When Josh Backhouse finished college, he was still deciding what his future might look like. One thing was certain: football had always been a major part of his life. By following that passion and taking an opportunity to study with the Rotherham United, Josh began a journey that would lead to a full-time career in football media.

Today, Josh works in media and marketing at Rotherham, where no two days are the same. His role can take him from interviewing and editing content to creating graphics and travelling across the country to cover matches. It is the variety, pace and closeness to the game that make the job so rewarding and he now looks forward to coming to work each day.

Josh’s journey began at 18, when he was completing college work with Barnsley Community Trust and playing football through its Shadow Scholarship programme. After two years, he was offered the chance to progress into the Clubs higher education programme and study the BA (Hons) Community Football Coaching and Development degree. The degree is delivered in partnership with the University of South Wales (USW) across more than 40 EFL Clubs. The course meant he could continue studying while gaining practical experience at Barnsley Football Club, a combination that gave him a first step into the football industry.

He initially supported the Club’s commercial team, helping with sponsorship activity. It was valuable experience, but Josh soon realised that this was not where his future lay. The turning point came when a colleague invited him to travel to an away match and help cover the game. Josh immediately connected with the work. From then on, football media became his focus, and over the next four years he missed only a handful of matches.

As Josh took on more media responsibilities at Barnsley, his USW studies gave him the knowledge to develop with confidence. What he learned in lectures could be applied directly in the workplace, while the challenges he encountered at the club brought his academic learning to life. Together, the two sides of the course helped him build both an understanding of the industry and the practical skills employers were looking for.

“It was handy to gain the degree, but I think it was the experience that got me the job at Rotherham. I was offered the role before I had even graduated. The skills I learned through both the workplace and the academic side of the course helped a lot.”

That combination of study and experience proved decisive as Josh approached the end of his time at Barnsley. With no full-time position available at the club, he began looking for the next step. When a media and marketing vacancy opened at Rotherham, only ten minutes from his home, it felt like the right opportunity.

Josh did not begin with a fixed career plan. Instead, his path developed one opportunity at a time. By following his interest in football, embracing hands-on experience and using the knowledge and support available through USW, he discovered the area he wanted to work in and gained the confidence to pursue it. What began on the pitch has become a career behind the scenes, helping to tell the story of the game he loves.

Fresh from the pitch into a career in football media – Josh, Rotherham

Fresh from the pitch into a career in football media – Josh, Rotherham