You get a ringside view of history in this job. And a backstage pass to the famous. I’ve hiked with Billy Connolly and strolled with Michael Douglas and Seve Ballesteros.
I was there that Sunday at Crathie when the royal family put on their business-as-usual show hours after Diana, Princess of Wales died in Paris. I witnessed the shock, hurt and crushing confusion on the face of Prince William as the royals were driven to the 11am service at Crathie Kirk.
And I was there eight years later to see a much happier young prince graduate from St Andrews University.
As a teenage reporter I had the privilege of spending an afternoon in the company of one of Scotland’s greatest sporting ambassadors, Linsey MacDonald.
But what defines my 30 years in newspapers? What is the story for which I will forever be associated?
Well, it is the story about Tammie, the dog that played football.
Forget the pompous old hack’s stories, when you speak to schoolchildren you learn what is important to a young audience.
I’ve only spoken in schools on the condition that pupils come up with their own questions. That saves them having to put up with a monologue about hot metal and technological changes in newspapers. Even more boring than it sounds.
When pupils come up with their own questions, it gives them buy-in to the subject and keeps interest levels up.
When the inevitable question comes up, “what is your best story?” I know they will pluck Tammie from the list of possibles.
Tammie was a three-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog that turned out for a Montrose football team when their goalkeeper called off. That was back in 2000.
Barking instructions, hounding opponents . . . all the puns were there as was the list of likely teammates . . . Robbie Growler, David Barkham, Dwight Yorkie, Terrier Butcher and Collie Hendry.
It was a bit of late summer fun. Tammie’s owner, David Tavendale who ran the Golf Inn in Montrose with his partner Irene, was happy to dress up Tammie in her football kit and we got some great shots of her in action.
We put it on the front page and Tammie became an overnight media sensation.
Every news outlet in the land wanted to meet Tammie. One English national newspaper even devoted their entire page three to a study of dogs in sport. Of course, there were those who objected to what they saw as exploitation. But Tammie loved football, relished the exercise and the company.
Children love the story and want to know if Tammie was signed by big teams or if she got too hot running about with a strip on.
The only downside to the story is when I have to tell them that Tammie is no longer with us. But she did live a long and happy life.
David Tavendale has now sold the Golf Inn but I bumped into him in Montrose just after New Year and he has a new dog. Not a goalkeeper he was quick to add. This one will play on the wing.