Ben Mapp

Freelance Sports Journalist

United Kingdom

Freelance sports journalist specialising in football, particularly English non-league and Premier League football. My work spans news, match reporting, interviews, features, analysis and research across print and digital publications.

My work has appeared in The Non-League Paper, When Saturday Comes, Last Word On Football, Southend Echo and other national, regional and independent outlets. I also produce original football research and long-form analysis through my own Substack, alongside digital publishing and SEO work.

My work has also included appearances on BBC Essex discussing Billericay Town and Essex non-league football.

I hold an MA in Sports Journalism with Distinction from the University of East London and a First Class BSc in Sociology from London South Bank University.

Email: [email protected]

Substack: benmappjournalism.substack.com

Portfolio

Selected Work

News & Reporting

Pure Football
09/11/2025
Ange Postecoglou on Spurs Exit: "I Knew It Was Done"

Ange Postecoglou has described his Tottenham Hotspur dismissal as "unusual" and revealed he knew his time was up even before lifting the Europa League trophy in May. Just a few months later, the Australian is back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, and he's determined to make the

Pure Football
09/02/2025
Ishe Samuels-Smith: The Most Bizarre Transfer of the Summer?

Transfer windows are rarely short on drama, but even by football's chaotic standards, Ishe Samuels-Smith's summer has been a rollercoaster. The 19-year-old left-back looked set for a fresh start in France with Strasbourg, only to return to Chelsea just over a month later, and then immediately head out

Pure Football
08/08/2025
Spurs Staring at Creativity Void as Injuries Mount

With confirmation that James Maddison will miss most of the 2025/26 campaign due to a serious knee injury, Tottenham's attacking outlook has taken another major hit. Just days before their UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG, Spurs find themselves short on creativity, and short on time. Injury Woes

Features & Interviews

The Non-League Football Paper
08/30/2025
THIS IS OUR TUDOR TIME - The Non-League Football Paper

Dowrich backs a Hemel charge By Ben Mapp ONES TO WATCH: Darion Dowrich says Hemel Hempstead Town can be a surprise package this season PICTURE: Jemma Sear HEMEL Hempstead Town's hopes of climbing the National League South table this season rest on manager Lee Allinson's summer squad re-build - and new full-back Darion Dowrich is [...]

Analysis & Long Reads

Match Reports

The Non-League Football Paper
03/15/2026
SCOPES: TOWN'S THIS IS MINDSET - The Non-League Football Paper

By Ben Mapp BILLERICAY T 3 Cerulli 51 pen, 59, Collis 77 pen AVELEY 2 Aromolaran 9, Peters 40 pen SPOT ON: Teddy Collis scores Billericay's winning penalty, and, inset, Keon Lewis-Burgess and Callum Watts celebrate their 3-2victory PICTURE: Nicky Hayes DANNY CSCOPES praised the character of his Billericay Side after they fought back from [...]

The Non-League Football Paper
03/01/2026
LONG SHOT FIRES RICAY TO GLORY! - The Non-League Football Paper

By Ben Mapp BILLERICAY TN 1 Long 20 FOLKESTONE IN 0 FINISH: Elliot Long fires in for Billericay Town to take the lead PICTURE: Nicky Hayes BILLERICAY Town boss Danny Scopes said "it felt really good" to topple league leaders Folkestone Invicta as Elliot Long's first-half goal saw the Blues to victory.

The Non-League Football Paper
09/13/2025
SCOPES' RICAY OFF TO A FLYER - The Non-League Football Paper

BILLERICAY TOWN 3 BERKHAMSTED 0 By Ben Mapp FRANKIE MERRIFIELD'S second goal in a week capped off a commanding Billericay Town display as they swept aside Berkhamsted. It was a landmark afternoon for new Blues boss Danny Scopes, who took charge at New Lodge for the first time, and his side began on the front [...]

University & Other Sports

The Student Sport Company
01/21/2026
Inside the Second Half of the 2025/26 BUCS Season

As UK university sport returns to campuses today, attention turns to the business end of the 2025/26 BUCS season. With more than 70 events still to come over the next six months, UK university sport stands as one of the most extensive and competitive student sport programmes anywhere in the world.

UK University Showcase
12/05/2025
Why Loughborough University? - UK University Showcase

Why Loughborough University Was Chosen to Host the 2026 Showcase By Ben Mapp | Published: 5th December 2025 Loughborough University has been recognised as the UK's number one university for sport for more than 40 years.

The Student Sport Company
11/11/2025
Flag Football - The Newest Chapter for UK University Sport

Flag football, one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, is officially joining the BUCS programme for the 2025/26 season. Fuelled by surging student interest and global momentum, Flag Football has officially become part of the BUCS programme from the 2025/26 season, further expanding the UK university sporting landscape.