A FOOTBALL fan’s love of the game has led him to become part of a TV football show on the new BBC Scotland channel.

Joel Sked is part of a three-man panel which reflects on the beautiful game across Scotland each Friday evening on A View From the Terrace.

The former Courier reporter was delighted with the success of the show, which started off as a podcast a decade ago.

He said: “We are just a group of football fans who love Scottish football – its peculiarities, the entertainment it provides, the characters and storylines it throws up.

“All teams are treated equally. We’ll talk about Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Hibs but we’ll transition straight to Peterhead, Cowdenbeath or Stranraer and give them equal billing.

“We’ll shine a light on clubs and players who don’t often find themselves in the limelight. And we’ll do so in different, entertaining ways – whether that be the Boyata Index where we give players outlandish values, or through Beauty in the Lower Leagues, such as Arbroath if shot by film director Wes Anderson.”

The programme, broadcast at 11pm on Fridays, sees Joel alongside Shaughan McGuigan and Craig Fowler, as well as host Craig Telfer.

A View From the Terrace was commissioned for a 10-week run, with episode five being shown tomorrow.

Joel, who spent 18 months working with the Courier from late 2012, was unsure what would happen beyond the start of May.

However, he was enjoying the programme, which is filmed each Wednesday at a studio in Uphall, West Lothian.

Filming takes place over 10 hours, with each of those in front of the cameras carrying out meticulous research beforehand on a variety of topics.

Former Knox Academy pupil Joel, of Haddington’s Knowesley Park, said there was an appetite for greater football coverage, particularly of the lower leagues, in Scotland.

The 30-year-old said: “That has been my main takeaway from the first four weeks.

“People are really interested in football and might support Hearts, Hibs, Rangers or Celtic and only pay attention to those teams and have no real interest in the lower leagues – other than putting on a coupon.

“Now, they are being shown a different side to football at that level and have taken more of an interest in it.

“They are more aware of the players and what teams do. I went to the game between Dumbarton and Arbroath to tick it off, as that was the only Scottish ground I had not been to.

“I went into a bar and someone spotted me and started talking to me.

“People at the ground came up to me to say how these teams had been ignored and they don’t get great coverage unless they are involved in a game with the Old Firm or a Premiership team.

“They are getting a bit of publicity and we are giving teams publicity on a week by week basis.

“Fans are grateful we are paying attention to them and shining a light on them.”