Two leading figures from the sports desk of the now digital-only Independent are moving to new jobs next month.
Head of sport Matt Gatward is leaving to join The Sun as assistant sports editor, while chief football correspondent Mark Ogden is going to write for ESPN.
The news of the departures, coming in the week of the 30th anniversary of the launch of the Indy as a newspaper, may be regarded as something of a blow for the much slimmed down web operation. Six months after the last print edition, the sports desk now operates with a staff of just 10.
Ogden has been at The Independent for barely a year, having joined from the Daily Telegraph in the roundabout of football writer moves precipitated by Henry Winter’s move to The Times in 2015.
Ogden is a past winner of an SJA Sports Journalism award, having won Scoop of the Year in 2013.
Gatward has been at the Indy somewhat longer, having first joined the sports desk in 1998. After going freelance for a spell, he rejoined the staff in 2001 and has been one of the senior figures on the sports desk ever since, rising to sports editor in 2010 and becoming head of sport in 2014.
According to sources at The Independent‘s High Street Kensington offices, it is intended to replace both journalists, but no decision on appointments has yet been reached.
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