The Aberdeen Evening Express has been giving a Premier League footballer a helping hand in his quest to become a journalist.

David Preece, the number one goalkeeper for Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen FC, has set his sights on becoming a journalist when he eventually hangs up his gloves.

And to get a taste of how life may be like reporting on the news instead of making it, David swapped the pitch for the newsroom to join the Evening Express for the day.

The 27-year-old is studying a distance learning foundation course in newspaper journalism for a National Council for the Training of Journalists qualification and may then go on to study media law, shorthand, sub-editing and government.

He said: “As a kid I always wanted to play football, but if I hadn’t made it I would have liked to be a journalist.”

And although he still has plenty of playing years left in him, he says he thinks it is important for players to think beyond their playing career.

He said: “I just want to make sure I have something else behind me when I finish playing.”

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