How does interviewing Patrick Vieira, Ashley Cole and Freddie Ljungberg and getting paid for it sound?

Alternatively, how about attending Champions League matches as part of your job?

For millions of football fans worldwide it may sound too good to be true. Well, for one lucky student from Chelmsford, Essex this is reality.

Twenty-one-year old Andy Verspeak is currently studying for a degree in Sport Journalism at the University of Brighton. However, at this precise moment in time he is undertaking six months paid work experience at Arsenal Football Club's official website.

Andy has grown up supporting West Ham United. Yet, when offered the chance to win a six month contract working for rivals Arsenal in a competition open to all Sport Journalism students at the University, how could he refuse?

The competition, which involved stating why you felt you deserved the opportunity to work on the website, would give the lucky winner the chance in a lifetime opportunity to gain valuable experience.

The winning entry, Andy's, was chosen by the website's representatives after an interview and instead of enjoying those clichéd long lie-ins that every student allegedly enjoys he was on his way to work in North London.

Swapping the Claret and Blue of his beloved Hammers for the red and white of the Gunners website didn't present a problem. After all, Andy like everyone on his course, is determined to make it in the world of professional journalism.

Work experience involves making the tea, photocopying and doing other odd-jobs that nobody else fancies, doesn't it? If that echoes your thoughts then you were wrong.

Within a day of his arrival at the website, Andy had written a top story with a by-line which was published on the site. He says he was made to feel welcome at the site immediately and has learnt a vast array of useful skills in the short time he has been at the site, including web page creation, incorporating graphics and photos and research techniques.

Andy’s boss Richard Glover, operations manager of the site said this of his newest recruit "Andy has impressed everyone with his enthusiasm, aptitude and willingness to go the extra-mile. He has far exceeded our expectations and is a credit to Brighton University. The only black mark against him is the fact he is a West Ham fan!"

Andy said his biggest story to date is one where he covered the launch of Thierry Henry's anti-racism wristbands. At a time when racist abuse at football matches is again on the increase, Andy was given the opportunity to produce an article based on the fight against racism. His story has even been used as far afield as the United States, in American University sports law lectures.

When asked what his favourite aspect of the experience has been so far, Andy answered, "Just working for such a high profile team of stars. I also enjoy the match-days a lot. The recent Bayern Munich game was fantastic. I couldn’t believe I was working at a Champions League knockout match."

Despite being taught by some very talented and experienced journalists-come-lecturers at the university it is widely acknowledged that there is no substitute for gaining experience and a foot in the door when it comes to getting yourself noticed as a budding journalist. Andy has the chance to get all of this at Arsenal.

Paula O'Shea, journalism lecturer at the University of Brighton said of Andy's opportunity, "One of our past students at university now runs the Arsenal website, so when they wanted to expand, they naturally thought of our sports journalism students.

"Andy is the first student to do this sixth month paid attachment, but it is planned to give many more students on the course this opportunity in the future." said.

Andy admitted "it's hard work and there's a lot of pressure on you because your work is seen and read by fans the world-over" but he also said, "it's really fun. I'd love to do this for a career." What football mad person wouldn’t one wonders?

Typically Andy did conform to the stereotypical student answer when questioned on how hard it is to get up to go to work every morning, "It is quality here but I miss being able to get up at 11:30 and only going in to uni for two hours a day."

Andy will complete his six month term on August 31st 2005.

You can read Andy's work by visiting www.arsenal.com and you can find out more information on the University of Brighton's increasingly popular BA(Hons) Sport Journalism course by visiting www.brighton.ac.uk.