SHE always keeps an eye on Morecambe's results – and her first love, Liverpool FC, is never far away from her thoughts. But Amanda Docherty knows where her day-to-day football loyalties lie – at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal.

The former Poulton-le-Sands Primary and Morecambe High School girl admits she was a bit of a tomboy as a youngster and, when she wasn't kicking a ball about in the school yard, she'd be swapping Panini stickers or watching her dad, Norman, play for Palatine Thistle on Sunday mornings.

She'd developed an interest in Liverpool through her uncle Ken who's a fan and went to her first Anfield game as a starry-eyed 14-year-old.

But – even with all those footballing influences guiding her path into adulthood – her progress into one of the top footballing PR jobs in the world has been pretty remarkable.

Amanda is currently handling the media frenzy that surrounds today's very top clubs as head of communications at Arsenal FC.

After leaving Morecambe High in 1990 Amanda took a BTEC business and finance course at Lancaster and Morecambe College where a tutor spotted a flair for PR and urged her to pursue that talent.

It was while doing just that via a degree at Bournemouth University that she spent time at the local football club, getting a background in admin and working in the club shop there.

After a couple of jobs back home in Morecambe her dad pointed out an article which spotlighted Clare Tomlinson – now a successful Sky Sports presenter but who at that time was in Amanda's current job.

"Arsenal employ her as their PR boss –and she's a Spurs fan!" exclaimed Norman, "so there shouldn't be any problem you working there."

Amanda wrote Clare a speculative letter and, as luck would have it, she was looking for an assistant at precisely that time.

She took up the post in November 1996 and then succeeded Clare in the top position when she left in 1998. Since then the real emergence of Arsenal to the heart of the Premier and Champions' Leagues has necessitated an expansion of 34-year-old Amanda's communications department to a staff of 15.

Amanda still makes trips back to Morecambe to see her mum, Linda, and Norman at their Battismore Road home as well as catching up with sister Katy and brother Joe.

But the rest of her time is well and truly filled with trips to the top grounds in Europe, setting up press briefings for Arsene Wenger, managing the publicity output through the club's website, publications and TV channel, arranging photoshoots and handling community and charity engagements on behalf of the club.

She says: "I have attended most of the first team's matches including every Champions' League game we've played in.

"I've been fortunate to go to some of the best cities and football stadia in Europe, if not the world. Mind you, you don't get to see too much of the cities when you're working.

"There have been some great occasions, like winning the Premier League at Old Trafford and White Hart Lane (all right, don't rub it in – Ed) and beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, to some very difficult moments like losing the Cham-pions League final to Barcelona.

"Whatever the circumstance, I have to remain professional but it can be difficult in trophy-deciding matches.

"When I had to organise media activities after losing the Champions' League final, it was hard to appear bright and breezy especially when there are about 25-30 TV interviews to set up!

"Mind you, it can be just as hard to appear professional when the team wins a trophy. At White Hart Lane in 2004, a few of the players decided it would be hilarious to drag me into the dressing room to celebrate.

"Patrick Vieira tried to throw me in the massive bath there but thankfully, there was no plug so it was empty! I didn't manage to get away scot free as he, Martin Keown and Lauren drenched me in Champagne.

I just squelched when walking the manager to his media interviews. I wasn't a pleasant sight!" Amanda deals daily with star players of varying personalities and a couple who've stood out for her over the years have been Tony Adams and Thierry Henry.

She explains: "Tony Adams was a first class player and a first class man. I admire his honesty.

"He helped me move from being the assistant to the head of communications because he believed that I could step up to the plate.

"Thierry Henry is seen by many as a superstar but dealing with him was a pleasure.

"He is a student of the game. He lives football and always manages to remember which team members of staff support and have a little word about it.

"His knowledge of the game is unbelievable. He used to give me a bit of stick for supporting Liverpool!

"And (current club captain) William Gallas is a strong, passionate voice in the dressing room and last season he helped me convince players to give a day's wages for TreeHouse (Arsenal's chosen autism charity)."

Amanda's may be a glamorous job, dealing every day with millionaire superstars in exotic locations, but she truly believes that the way she's got where she has – by pursuing a dream based on what she loves doing – is a route open to many more young people starting out on career paths.

"I hope it doesn't sound trite,' she says "but anyone wondering about what career they should try for should think about what they enjoy doing, follow their instincts and go for it.

"I was advised at a careers evening to try and get a job in a bank.

There is nothing wrong with that but it didn't appeal to me. If you work hard at something you are passionate about, you can achieve it."