Anti-rovers Setiment

[den]

On local radio this morning, Mark Hughes said that rovers were so upset by the southern based press condemnation of Andy Todd, that the club were considering litigation.

Edited April 21, 2005 by den

[jim mk2]

On local radio this morning, Mark Hughes said that rovers were so upset by the southern based press condemnation of rovers, that the club were considering litigation.

That did occur to me when I was reading the Sunday papers.

Some of the stuff about Todd was libellous.

[speeeeeeedie]

On local radio this morning, Mark Hughes said that rovers were so upset by the southern based press condemnation of rovers, that the club were considering litigation.

If there is a decent case I think we should go for it, but I think it is probably a wind up by Hughes. He has a psychological edge now, he can tell his players to go out and play as no one likes them. He could put up articles on the dressing room wall before they go out, it would fire them up before a game as we get mad reading the tripe that the papers print, imagine what it would do for the players before a game.

If the club did try litigation, the press would get even worse.

[RevidgeBlue]

It's not possible to slander a club but by way of example if a tape could be obtained of the post match comments on talksport on saturday imo much of the stuff said about Todd was libellous and a lot of ill intent on Hughes' part was also implied.

speeedie is right though, we somehow need to woo the press back on our side, not alienate them further.

Edited April 21, 2005 by RevidgeBlue

[Gareth]

If the club did try litigation, the press would get even worse.

The next few weeks might be interesting to see how the Sun reacts to Rooney suing them for libel as it'd show us what to expect if we try & sue 'em

Edited April 21, 2005 by Gareth

[den]

It's not possible to slander a club but by way of example if a tape could be obtained of the post match comments on talksport on saturday imo much of the stuff said about Todd was libellous and a lot of ill intent on Hughes' part was also implied.

speeedie is right though, we somehow need to woo the press back on our side, not alienate them further.

Sorry Rev, Hughes referred to Todd - not the club. I'll edit my post.

[RovertheHill]

It's not possible to slander a club but by way of example if a tape could be obtained of the post match comments on talksport on saturday imo much of the stuff said about Todd was libellous and a lot of ill intent on Hughes' part was also implied.

speeedie is right though, we somehow need to woo the press back on our side, not alienate them further.

I'm sorry but why exactly do we need to woo the press? They do not like us - we know that. But what benefit do we get from having them on our side? As far as I can see their job is to sell papers, and they probably won't sell many on the back of Rovers (unless they are the LET). So stuff them. And this is quite apart from the fact that one of the responsibilities that goes with free speech is that you do not libel people

[philipl]

I doubt any harm would be done by Todd's lawyers taking clippings from the relevant rags and sending a "reserving all rights letter" to the appropriate departments. In fact the unreserved dismissal of the case against Todd by the FA will probably assist Andy in going after certain journalists.

The club's lawyers taking up the attacks on Hughes will make the papers a darn sight more careful when they are thinking about slagging off the Rovers in future and no doubt Toddy would benefit from some appropriate form of out of Court apology.

I did wonder where the newspapers' lawyers were hiding (surely not enjoying hospitality?) when I read some of the stuff in the press about both Todd and Hughes. Like jim, I was surprised to see the extremely liberal and indiscriminate use of words like thug, disgrace, etc. in the context of previous alleged conduct which had little to no bearing on the FA Cup semi-final. Several described Hughes' incredibly distinguished playing career in extremely negative and unflattering terms then stated by extension the type of football team he would coach would be as bad.

Oliver Holt's piece in The Mirror calling for Todd to be banned simply because he is Andy Todd (from what I could make out was the gist of his venom) was, in my opinion, over the line as were several comments by Patrick Collins on the Sky programme.

[rosie]

If there's a case for litigation, I think we should go for it. Not because I approve of litigation for the sake of it, but a line in the sand needs to be drawn. These guys are taking the ###### and they need reminding that there are certain standards to adhere to and that you can't just go round slagging someone off because you don't like them or because of something(s) they've done in the past.

Stuff whether or not they like us: if we sued and won, which sounds likely (and presumably the club's lawyers can work out whether that's possible or not before attempting to pursue a case), then this would set a precedent and ensure that journalists have to be more careful about their comments in future.

I certainly don't agree that we should be trying to woo the press by crawling to them and ignoring this incident. That's exactly what they shouldn't be allowed to expect from us as, in my opinion, it would give them a green light to continue with more of the same in the future.

[broadsword]

These guys are taking the ######

piddle?

[rosie]

I can't type it because the bad language software overwrites it, but it had four letters and began with 'p' so don't ask me why it puts so many hash marks in...

[Gaz Gamst pedersen]

Im very irritated by the comments, i live down in london, and the biased towards Chelsea, The arse, crippled alice, and the rest is utterly unbelievable

Theyre jealous lads, you know it, thats all it is

[blue phil]

If there's a case for litigation, I think we should go for it. Not because I approve of litigation for the sake of it, but a line in the sand needs to be drawn. These guys are taking the ###### and they need reminding that there are certain standards to adhere to and that you can't just go round slagging someone off because you don't like them or because of something(s) they've done in the past.

Nonsense . In this country we still , I think , have a free press . If any of the hacks think Todd is a thug and an idiot then it's their right to say so . If they don't provide enough , or any, evidence , then that devalues their article in the eyes of any sensible person and it can be suitably ignored .

Going down the road of litigation for such trivialties and what is , in effect just plain bad journalism , would set a dangerous precedent . As a liberal person you should realise that , Rosie .

[FourLaneBlue]

speeedie is right though, we somehow need to woo the press back on our side, not alienate them further.

Whether speeedie is right or not...you certainly aren't with your follow-up! RovertheHill got it right though.

Why the hell should we try to "woo the press"? For years and years we've tried portraying ourselves as a family club and ever-so-damn-friendly while bending over backwards deperate for our turn of recognition and it has gotten us nowhere. Every time something not so nice happens at Ewood then the press are there like a pack of vultures. That's what all that nicey nice approach got us - nothing, nothing, nothing.

Football isn't a business that operates like a charity, certainly not at Premiership level. Go down playing good football and people might sympathise but they won't be able to do a damn thing to help you.

The press don't like us - screw them. Chelsea don't like us - screw them. Arsenal don't like us - screw them.

Football is tribal and if we have to employ the likes of Savage, Dickov and Todd to secure our Premiership future then it has to be done. We all want pretty football but we all want the best for Rovers first? Especially after the mess we were in just six months ago.

If Rovers (as my club just as they are all of yours) do things I disagree with then I (and we) will say...but I won't be told what they should and shouldn't do by people who have no interest AT ALL in the welfare of the club, such as all these writing their tediously wannabe damning piecethink-trash articles on us. Diatribe after diatribe...all diahorhea in the end.

"Woo the press"? I'd rather stick two fingers up at them and carrying on supporting my club.

Honestly...if they don't like us...then I don't care. The opinion of Mark Hughes I am interested in, Alan Nixon or Oliver Holt at The Mirror can go take a running jump. "Woo" them until you get them into bed if you wish but they STILL will not do any good for us.

PS - I've mentioned before about the bizarre vendetta of 'The Mirror' towards us and yet again it has been proved by this episode. Many papers wrote negatively about the semi-final (The Mirror went on to have Oliver Holt also condemning us in his laughable joke for a regular column. They followed this up with with the worst (from a Rovers view) match-report on the Palace game. 'Savage Rout of Order' our old friend Alan Nixon opined. As a Rovers fan you should really learn to abandon this biased rag. The Anti-Ewood of Fleet Street. Not sure why they hate us so much though...

Edited April 21, 2005 by FourLaneBlue

[Eddie]

Great post...that should be sent around to every newspaper

[blue/white]

Lovely rant, FLB ! Well done, son.

I rather like being referred to as Blackburn's Angry Mob. It's a right footballing sobriquet...

Let them talk, we'll buy it if we want, ignore it if we must. They need us more than we'll ever need them.

Roll on, Rovers.

[USABlue]

speeedie is right though, we somehow need to woo the press back on our side, not alienate them further.

Heh Heh heh, taking my memory back not too far that seems pretty rich coming from you Rev In fact it might have been you that started this whole anti rovers sentiment in the first place, buggar.

I don't think we can woo the press back, even winning the league just ticked 'em off. They just don't like us, never have, never will.

[Ianrally]

The best feeling for me at the moment is that even though the gutter press and their reptillian reporters, Chelsea, Arsenal, the FA, the BBC, Lawrenson,Hansen etc. etc. etc. hate us, THE ROVERS WILL BE IN THE PREMIERSHIP NEXT SEASON, so they will just have to lump it.

Meanwhile I will just get on with supporting my team as I have for the past 45 years and sod the press.

Woo them indeed? I know what I would like to do with them!!!!!

[philipl]

Strachan spot on again.

[Teemu]

Personally I don't take the slagging off in the press that seriously, but here's someone to back up The Rovers' style of play for a change, Gordon Strachan that is:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/...1466119,00.html

[Teemu]

Damn, I have too slow fingers

[bob fleming]

Great reads from FLB and Gordon Strachan.

The press, other than the LET, have NEVER done anything positive for our club. "Woo them back" ?!? They were never on our side in the first bleeding place. If you want to look for reasons as to why our fan base is still pretty much Blackburn-centric then look no further than the national Media. Give them half a chance and they'll do us down.

"Next on Talk @#/? - Ron "Chopper" Harris! Ha Ha Ha "Hello Ron eh? I tell you they wouldn't have got away with it in your day would they? Ha Ha Ha." See also Norman "Bite your legs" Hunter and Billy Bremner - all held in high esteem by Talk Sport and also by most of the media. The next day they'll ask "Where have all the hard men gone?" and "Hasn't football gone soft?"

[Paul Mellelieu]

Strachan's article that appears in today's Guardian is unfortunately accompanied by a photograph of Lehman play acting following Emerton's attempt to get the ball, close the the dead ball line, with the caption, "Blackburn's Brett Emerton - only following orders". The obvious implication being that Brett had injured the German, on purpose, and on the instruction of Hughes and the Rovers' management team. So even when there's a piece that redresses the argument some idiot sub editor, drops in an image designed to con the reader into thinking a Rvoers player had gone out to injure an Arsenal player. Sick to death of it.

[thenodrog]

Sick to death of it.

I've emailed the editor pointing out that there are far fewer supporters of the Big 3 than opponents of them! And that is why I have not bought a daily for years.

Strachans column is like a breath of fresh air.

Edited April 22, 2005 by thenodrog

[jim mk2]

The press, other than the LET, have NEVER done anything positive for our club. ?"

The LET missed a few tricks this week.

They could have contacted David Moyes, Alex Ferguson, Raphael Benitez, all of whose teams have played against Rovers in recent weeks without any problems (and in two cases actually congratulated us on the way we played), and got quotes backing our approach to the semi-final.

Ferguson, in particular, would have relished the chance to have another pop at Arsenal, and I'm sure other managers such as Sam Allardyce, Graeme Souness (!), Iain Dowie and Alan Curbishley would have supported us too.