Coventry University student and Sky Blues fan joins players on pitch for Championship celebrations

A Coventry University student had one of the best views in the house as Coventry City FC were crowned champions on Tuesday night.

Jess Pearson was among the 31,000 people at the packed Coventry Building Society Arena as the Sky Blues secured the Championship title with a 5-1 victory over Portsmouth.

And the journalism student and City fan was very much in the thick of it when she joined the players on the pitch as they celebrated after the final whistle.

Jess has been taking pictures pitchside for the club’s official matchday coverage throughout the season having been given the opportunity through her course at Coventry University. The 19-year-old – who wasn’t born the last time the club were in the Premier League - has loved every minute and says capturing the team’s celebrations as they became champions was the icing on the cake.

Jess, who is from the Eastern Green area of the city, is in the second year of her Journalism course and jumped at the chance to become a student volunteer at her hometown club. She receives a brief from the club a few days before matchday and then uses professional-standard photography equipment from the university’s media loan service to capture the action in the build-up to the game, as well as during and afterwards.

Her work is making an impact on people, including the Sky Blues players themselves, with USA international Haji Wright using one of Jess’ images on his own social media channels.

And there are people much closer to home also suitably impressed by her talents.

Also impressed are her tutors, including Lisa Perry who specialises in employability skills and networks so prepared her for the world of work in a dedicated module.