[Archived] Andy Neild( Let) V Alan Nixon(indep,people)

[philipl]

I know we had Andy Nield come on here and defend his corner but I do think the LT coverage of Rovers remains poor.

I think the LT should look at how the MEN covers the Mancs.

[Darth Paul]

I thought the LT was extremely naughty today.

The back page carried a large banner headline and picture of Roque proclaiming:

[size=7]"Roque absent as pre-season starts"[/size] p22

The inference being there's something untoward in that and he's off.

Of course when you turn to page 22 it's simply because he's been given extra time off.

I always thought years ago when I penned "A Roverall View" that Andy Neild apart, there was a real anti Rovers bias on the LT sportsdesk and more recently I've noticed that Andy Neild seems to have Mondays off. The pieces written in his absence by the likes of Gavin Gibbon and Gary York invariably seem to belittle Rovers.

Similarly, when I wrote my column over the past 18 months, I felt that I was the only one really flying the flag for Rovers, and it really showed whenever I wrote something it went straight to the top of the "most read" table on the website. I always tried to put the emphasis on what I wrote very firmly on being from a partisan fans point of view, and no one elses and I think the paper/website is desperately missing this angle now. The sad thing is that I was happy to do all of this for free but in the end I just kind of felt that the paper wasn't that interested whether I submitted a piece or not so I packed it in.

I also have to be careful about how I say this but I do also recall submitting a piece for the website once which appeared in a very "similar" form, albeit under A Nother journalists name. After getting over the shock I sent an email to the editor asking what was going on, and although I didn't get a reply, the piece mysteriously vanished and mine appeared!

The LT coverage is shocking, not only for the level of depth/support that Rovers get, but for its quality of writing also. Forgive me for including myself in this, but I have always felt that what was written by myself and the other couple of board members on here who have performed the role in the past, was far superior to what the LT can offer.

[philipl]

Don't apologise in the slightest darth paul.

What you wrote was very good indeed and far better than the so-called "professional journalists" at the LT could muster.

The same is also true of LDRover and Revidge Blue's contributions.

[PAFELL]

Similarly, when I wrote my column over the past 18 months, I felt that I was the only one really flying the flag for Rovers, and it really showed whenever I wrote something it went straight to the top of the "most read" table on the website. I always tried to put the emphasis on what I wrote very firmly on being from a partisan fans point of view, and no one elses and I think the paper/website is desperately missing this angle now. The sad thing is that I was happy to do all of this for free but in the end I just kind of felt that the paper wasn't that interested whether I submitted a piece or not so I packed it in.

I also have to be careful about how I say this but I do also recall submitting a piece for the website once which appeared in a very "similar" form, albeit under A Nother journalists name. After getting over the shock I sent an email to the editor asking what was going on, and although I didn't get a reply, the piece mysteriously vanished and mine appeared!

The LT coverage is shocking, not only for the level of depth/support that Rovers get, but for its quality of writing also. Forgive me for including myself in this, but I have always felt that what was written by myself and the other couple of board members on here who have performed the role in the past, was far superior to what the LT can offer.

Pity there isn't a Rovers paper for fans.

[bob fleming]

Pity there isn't a Rovers paper for fans.

You'd think they'd be something on the internet in this day and age.

[BRFC95]

You'd think they'd be something on the internet in this day and age.

I know what you mean. Like a fans site or summat.

[LDRover]

I always thought years ago when I penned "A Roverall View" that Andy Neild apart, there was a real anti Rovers bias on the LT sportsdesk and more recently I've noticed that Andy Neild seems to have Mondays off. The pieces written in his absence by the likes of Gavin Gibbon and Gary York invariably seem to belittle Rovers.

Funnily enough Suzanne Geldard is a Rover, and she reports on the apes.

Has Paul Plunkett gone now? Don't recall seeing his name or contributions in there for quite a while.

[Darth Paul]

He was still there when I last wrote for them in around March. Nice guy but I never really got the feeling that they were all that interested in Rovers, or in supporting what I did, despite it being popular.

[RevidgeBlue]

Paul Plunkett is still there as far as I know.

Going back to to the original topic of the thread, to be fair to Andy Neild, although it appears on the surface that the LT don't have any original contacts at all, he probably has to be extremely careful what he writes or he probably wouldn't be allowed over the threshold at the training ground.

When I was at the LT Andy Neild's Burnley counterpart was a really nice guy called Matt Horne (the guy with the hat) and Stan Ternent was so impossible to work with, he was always banning him from the training ground for writing the most innocuous of things. To such an extent he had a hard job getting ANYONE from the club to give him a quote over the phone.

One of the times Matt had merely written about being interested in a transfer target and possibly releasing a couple of players.

[FourLaneBlue]

When I was at the LT Andy Neild's Burnley counterpart was a really nice guy called Matt Horne (the guy with the hat) and Stan Ternent was so impossible to work with, he was always banning him from the training ground for writing the most innocuous of things. To such an extent he had a hard job getting ANYONE from the club to give him a quote over the phone.

One of the times Matt had merely written about being interested in a transfer target and possibly releasing a couple of players.

I met Matt Horn while he was in China where he moved to be a University Lecturer in Journalism and he had plenty of good things to say about his time at the paper but he did mention that often the jornalist covering a team may have no ties to the club or the area. It is just a job to them...so maybe some of those covering Rovers do not have the club at heart or understand how supporters feel. Which may be the problem with some of the coverage we have received...especially stories continually linking our players with other sides and the playing down of the club which we saw a few seasons back especially.

Matt was a nice bloke and could put back more than his share of pints when it came down to it...but he did not have much nice to say about Ternent who did not sound like a nice person at all. Sounded like a bully and a bit of a thug. Burnley´s (less successful) version of Souness.

Edited July 8, 2008 by FourLaneBlue

[simcla]

Andy Neild is local - he does have a tie to the area.

Edited July 8, 2008 by simcla

[blue phil]

The LT coverage is shocking, not only for the level of depth/support that Rovers get, but for its quality of writing also.

The quality of its new website is shocking .......it takes half an hour before you can get to read the trash they produce .

[FourLaneBlue]

Andy Neild is local - he does have a tie to the area.

Yes but the other staff did not. Is he actually a Rovers fan? Certainly the others who contribute articles on the Rovers do not seem to be.

This is irrelevant though...as it appears Neild has actually just now quit as reporter for The Telegraph to take up a position in PR.

Neild quits Premiership and Lancashire Telegraph for PR.

Interestingly on the link there is a picture with the tagline below reading "The Guvner: revealed by Neild"

Edited July 9, 2008 by FourLaneBlue

[Mr Creosote]

Yes but the other staff did not. Is he actually a Rovers fan? Certainly the others who contribute articles on the Rovers do not seem to be.

This is irrelevant though...as it appears Neild has actually just now quit as reporter for The Telegraph to take up a position in PR.

Neild quits Premiership and Lancashire Telegraph for PR.

Interestingly on the link there is a picture with the tagline below reading "The Guvner: revealed by Neild"

I believe that is Paul Agnew's (formally L.E.P) company. As the article suggests they have strong ties with Rovers and work closely with the club. It seems an odd move for both parties as Neild has never come accross as a Rovers fan and I think he admitted as much on here about 12 months ago.

This is a big oportunity for the L.T. to restore some credibility with the Rovers support.

[philipl]

If Suzanne Gelderd is a Rover, sounds like an ideal time to remove her from purgatory.

Cannot say I am sorry to see Nield gp although fairdos for coming on here when we got on his case.

[FourLaneBlue]

Personally I feel Rovers have been reported poorly in recent years by The LT which is a real joke as without the Rovers coverage they would immediately lose a big chunk of their sales as well as probably folding and it was obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse that he had no love for the club despite what he might have said in his defence. Memories of his time covering Rovers would be of him trying to break stories of our best players being sold. For decades the Telegraph was always the place to get the best Rovers coverage. I may be doing Mr Neild a disservice - and I respected his defence of himself on here - but ultimately I felt it was just a damage limitation exercise. The Rovers coverage in the local paper is far worse than it has ever been in its past.

To be honest though following on from Peter White who was blue and white through and though...he didn´t have much of a chance. It needed someone special to follow on from a legend such as him and I dont think anyone would describe the Rovers coverage of the last eight years as special. Negative, downbeat and uninspiring are more what comes to mind.

This time it might be an idea for the local rag to find a journalist who will actually write the news for Rovers fans rather than wishing to break a big story for their own standing. Us East Lancs folk need a bit of optimism to stop us wallowing our lives away on grumbling if you don't mind!

Edited July 9, 2008 by FourLaneBlue

[FourLaneBlue]

This thread shows quality has increased...

It took about five posts back in 2004 and it was off and away with the fairies!

I miss those threads going off with the fairies! Too much quality can be a bad thing...dont let us lose all those crap posts/innuendos/cheap puns that we all used to know and love.

[S15]

I miss those threads going off with the fairies! Too much quality can be a bad thing...dont let us lose all those crap posts/innuendos/cheap puns that we all used to know and love.

In-Your-End-O's.

The Nazi moderators will probably have removed this before you get the chance to read it.

[b12_simon]

The quality of its new website is shocking .......it takes half an hour before you can get to read the trash they produce .

If you use Firefox and are technically inclined install the Adblock Plus plugin and block all their advertising crap. The site's never going to be quick but removing the excessive (I don't adblock til the amount of advertising on a site annoys me) amount of ads they show really does help.

As for Neild: I think he's set the bar pretty low for his successor - here's hoping for an improvement.

[langhoblue]

I believe that is Paul Agnew's (formally L.E.P) company. As the article suggests they have strong ties with Rovers and work closely with the club. It seems an odd move for both parties as Neild has never come accross as a Rovers fan and I think he admitted as much on here about 12 months ago.

This is a big oportunity for the L.T. to restore some credibility with the Rovers support.

It is indeed Paul Agnew's company - he was sat in on the Press Conference when Ince was announced to the media at Ewood on the top table with Ince, Williams etc. They do a lot of work with the Rovers

[Darth Paul]

Great news and a big opportunity for the LT to get someone in who can make the paper a "must read" for Rovers fans again. As a kid I used to make scrap books out of all the old Telegraph reports and transfer gossip and it really was quality reading. Trust me when you can actually look back to the stuff written 15 years ago you can really see the difference to now.

What I would like to see is a lot more opinion and exclusive interviews, a bit like the Jansen interview the other day, as well as the current run of rehashed national stories and stuff nicked off here. There is no reason why the LT can't have 3 or 4 pages of quality Rovers content every night and become in effect a daily fanzine.

Maybe a fans match report (and preview) as well as the offical one would be good? I am sure that a couple of contributors on here could help make it a great paper again, if the editor is interested that is...and from personal experience that may be where the problem lies?

Edited July 9, 2008 by Darth Paul

[ABBEY]

In-Your-End-O's.

The Nazi moderators will probably have removed this before you get the chance to read it.

haha i couldnt possibly comment............funniest post youve done in years.

[jim mk2]

Great news and a big opportunity for the LT to get someone in who can make the paper a "must read" for Rovers fans again. ?

Unlikely because salaries on local papers are so poor.

Sounds like Andy Neild is getting out before Johnston press goes belly up.

[FourLaneBlue]

The Internet must have hit them hard.

More space devoted to Rovers by the paper would be a start.

[RevidgeBlue]

Very surprising news about Andy Neild.

I always thought his match reports were quite good, and nowhere near as poor in comparison to Peter White's as people make out.

However I also thought that under him the LT coverage of Rovers generally was far too bland and non controversial to be really interesting. No doubt for reasons Ive already outlined above.

Difficult to give someone a match rating of 3/10 and accuse them of not trying when you might be coming face to face with them at Brockhall on Monday morning!

Nonetheless, I would have thought he was one of the few, if not the only person holding up the Rovers end of things on the LT sportsdesk and If you thought the Rovers coverage left something to be desired under him, god knows what it will be like if the likes of Gavin Gibbon or Gary York get the gig.

Wonder if Suzanne Geldard has been lined up for it?