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

[RevidgeBlue]

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?

That's a cracking idea in principle, but is only workable in practice if Rovers themselves are entirely comfortable with the idea of a fan giving his own independent opinion which, if it is to be of any value, might not always be entirely complimentary on occasion.

[Mr Creosote]

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?

I dont want impartiality from my local paper. Within reason Rovers matters should be reported on from a Rovers supporters viewpoint, if I want to read how every body including tea lady and turnstyle operators want out I'll buy the tabloid rags.

Is Suzanne Geldard a Rover? I know she covered Stanley a lot for the L.T. but I was under the impression she was six fingered.

Edited July 10, 2008 by Mr Creosote

[leftfooter]

Sorry to be slightly off topic.

On a similar theme however, the bias against Rovers referred to by Darth Paul seems to replicate itself on the local BBC Radio Lancs.

It's as if they feel they have to over compensate for the fact that we over shadow our neighbours in relative terms of success and therfore feel they are obligated to give more coverage to our rivals.

I also notice a bias generally toward PNE, over and above any shown toward both Rovers and BFC.

[Mr Creosote]

Sorry to be slightly off topic.

On a similar theme however, the bias against Rovers referred to by Darth Paul seems to replicate itself on the local BBC Radio Lancs.

It's as if they feel they have to over compensate for the fact that we over shadow our neighbours in relative terms of success and therfore feel they are obligated to give more coverage to our rivals.

I also notice a bias generally toward PNE, over and above any shown toward both Rovers and BFC.

Funny how people interpret things differently. I always thought that there was an enclave of Dingles on Darwen Street.

I would agree with you about their Rovers coverage though. They have had journalists like Howard Booth and Guy Havord who have gone on to bigger and better things. They obviously didn't come from the area and with both I felt that they were struggling to mask a dislike of Rovers (Booth in particular).

I dont think it is unreasonable to expect a degree of bias from the local media. With Radio Lancs it's almost as though they resent Rovers being in the Premier League.

As for Gary Hickson - ffs.

[FourLaneBlue]

I dont want impartiality from my local paper. Within reason Rovers matters should be reported on from a Rovers supporters viewpoint, if I want to read how every body including tea lady and turnstyle operators want out I'll buy the tabloid rags.

Exactly. It has seemed that the LET tried to compete with the tabloids to uncover the stories first yet that is not necessarily what most readers want. Many want their local paper to be pro-Rovers (though not without criticism should the club deserve it) and not to try and compete with the nationals. The paper seems to have forgot this since the days of Peter White and the experiences of the members on here when they contributed seem to back it up.

Edited July 10, 2008 by FourLaneBlue

[LDRover]

Is Suzanne Geldard a Rover? I know she covered Stanley a lot for the L.T. but I was under the impression she was six fingered.

A Rover she most certainly is, despite being brought up on the dark side.

[philipl]

The LT coverage of Rovers has totally lost its direction.

They do not appreciate that when the national media has simply beome a Manchelsarepool commercial "OOh Ronaldo", the balance local fans need is in fact the local media sticking up for the Rovers. Not uncritically but supporting.

If Suzanne Gelderd is a professional reporter, let's be having her.

So black manager interviewed by lady reporter- when we could have had Cheri Lunghi being cross-examined by Will Smith at Ewood.......

[S15]

Osama Bin Laden could replace Gerald Jackson on Radio Rovers.

[Darth Paul]

That's a cracking idea in principle, but is only workable in practice if Rovers themselves are entirely comfortable with the idea of a fan giving his own independent opinion which, if it is to be of any value, might not always be entirely complimentary on occasion.

I agree that there could be a conflict of interest, although it would depend on the person(s) doing the writing to understand what is and what isn't acceptable to write. What I did was pretty much totally uncensored although I do admit that I deliberately had my blue and white tinted specs on, as this kind of viewpoint was what I felt the paper/website needed.

Although my views on the Trust for example, have been less than complimentary on here, I would wind my neck in for the sake of the paper, and yet still try to raise the relevant points in a fair, and more importantly non-libellous way.

The main point I would make from what you posted however, is that despite me being pro Rovers and not really caring about the LT, it really should have nothing to do with whether the club feels comfortable or not with having an independent opinion in the paper.

This said, I do sympathise with your point. The paper cannot bite the hand which feeds it arguably its biggest meal.

I still feel that a few of us on here could get that paper rocking again, and that such a happening could be a powerful propoganda tool for the club, if we could instill our positivity into the locals...and not only that, from the responses I got to my column, it seemed to be the ex-pats who really appreciated the positive slant.

Sometimes it doesn't matter how good the product is, ie Rovers, it is how good the customers feel about the product.

[philipl]

Really good points dp.

Here's hoping the editor at the LT is reading.

[waggy]

i tell you something nicko has you lot eating out off his hands,ten bob cate anyone,friedal has not left,fowler has not signed

[Blackburn Ender]

The problem the LET has, in common with all other regional newspapers, is how to deal with the internet.

They would prefer to ignore it, but can't.

So they give what should be their most precious resource away for free - their local knowledge and reporting skills (such as they now are).

Chronic lack of investment, management indifference and editorial incompetence has ripped the heart and soul out of local journalism throughout the UK.

A hungry, talented 20-year-old Peter White would not bother to get a job on his local newspaper sports desk today.

Yes, the LET should be playing a pivotal role - both in print and online - in covering Rovers. Either option should be compellling enough for fans at home and outside Blackburn to want to pay for their news.

Think about it, we are all on here lapping up Nicko's snippets on Rovers. Why isn't the editor of the LET paying him to reveal all this news and gossip through his paper?

Because for years now, the LET, like other local newspapers won't pay people like Alan Nixon decent freelance rates for their stories. So, how the hell can they be anything other than an extension of the club's PR team?

[yoda]

i tell you something nicko has you lot eating out off his hands,ten bob cate anyone,friedal has not left,fowler has not signed

Not me!

[waggy]

the man nixon can ###### stir with the best,had you all believing brad did not want to leave,causing bad blood with ince,ban him from the board

[T4E]

Alan,

Out of interest, apologies if it's been said - did Joe Garner leave Carlisle in the end? If so, did we get a slice of the fee?

[b12_simon]

Alan,

Out of interest, apologies if it's been said - did Joe Garner leave Carlisle in the end? If so, did we get a slice of the fee?

You may need to ask that on the main Nicko thread. This is just one of the 3(?) other threads about Nicko.

Edited July 18, 2008 by b12_simon

[cn174]

Alan,

Out of interest, apologies if it's been said - did Joe Garner leave Carlisle in the end? If so, did we get a slice of the fee?

Doesn't look like it....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ted/7482957.stm