry Hunt

With a place on a media training academy with Aldershot Town FC, it has always been an ambition to work within the football industry. Sport media is something I have always enjoyed, after spending two years as the press officer for the WWJCA, a junior cricket organisation in Winchester. This preceded doing work for Hampshire CCC. I have also written blogs for Football Friends Media and done local match reports for the Daily Echo. For my sins, I am a Southampton season-ticket holder.

Follow Harry on Twitter: @HRH1_

Jack Fox

I’m a massive sports fan, with a huge passion for football, golf cycling and cricket with an interest in skiing as well. I have been a season-ticket holder at West Ham United for the past nine years. I have previously written for Shoot! Magazine and I am currently co-editor of a Manchester City fan site, Blue Moon over Manchester.

Follow Jack on Twitter: @JackFox7

Jack Griffiths

Griff here, I’m very passionate about sport, especially football. I keep close tabs on the Premier League, for my sins Chelsea are my team. You may seen a some of my articles for ‘A Stamford Bridge too far’, alongside our now famous TIBS News. I am very interested in Spanish football and hope to take this interest further with articles and blogs on this very website. Basketball is not only a hobby it is also an interest of mine too, with me keeping an all seeing eye on the NBA. As a flexible journalist I will cover whatever sport is needed.

Twitter Jack on Twitter: @JGriffiths89

Jack Murphy

Currently working for a television production company called M & Y Media Ltd alongside writing for TIBS News, I have written articles for the official Hampshire CC website in the past too. Like most British journalists I am mainly interested in football but follow sports across the board in order to become more knowledgeable. I also co-hosted the ‘People’s Preview’ show on Radio Sonar each week alongside Greg Styles and (very rarely) Luke Augustus. The TIBS News project is one which excites me greatly and has got off to a great start so far!

Twitter Jack on Twitter: @J_Murphy91

James Newnham

I’ve been a big sports fan for years, and follow most team sports, as well as tennis and boxing. Football is my biggest passion and unfortunately due to family circumstances I am a bitter Portsmouth fan. I have previously written articles for websites such as Football Friends, and Football League72. Today I still write for the Football League online magazine. Most of my work for the site consists of opinion pieces, blogs, and a weekly podcast.

Follow James on Twitter @JimNewnham

James Shipp

Writer, presenter, trend-setter, birthday forgetter and Portsmouth’s answer to James Bond. Mainly a cricket and football type of geezer, written for the Portsmouth News, Sky Sports Fanzone, Shoot Magazine and Hampshire Cricket Club. You could have also heard me on Absolute Radio a couple of times.

Follow James on Twitter: @JBDS__

Jamie Bassett

I’m a journalist having previously produced content for A Stamford Bridge Too Far, The Sun Newspaper and VincoSport. I currently write for Formula One Fancast and What Culture producing weekly blogs and features and am a big follower of football, Formula One and combat sports such as MMA, boxing and wrestling.

Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jmebassett

Jamie Hopkins

I’m an aspiring sports journalist whose current roles include Media Manager for the League Cricketers Association and Matchday Reporter for Aldershot Town Football Club. Passionate about all things sport and for my sins I’m a supporter of the Lambert revolution at Aston Villa. With graduation from university just around the corner I’m hoping to build a successful career in journalism.

Follow Jamie on Twitter: @Hoppo112

Jimi Chialoufas

The sports I love covering most are cricket and boxing. While primarily I’m a writer, you can also hear me give my point of view on a whole host of different sporting topics via podcast.

Follow Jimi on Twitter: @JimiRose42

Joe Aird

I’m a sports journalist with an interest in most sports, but mainly football and cricket. I watch football whatever the league, in particular Sunderland and Dover Athletic . I have experience writing and editing for Match Preview Zone as well as writing for Football Friends online. My interests outside of journalism are mainly sports based, including playing cricket for a local side.

Follow Joe on Twitter: @JoeAird5590

Jordan Brown

From wanting to play like Zinedine Zidane on a football pitch to writing about him. Jordan is a passionate Manchester United fan on the football side and a West Indies fan on the cricketing side. He has previously written for Football Friends, State of The Game and is currently writing for Money Makers Magazine.

Josh Peck

Non-League football fanatic who has supported Ebbsfleet United since birth. Have previously worked for the Non-League Paper as well as the Daily Express. Currently writing for every Ebbsfleet home match programme. Love my football, but don’t mind a bit of cricket, tennis, snooker or darts!

Follow Josh on Twitter: @JoshPeck_92

Lee Rowley

Writer about tennis, rugby, basketball but specialise in football. I write for FTBpro and work for the television show Fanzone which is associated with Premier League productions. Passionate Newcastle United fan who is still holding onto the hope that I can report on a Newcastle FA cup victory one day!

Follow Lee on Twitter: @leerowley10

Liam Curtis

Creative and adaptable Liam specialises in feature articles and interview-led pieces. A keen nutritionist and training Personal Trainer he provides the material for ‘health and fitness’ whilst supplying articles across a field of other sporting topics. Liam also heads a group of 10 students on a monthly basis, helping to edit and upload work on a work experience basis. He currently supplies articles for thepositive.com and is media officer at a non-league football club.

Follow Liam on Twitter: @leerowley10

Luke Augustus

From Kent and a huge sports enthusiast whether it be playing, watching or reporting. Apart from contributing to TIBS News, I am currently a freelance for the MailOnline Sport. In the past I have written online for Shoot Magazine and a Manchester United fansite called We All Follow United in the past. In addition to that, I co-hosted ‘The People’s Preview’ show on Radio Sonar. During the summer of 2012 I worked for the London Youth Games reporting on the events that took place there. I was also part of their first-ever radio team, LYG Radio, and through this I got to meet and interview their famous alumni such as athletes Zoe Smith, Leon Baptiste, Natasha Danvers and footballer Rachel Yankee, to name a few.

Follow Luke on Twitter: @Luke_Augustus29

Matt Cotton

Matt says he’s wanted to be a football commentator ever since he realised he was never going to play for Arsenal. Matt has been commentating for the RNIB at Exeter City since 2008, which has led him to commentating at Wembley and at Arsenal on numerous occasions, covering a vast variety of teams from Droylsden to AC Milan. He is also the editor of Arsenal fansite Welcome to the Gunners Town.

Follow Matt on Twitter: @FindingCotton

Peter Howard

Peter is a writer and broadcaster with a passion for all sports. Peter reports on local football and has written for the Southern Daily Echo, Hampshire Chronicle, Salisbury Journal and Romsey Advertiser. Contributor to varying websites he also occasionally helps BBC Gloucestershire’s commentary at Gloucester Rugby. Peter is also an avid Saints fan and season ticket holder.

Peter Mannion

Talented sports journalist and broadcaster who’s done it all from writing for sports websites to being the presenter of a local online magazine show. Absolutely love football, especially my team: Manchester City. Other interests include boxing, rugby and American football.

Follow Peter on Twitter: @CityMannion

Phil Wilbraham

Previous experience includes golf travel writing for agolfingexperience.com as well as writing news for local media including both the Times series, the Guardian series and the Watford Observer. A keen sportsman I cover a variety of events and you can join me on Radio Sonar every Tuesday from 6-7pm.

Follow Phil on Twitter: @wilbraham91

Scott Balaam

I love most sports but most of my work has been in football, I worked on BBC’s Late Kick Off (2012) as a Broadcast Assistant, was a Senior Editor of ‘Two Left Feet’ and have contributed to numerous websites and I am part of the management team at Football Friends Media. I also work for Setanta Ireland TV on a freelance basis and currently hold the position of Media Officer for Winchester City.

Follow Scott on Twitter: @scottbalaam

Simon Blaquiere

A passionate writer and a sports fanatic from south London with a love for Newcastle United, European football and Boxing. I’ve wrote for reputable publications such as FourFourTwo magazine, Goal.com, Shoot Magazine, SB.TV as well as assisting on television programme sports tonight live.

Follow Simon on Twitter: @SiAnthony90

Tom Eastwood

If you’re looking for someone who knows everything there is to know about table tennis, I’m your guy. As well as table tennis, I’m a massive sports fan and have worked at various places within the industry. My experience includes writing for FourFourTwo, AutoCar, The Cricketer, Trinity South Mirror as well as working for Sports Tonight Live and Brooklands Radio.

Tom Veitch

A sports journalism graduate from Plymouth. Apart from contributing to TIBS News, I am currently a news reporter for South Hams Newspapers, owned by Tindle Newspapers. In the past I have written online for Shoot Magazine. I am a big Plymouth Argyle fan and enjoy a wide variety of sports, especially football, golf, tennis and F1. I also co-hosted a two-hour show featuring on Southampton Solent University’s radio station – Radio Sonar.

Follow Tom on Twitter: @tom_veitch

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