Author Archives: FWA News Editor

In Memoriam: Kevin Moseley

Posted on by
13

Kevin Moseley – a brilliantly gifted reporter with contacts of the highest order

By ALEX MONTGOMERY

Kevin Moseley was a brilliantly gifted sports reporter whose news column in the Seventies, Eighties and into the Nineties, was a must read for every sports desk on Fleet Street. When the early edition of the Daily Mirror dropped – in later years it was the Daily Express — more often than not there would be a scramble for the phones to check out and follow up another of his exclusives.

Kevin could spot a weakness, work on it and in time produce copy that in his prime would always entertain, inform us of something we did not know and earn him a reputation for being an outstanding news gatherer, albeit of the old school.

You don’t write about the demise of Sir Alf Ramsey as England manager (Daily Mirror) and prove to be 100 per cent correct or reveal the demons Tony Adams (Daily Express) had to confront when he was at the peak of his career as captain of Arsenal without contacts of the highest order.

Kevin had strategically placed informants. The revelations about Ramsey and Adams stick in the mind, but there were many more which, at the time, would be considered major stories. It was the consistency of his ability to sniff out tales from the world of football that put him in a wee class of his own.

It also took considerable bravery to regularly expose himself to the real possibility that football was capable of denying the undeniable when stories appear they do not like. That intense pressure takes its mental and physical toll.

Kevin could be hard-nosed, if needed, with the pompous, the liars and downright crooked we all have had to deal with, but would go out of his way to help those with holes in their boots.

He was loyal to those he respected and a nightmare to those he felt abused him and his lifestyle. He did not seek awards, though would have won them in the modern era where “scoops” are acknowledged. Appearing on television or radio did not interest him. He would congratulate the success of a rival and be first to demand a celebration which usually meant a long night and an overnight stay in Bexley. He certainly would not offer a compliment to a rival on the expectation of receiving one back.

Kevin was a great friend of mine for nearly 50 years since we met as young reporters at Reg Hayters sports agency just off Fleet Street in Fetter Lane. I recognised then the qualities that would make him such a supreme newsman and formidable rival; his fearlessness and persistence.

He immersed himself in the romance we all felt in working on Fleet Street and it was certain to me he would fit into the national newspaper scene and be successful. Old Reg sent him with England to the World Cup finals in Mexico in 1970 with a stack of assignments for the nationals – plus a Tommy Docherty column to write I think for the then Daily Sketch – oh, and would he please ghost a book with Bobby Moore. It left no time to enjoy Mexico. Wrong. Kevin always found time to smell the roses.

He introduced himself to me as half and half – half English through his mum and half Irish through his dad. He was a committed Republican , a source of the occasional argument between us, fuelled
by my Black Label and his Jamesons. They lasted no longer than the length of a good sleep.

We worked a beat between Ipswich and Norwich in the east, Southampton in the south with London in the middle. There would be glorious overnights and after match drinks with the late Ipswich chairman “Mr John” Cobbold and Sir Bobby Robson at Portman Road; with the late John Bond in some all night Greek restaurant at Norwich, or with Lawrie McMenemy first in his office at the Dell and then down to the long demised Polygon Hotel for coffee, sandwiches and brandy.

There would be trips to Leicester where the late Jimmy Bloomfield was manager or we would break into the Midlands mafia to make ourselves known to Ron Atkinson and Ron Saunders and eventually listen to Jock Wallace where I could be called on as after-match interpreter. As number two or three reporter we covered Southampton’s winning FA Cup campaign of 1976. We were joined by Steve Curry in the latter stages of the run on Wembley when Lawrie labelled us the Freeman Hardy and Willis of football reporting. These memories are not recalled to irritate our successors on the road who are now restrained in their search for information by press conferences. It is just the way it was. So many people so little time.

Kevin successfully dealt with a number of crises in his life including cancer. A few months ago he phoned to say that was in remission and he had been given the all clear. He became very ill a month ago. The cancer had recurred, the family were told. This time the end was inevitable and had to be dealt with by Hilary, his son Luke and daughters Lisa and Sara.

The man is no longer with us, but the memories of our friendship and his outstanding journalism remain.

In Memoriam: Malcolm Brodie MBE

Posted on by
3

MALCOLM BRODIE MBE – a man beyond a legend

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

Malcolm Brodie, a life member of the Football Writers’ Association, was unique in sports journalism – he had covered 14 World Cups and it would have been 15 had he not been on his honeymoon. He was awarded the Jules Rimet Trophy by FIFA as the journalist who covered more World Cup finals than any other.

Brodie, who awarded an MBE for services to journalism and an honorary doctorate by the University of Ulster, has died at the age of 86. His contribution to sports journalism was unparalleled and though he grew up in Scotland, it was in Northern Ireland that Brodie became the doyen of football writers. Jim Gracey, the current Belfast Telegraph sports editor, said Brodie had “taught a generation, maybe two or three generations everything we know about journalism, including myself.” Everyone who was anyone in football knew Brodie and Gracey said: “When you walked through the press centres at the World Cups everyone knew him, people like Pele and Bobby Charlton…he was on first name terms with them. The man was beyond a legend.”

As a young reporter finding my feet in the world of football writing, I shall never forget the help and encouragement Brodie gave me. He was as far from aloof as is possible and a 10-minute conversation with him was like a masterclass in journalism. Last February, when I asked Brodie to help with the question and answer section for footballwriters.co.uk (reproduced below) typically he replied: “Thanks for asking me to participate.”

TV presenter Eamonn Holmes has similar recollections and said: “Malcolm Brodie – always a kind word for me as a young journalist and even kinder ones as I grew older. I’ll always be thankful I knew him. RIP.”

Brodie “got a foot in the door,” as he put it, at the Belfast Telegraph in 1943 when he saw a vacancy for a copy-taker advertised. At the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where Northern Ireland defeated the host nation,a copy-taker for the Belfast Telegraph became legendary. Brodie told the story: “I started my match report ‘Magnifico, magnifico, magnifico…’ She said: “I heard you the first time.’”

In 1944 he became a news reporter, covering the courts – “I remember being baffled by the legalities” – and attending council meetings at Belfast City Hall. He went on to be appointed Acting Deputy Parliamentary

Correspondent but, after becoming disenchanted with the lack of real authority at Stormont, decided to pursue his dream of working in sports journalism.

Brodie remembered: “The Belfast Telegraph didn’t have a proper sports department at that time so I suggested to them that they should. Billy McClatchey, who was known as ‘Ralph the Rover’, and Jack Magowan helped me form the basis of what is the sports department as it is today.”

His first World Cup was Switzerland 1954 and in a chapter for Forgive Us Our Press Passes, a book in which FWA members wrote a unique chapter with proceeds going to Great Ormond Street Hospital, Brodie wrote: “Switzerland, therefore, was my Jules Rimet trophy baptism. This was the era when football controlled the competition without starting time edicts from television, commercial enterprise or vested outside interests.

“The era when the media had virtually free access to the training camps and not, as happens so often today, be looked upon by the authorities as pariahs to be banished at all costs. Stadiums did not have an overpowering security presence. Yes, there were the flare-ups on the pitches but primarily the World Cup meant football.

“But Switzerland 1954, in an idyllic Alpine setting, was not without its ugly side, pinpointed by the infamous Battle of Berne, where the Brazilians invaded the Hungarian dressing room, went on the rampage, created havoc and tarnished their name – a scar which remains to this day despite their unquestioned supremacy in the competition.

“The Hungarians were by no means innocents. Allegations that Magyars captain Ferenc Puskas, who was injured and watched the match from the dug-out, had thrown a bottle at the Brazilian as he left the pitch could never be proved.

“Only the professionalism of English referee Arthur Ellis, who sent-off three players, ensured the match finished, with the Hungarians winning 4-2. Villain of the piece to the Brazilians but for the neutral it was a classic textbook example of professional refereeing.

“Underlining the freedom given to the press, I reached the corridors of the players’ dressing room shortly after the mayhem ended. The Brazilians shouted and protested behind a closed door as Ellis, from Halifax, was escorted to safety through rows of irate Brazilian supporters by Scottish referee Charlie Faultless.

“Can you imagine a newspaperman loitering near the dressing rooms of a World Cup finals today? No chance. The nearest we get is the so-called mixed zone where journalists wait behind wire for players to emerge from the stadium and be interviewed in an undignified scramble. I find this somewhat embarrassing, like waiting for crumbs of bread to be thrown to the starving.

“Hungary qualified to meet Uruguay at rain-lashed Lausanne. What a pity this game was not televised live as it proved to be one of the World Cup classics. The conditions were appalling, the standard awesome. ‘This is what I call football,’ commented Charlie Buchan, the former England and Sunderland defender, publisher of his monthly magazine and my companion in the Press tribune that night. ‘Who said these teams could not play in these conditions – they could perform anywhere. Yes, that is football.’

“Uruguay, inspired by Juan Schiaffino, one of the most accomplished inside forwards of all time, lost 4-2 after extra-time but earlier they had destroyed a mediocre Scotland, managed by Andy Beattie, former left back and manager of Huddersfield Town, in a nightmare occasion at Basel. Beattie resigned because of interference from officialdom, turmoil reigned in the camp and the Scots, who had helped give the game to the world, were given a douche of cold reality and a signal they were not the power many of their patriotic fans imagined them to be.

“The media facilities were efficient if somewhat spartan. Calls had to be placed with a central desk in the media centres; it cost a fortune to have a telephone installed while there were interminable delays on calls, many of which never materialised. Most of us in the overspill for the Germany-Hungary final at the Wankdorf Stadium, Berne, were soaked to the skin as rain fell incessantly. Many correspondents without early deadlines opted to return to hotels and file copy from there. Again it was a question of contacting the international operator which was quite a daunting task, but sometimes Irish charm worked. Latops and instant dialling were a world away. Still, it was fun.”

It was always fun working with Malcom Brodie, as Jim Gracey said – a man beyond a legend.

MALCOLM BRODIE on the best of Best…the wrong result and covering 14 World Cup finals

Your first ever newspaper?
Briefly Portadown News, County Armagh .and then Belfast Telegraph for almost five decades

Have you ever worked in a profession other than journalism?
No, I was trained and worked in all aspects of journalism before specialising in sport; then appointed sports editor and football correspondent to create and develop a sports department whose reporters and columnists were given a global canvas for coverage of Irish and main international events.

What was your finest achievement playing football?
Deciding as a young schoolboy I wasn’t good enough to become an established player so opted to enter journalism which would, perhaps, retain my fanatical interest in football. A fortunate step which I never regret– if only you could turn back the clock!.

Most memorable match covered?
Difficult to answer as there have been many glory days with Northern Ireland and the Republic . My choice must be England’s 1966 World Cup win over West Germany at Wembley. An unforgettable day – and night at the Royal Garden Hotel. That scene flashes through my memory every time I walk past Bobby Moore’s statue at the national stadium..

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?
George Best’s scintillating performance when Northern Ireland defeated Scotland 1-0 in a 1968 Euro qualifier. Although Dave Clements scored the goal Best’s genius won the day with the finest individual display of artistry ever seen at Windsor Park. He was the ultimate superstar..

Best stadium…. and the worst?
Olympic Stadium, Rome and the Kombetar Quemal, Tirana circa 1965

Your best ever scoop?
Guadalajara World Cup Mexico,1986. I had just completed an interview with Northern Ireland manager Billy Bingham before the final Group game against Brazil when he remarked: “By the way I’m going out to manage in Saudi Arabia.” Just like that- a throwaway line. He intended doubling the jobs. A quick look at the watch confirmed it was well past the morning paper’s edition times. The Telegraph, as an evening newspaper, a diminishing breed these days, therefore had a free early run

Your personal new tech disaster?
Impossible to list them all but I operated on the theory one failure to get a lap top connection meant lifting the telephone and dictating. That kept the blood pressure normal.

Biggest mistake?
Missing a goal answering a phone call and filling the wrong result at the end. It was corrected almost instantly but the damage had done – my thanks to the speed of the PA wire.

Have you ever been mistaken for anybody else?
No but I’ve been often called a name by irate punters which questioned the marital status of my parents.

Most media friendly manager?
Peter Doherty (Northern Ireland) 1951-62 His man-management technique and motivational skills could not be surpassed. Couldn’t stand phoneys or cheats.

Best ever player?
Pele (Brazil)

Best ever teams (club and international):
Club – Barcelona 2011 edging Real Madrid of the Sixties; international – Brazil’s 1970 World Cup squad who took the crown from Ferenc Puskas and his 1956 Hungarians.

Best pre-match grub?
Never sample any.

Best meals on my travels and the worst?
Winston Churchill Restaurant, Mexico City and National Hotel, Albania,1965 circa

Best hotel stayed in?
International Sheraton, Perth, Western Australia

…and the worst?
Metropole Moscow, Circa 1985

Favourite football writer?
Henry Winter (Daily Telegraph), logical successor to the late Geoffrey Green (The Times)

Favourite radio/TV commentator?
Radio: Alan Green (BBC); Television – John Motson (BBC) like The Master, David Coleman, a voice of authority..

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be ? .
A request for greater transparency, easier access to players and an assurance that club officials and players will pay media the courtesy of returning calls. That is an El Dorado….I must stop dreaming it just won’t happen!

One sporting event outside football you would like to experience?
An England Ashes win over Australia in either in Melbourne or Sydney. To be at either venue on the decisive day must be something special.

Last book read?
My Trade by Andrew Marr

Favourite current TV programme?
Nothing specific, any documentary suffices.

Your most prized football memorabilia?
A miniature World Cup Trophy together with scroll from FIFA to mark covering 14 World Cup Finals; the inaugural Doug Gardiner Memorial Award from the British Sports Journalists Association for services to the profession, the MBE from the Queen, honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster, Gold Medal signifying Life Membership of the Irish Football Association.

What advice would you give to any budding football writer?
Learn all technical aspects in the new digital era including radio and television; closely study all the football rules and regulations. Present your own assessments in match reports, discard the quotes scenario unless it benefits your story. Stand by your own judgment, do your homework on every project and learn. The laws of libel working on the theory if in doubt leave out. Being a crusader can by a costly business if you don’t get the facts correct.

Thanks for inviting me to participate.

CAPITAL ONE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR THIS FINAL

Posted on by
Reply

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

SIMON PARKER, the football writer closest to Bradford City, on the rise and rise of the Bantams

“In the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes” – Andy Warhol, 1968.

BRADFORD CITY are one win away from securing a place in the Europa League. Old sages may say nothing in football surprises them, but the rise and rise of the Bantams is up there with all the tales of the unexpected the occasionally beautiful game can offer.

Victory over Swansea City in the Capital Cup final at Wembley on February 24 will ensure English football’s most unlikely European qualifiers of their 15 minutes plus Fergie time.

Bradford’s success has changed the lives of the players, manager Phil Parkinson and everyone associated with the club. This true football fairy tale just keeps on going and the reporter closest to Bradford living the dream is Simon Parker, who covers the club for the Telegraph & Argus.

Parker started with the T&A in September 2000. “I had to wait until December to see my first win,” Parker told footballwriters.co.uk. “It’s been not so much a roller-coaster ride as a downhill ride, with two administrations and three relegations. There haven’t been too many high points.”

Until now.

Bradford’s passage to Wembley has thrust the club into the national spotlight and has given Parker a work-load he never dreamed of, not that he’s complaining.

He said: “As you can imagine, we have pullouts and supplements coming out of our ears. In fact, we have had for the last couple of rounds because we all looked at the Arsenal and Aston Villa ties as our big cup final. No one thought we’d still be going…we have plans for a special supplement the week before the final. I’ve already started work on this, speaking to some former players and trying to find every connection possible. Everything’s gone a bit manic, but it makes a change from covering League Two.”

Despite being England’s 11th biggest city, Bradford is not a hotbed of football, rugby league’s Bradford Bulls the only sporting cause for celebration in the new millennium.

Parker said: “In financial terms, Bradford has been on its uppers for a few years. It’s really struggled and needed a boost like this. Most of the headlines have been negative, for instance there were plans to build a big Westfield shopping centre, but it’s still a big hole in the ground. That typified the feeling that the city centre was going to rack and ruin.

“Now, you talk to people and there’s a real buzz about the place. What City have done is to get people talking about Bradford and the profile has been raised in a very good way. Bradford’s a big city with a large potential fan base. They still get huge crowds by League Two standards. The club have always been pretty good to deal with, though obviously it’s not the Geoffrey Richmond era [when Bradford rubbed shoulders with English football’s elite for two seasons].”

Parker has seen the usual procession of managers coming and going during his time covering the club – Chris Hutchings, Jim Jefferies, Steve Smith (caretaker for two games), Nicky Law, Bryan Robson, Colin Todd, David Wetherall (caretaker for 13 games), Stuart McCall, Wayne Jacobs (caretaker, one game), Peter Taylor, Peter Jackson, Colin Cooper (caretaker for two games) and Parkinson – plus one match in 2003 when senior players Jacobs, Wetherall, Peter Atherton and Dean Windass were in charge of team matters.

The men at the top are Julian Rhodes and Mark Lawn, who have been joint-chairmen since 2007. Parker said: “They are chalk and cheese, complete opposites. Mark is very brash, he says what he thinks and will talk to anyone while Julian is very reserved. When you get to know him he’s a very funny guy, but he’s happy for Mark to have the spotlight.

“Mark’s always good for a quote and doesn’t worry too much if he upsets people. He had a pop at the local council after Bradford beat Arsenal because only one councillor had bothered to say ‘well done.’ He joked about inviting the one councillor on the team bus if they made Wembley.”

The more reserved Parkinson is one of football deep thinkers, as you might expect from a man who has a BSc degree in social sciences from the Open University.

Parker said: “Phil isn’t someone for the cheap sound-bite. He doesn’t ‘lash out’ or anything, but few can analyse a game better. He watches every match two or three times and goes through everything to the nth degree.

“The first time I spoke to him was a couple of days before he got the job [in 2011] and he was fine. He told me: ‘One thing I’ll promise you is that I’ll always ring you back.’ He’s been as good as his word even during recent weeks when the world and his brother were chasing him.”

For all the national interest, the local newspaper remains at the heart of a club like Bradford. The T&A will be there long after Bradford’s Andy Warhol moment has gone and Parker said: “I remember when I covered Southampton and Dave Jones said how important it was to get on with your local paper, joking that it gives you six months longer in the job.”

For all the excitement of reaching Wembley and the financial windfall that will stabilise the club, Parker has two major worries – whether the cup run will affect promotion and if Parkinson will sign a new contract. He said: “We won’t really know until May, but it’s what might happen to the league form. They’ll play 61 games this season and the squad is not accustomed to playing that many.”

Bradford’s League Two match against Wycombe last Saturday was postponed and they have other games to re-arrange. “Minds inevitably wander and they have done already, they’ve won only one point from the last four league games. They haven’t played particularly badly, but you can tell they’ve been distracted.”

Parkinson’s contract ends this summer and though he turned down the chance to speak with Blackpool, reports claim he earns £1,000 per week, which could be trebled in the Championship.

“It’s not just Parkinson, it’s all the coaching staff and quite a few players, too. Most League Two clubs offer short contracts because it’s not viable to have someone tied down for years. If the club can keep the manager the players will stay because they all want to play for him.

“The chairmen seem confident of keeping Parkinson and unless a big club comes in I can see him carrying on because he wants to see the job through here. Bradford is the type of club where if you do get it right, you’ll be remembered forever. They’ve made history by reaching the final, but if they could win promotion as well, Parkinson will be spoken of in the same way that Paul Jewell [who led Bradford into the top division] still is.”

There is a belief in some quarters that sensational back page stories sell newspapers when in fact good news is far more likely to boost circulation figures. Parker said: “Newspaper sales have fallen through the floor in recent years, but Bradford’s cup run has had a huge impact on the T&A. Phil Parkinson made the point that everyone will want a souvenir newspaper so that in years to come they still have that memory. It is something the internet can never give you.

“While I remain a Portsmouth fan, there is an inevitable attachment when you cover a club for 13 years, especially when you have lived through grim times for so long…you start to enjoy the high rides.”

One of the great things about football is that there are times when the game remains inexplicable, even to the most experienced managers and coaches. How on earth can the team ranked 78th in the 92-club English football pyramid beat three Barclays Premier League sides – Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa plus Watford who are pushing for promotion from the Championship – to reach the Capital One Cup final?

Parker said: “There are some very good players here, quite a few are Championship standard. For example, Nathan Doyle, a strong centre midfielder who was at Barnsley…the captain, Gary Jones, who was Mr Rochdale and if you watch League Two he is the midfielder every lower division team wants, he makes them tick and never wastes a pass.”

Can they do it again? Can they add Swansea to their already impressive list of scalps? Parker said: “I’ve written them off time after time. They were one goal down at Watford with five minutes left and won 2-1. At Burton, they were two down with seven minutes remaining – in every round they’ve looked to be out and Parkinson told me: ‘we are like a boxer being punched on the ropes, but we’ve got a hell of a chin.’ They have taken their punishment, but don’t get put down, they just keep digging away.”

The heavyweights of the English leagues will be absent from Wembley where Swansea v Bradford will be a breath of fresh air in the inaugural Capital One Cup final. Parker said: “Those who don’t support the top four or five clubs probably get a bit bored with seeing them dominate just about everything. Here you have two teams away from the mainstream who cannot say ‘oh, another trip to Wembley, but I’d rather get in the Champions League.’ It’s all or nothing for Swansea and Bradford on the day and that’s what makes it such a special event.

“Capital One must be delighted. They will always be remembered for having this final.”

FWA Q&A: MIGUEL DELANEY

Posted on by
Reply

MIGUEL DELANEY on super Spain…awesome Ajax…and magnificent McIlvaney

Have you ever worked in a profession other than football?
Sort of, but not really. I was lucky enough to go straight out of university into a job on the sports desk of the now sadly-defunct Irish paper, the Sunday Tribune. And, although they tried to inflict other sports on me that I never had any real interest in, I was always leaning towards football!

Most memorable match?
A few to mention for different reasons. I’m half-Irish, half-Spanish and, as such, there are results stands out for each for both professional and personal reasons: Ireland’s 1-0 over the Netherlands in September 2001, and then Spain’s 1-0 over the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final. I’ve never been as tense. Luckily, I didn’t have to file on the whistle for either. In terms of sheer performance and the sport being played to its highest possible level, hard to look past Barcelona’s 3-1 over Manchester United in the Champions League final. There was one moment in the first-half where, with just three touches on the edge of the box, Messi had nutmegged Vidic and taken Ferdinand out of the game. Barca were so good that, by the hour, you could see United were absolutely shattered from chasing them. There was no way back. As regards drama, Turkey’s 3-2 win – and comeback – over the Czech Republic in Euro 2008 was a pleasure to be at. Ultimately, the 2010 World Cup final is probably top of the list for the tension, the stage and what it meant – both for the sport and for me personally.

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?
Iniesta’s goal against the Netherlands. From a more detached perspective, one of the most perfect goals I’ve ever seen was Hernan Crespo’s in the 2005 Champions League final: an astounding curling through ball from Kaka – that completely took a stretching Jamie Carragher out of the game – followed by a beautiful clipped finish. It was masterful.

Best stadium?
The Bernabeu. Epic dimensions to it. The sheer height of its stands, which seem steeper than Camp Nou, make it incredible.

…and the worst?
Anywhere where it’s difficult to get wifi. There were a few League of Ireland grounds with this problem.

Your personal new-tech disaster?
Once had a 50-minute interview, with what I thought was some great material, recorded on the voice programme of my iPhone. I rarely use the connector to charge the phone on the laptop but, in a hotel room with a ridiculously low number of sockets that were all filled, I decided to. As the phone hadn’t been hooked up to the laptop since I bought it, it immediately synched up, updated and wiped everything that had been on it before. I was close to tears.

Biggest mistake?
See above.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?
Tim Cahill. I’ve actually been stopped on the street for that one.

Most media friendly manager?
Probably Roberto Martinez or Mick McCarthy, in different ways and for different reasons.

Best ever player?
For fundamental ability, I’d say Diego Maradona. I think his basic skill and manipulation of the ball is still just a touch ahead of Leo Messi’s – who is still obviously absolutely incredible. However, I think Messi will apply his ability much better and ultimately end up with a superior career.

Best ever teams (club and international)?
Ajax 1970-73 (with Barca 2008-11 running them close) and Spain 2008-12. As regards the latter, people go on about Brazil 1970 but they only had six games in conditions that weren’t conducive to defending. Spain have maintained it for four years and three tournaments and have had to put up with some of the deepest and most extreme backlines any team has ever faced. As such, I certainly don’t buy the ‘boring’ argument. As Euro 2008 and the final of Euro 2012 showed, if you step out against Spain they can rip you apart in the manner of that Brazil team.

Best pre-match grub?
Chelsea, by a distance.

Best meal had on your travels?
Can’t remember the name of the restaurant but Vienna during Euro 2008 was excellent. And I was a big fan of the strudels

…and the worst?
The so-called burgers they gave us in Minsk airport when a connecting flight from Warsaw to Kiev was delayed by 10 hours.

Favourite football writer?
It may be an obvious one but Hugh McIlvanney for the manner in which he manages to mix almost literary description with excellent detail in the most concise sentences. He had a line about the World Cup which, for me, sums up how good he is. “Earlier rounds offer sudden death but this is the only one that offers immortality.” That’s always stayed with me. It says so much in so few words, and in such an elegant way.

Favourite radio/TV commentator?
I’d probably go Martin Tyler or Barry Davies. I do like the way Clive Tyldsley attempts to capture a moment, though.

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be?
For clubs to realise that, in an age when players are perceived as being detached from the public, making them more accessible can help their image. As I’m sure many have said, the distance between players and reporters – and, by extension, fans – has grown too great. What’s more, coverage of football seems to be becoming increasingly Americanised (and I don’t mean that in a negative sense) – with one difference: US sports offer superb access and realise this is necessary both to sell, and tell the story of, the game.

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?
The Olympic 100m final.

Last book read?
David Walsh’s Seven Deadly Sins. Tremendous work and a testament to him. The Lance Armstrong story has absolutely fascinated me, and there are so many human dimensions to it. More worryingly, though, I’m not convinced football is clean.

Favourite current TV programme?
The Sopranos has been off the air for six years but, since I can’t stop myself watching the repeats on Sky Atlantic, does that count? [Tony says yes – Ed]. I don’t think it will ever be bettered, not even by The Wire – which I also love. Greatly enjoyed The Thick of It recently, too.

Your most prized football memorabilia?
The stub for the World Cup final. Ultimately, it’s still the biggest sporting event on earth. It’s an honour to attend it.

Advice to anyone coming into the football media world?
Read as much as you can and write as much you can. Persevere too. It’s a tough industry but a rewarding one.

I was a football writer with Ireland’s Sunday Tribune for six years until it sadly went bust in early 2011 (writes Miguel Delaney). Having roved around the British Isles and Europe for them, I made the full-time move to London last year. Now, I primarily work for the Irish Examiner, ESPN and the Independent.

In Memoriam Dave Horridge

Posted on by
2

By Jeff Farmer

The FWA – and the wider football family- has lost a great character and one of its nice guys with the death of former Daily Mirror journalist Dave Horridge.

Dave died last week at the age of 78 after a lengthy battle with debilitating illness.

I was privileged, as the Daily Mail’s man in the Midlands, to work alongside Dave in many press boxes during his 15 year spell in the patch from the early 1970s. He was a great friend and a valued colleague, respected by players, managers,directors and his reporting contemporaries alike.

Dave was a born and bred Scouser who never forgot his roots nor lost that wry sense of humour associated with his home city. His journalistic career began as a photographic messenger and a copy boy on the Liverpool Echo. He moved up to the sport subs desk on the Echo before switching to the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror sports desks in Manchester. In 1963 Dave became the Mirror’s first full-time football reporter on Merseyside – hugely enjoying a golden era of Liverpool and Everton success. He was an original member of the Merseyside Musketeers along with Derek Potter of the Daily Express,Colin Wood of the Mail and Mike Ellis of the Sun.

A decade on Dave moved down the M6 to join the Midlands Mafia of the 1970s – Alan Williams and Joe Melling of the Express, Hugh Jamieson and Bob Driscoll of the Sun, myself on the Mail and the legendary Peter Batt on the People. Dave fitted in quickly with the lot of us – as he did with the local paper brigade of Colin Malam, Dennis Shaw, Ray Matts, Dave Harrison et al. It was a vintage period for Midlands football with Cloughie’s amazing feats at Derby County and Nottingham Forest, Championship and European success at Aston Villa, Big Ron’s adventures at West Bromwich, Bill McGarry’s trophy-winning Wolves and Coventry in European competition.

Dave was a man who easily made friends and worked hard at making contacts. As he was respected by Shankly, Paisley and Kendall on Merseyside, so it was with Clough ,Saunders and Atkinson in the Midlands. Dave often said he was so lucky to have been in the right place at the right time in his career – on Merseyside and in the Midlands at a time of so much success,with titles, Wembleys and European sorties galore.

After the Midlands, Dave went part-time freelance for a few years (to keep in touch with his mates) and moved back to the Wirral. The family media tradition has been carried on by his son David who joined Central ITV as a teenager and is now a talented television sports director with a world-wide portfolio.

Dave Horridge’s funeral is at Landican Cemetery, Arrowe Park Road, Birkenhead CH49 5LW at Midday on Wednesday, January 30.

GERRARD IS LIVERPOOL’S GREATEST PLAYER EVER (and Luis Suarez is the best Stevie G has played with)

Posted on by
Reply

By JIM VAN WIJK

Images courtesy of Action Images

Steve Gerrard felt “humbled” to be honoured as the recipient of the 2013 Football Writers’ Association’s award at a gala tribute dinner in London’s Savoy Hotel on Sunday January 20.

The Liverpool and England captain, 32, was presented with the prestigious accolade from FWA chairman Andy Dunn of the Sunday Mirror.

Gerrard – voted the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009 – was touched to have been recognised for his achievements once again. He said: “This award means a lot because these guys have followed me throughout my career, written about me and scrutinise your performances whenever I have played, to receive this award from the Football Writers’ Association is a very proud night for myself and my family. I feel very flattered and humbled to receive it.”

Tributes were paid at the dinner by former manager Gerard Houllier, who brought Gerrard into the Liverpool first team as a raw youngster, and his long-serving team-mate Jamie Carragher – who hailed Gerrard as Liverpool’s “greatest player ever” as well as former Liverpool captain Gary McAllister, who claimed it had been a “dream come true to play alongside Steven Gerrard.” Former Liverpool manager and Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish also passed on his congratulations via FWA executive secretary Paul McCarthy as he was unable to attend personally.

England manager Roy Hodgson was among the guests and paid his own personal written tribute to Gerrard’s character for the FWA. He said: “I know how good a player he is, how serious a professional he is and I know how inspiring a captain he can be – I saw that during my time at Liverpool, on occasions when things weren’t going so well, he was the one who stepped up and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck by his performances and encouragement to drag people through.

“Steven has a great enthusiasm and passion to play, and that can be infectious to other players. I can see him playing for many years to come… he is young enough in body and mind to look certainly towards 2014 and maybe beyond.”

FWA chairman Andy Dunn felt the evening allowed football to remind itself of just what makes the beautiful game so “enthralling” after what had been a testing year for the national sport.

Dunn said: “Steven Gerrard’s unbroken devotion and service to his club and country should stir the soul, not just of Liverpool fans, but of lovers of the game across the land. Rarely can a player have led his team on the domestic, European and international stage with such distinction. His passion for Liverpool remains undimmed and England has the captain it should have had a long time ago.”

Moving tributes were also made to long-standing FWA members Dennis Signy, Brian Woolnough and Danny Fullbrook, who all passed away recently.

Daily Telegraph football correspondent Henry Winter conducted an engaging Q&A session with the England captain (below) to round off the evening, as Gerrard reminisced on sleeping with the European Cup, recalled when he almost joined Chelsea, asked everyone to lay off his “world-class” Anfield team-mate Luiz Suarez and finally looked ahead to hopes for the England at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

After the dinner had ended, Gerrard took the time to move around the tables as he happily posed for photos and signed autographs – a testament to the professionalism of the England captain.

 

HW: All the football writers were there in Istanbul at half-time ready to file their copy having told their offices: “It’s all over…Shevchenko, Kaka…all these great players are running the show.” And then something special happened. Tell us what went on in the dressing-room with Rafa [Benitez] and the other players.

There was a lot of disappointment because we thought the game was lost, that we couldn’t recover [from 0-3]. There were a lot of sad faces with people staring at their boots but you look around and see the players we had in the dressing-room, people like Jamie [Carragher] and you say to yourself if we can get out there in the second-half and score a goal we’ve got small chance. That’s exactly what happened.

What did Rafa Benitez say?
His first concern was the injury to Steve Finnan who had to come off, so he had to shift a few things around. He told us to just to keep believing, to be more positive…we’d paid Milan too much respect in the first-half. The difference was as much in the Milan team who had outclassed us in the first-half but they collapsed for seven or eight minutes and when we got the first goal and then the second…it gave us the belief .

Was it true someone left the dressing-room door open so you could hear the fans singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone?”
Rafa mentioned it in his team-talk. We thought even if we can’t win the game, the fans who’d paid a lot of money to get there deserve at least a goal and for us to show fighting spirit, which we did.

Did Rafa really say at the celebration party that your marking in the first-half should have been better?
He is a perfectionist and his attention to detail is spot-on. He played a massive part in us winning the Champions League that year. To be honest, it didn’t really matter what he said after that game…

Without being too personal, did you spend the night with the European Cup?
What happened was, the party was over and everyone was leaving…I saw the Cup on its own…[joking] there were a few Scousers about [laughter and applause]…some of whom were related to me so I thought it best if I took it with me.

On a more serious note when you drive through the Shankly Gates and see the Hillsborough names, do you seek out your cousin’s name?
It’s always emotional when you see the 96 names. Last year was a very emotional year for the club but there is light at the end of the tunnel and I’d like to thank all the journalists who have helped us [the the quest for justice].

Tell us about Brendan Rodgers…
He wants to win matches and be successful here. He gave up a top job [at Swansea] where he’d done fantastically well. He had the confidence and character to take this big job where the demands and expectations are there on a daily basis. If you were looking for a young manager to bring us success you’d pick Brendan Rodgers.

And Luis Suarez?
I think he’s world-class, he has everything and we are very lucky to have him [smiling] so I’d like people here to go easy on him. We want him to stay a long time and if Liverpool are to be successful in years to come Luis Suarez will play a big part in that. As a person he’s a very quiet guy, a family man…I am next to him in the dressing-room and every time I ask him what he’s doing he’ll say he’s going to be with his family. But when he goes on the training field or a football pitch he turns into a fighter…a winner…when you are trying to win prizes against the top teams Luis Suarez is someone you’d want in your side.

Is he the best player in the country at the moment? Could the FWA choose him as the Footballer of the Year?
I hope so because he certainly deserves that accolade. I’d go as far as to say he’s the best player I’ve played with and I’ve played with many world-class players.

Was there ever any opportunity for you to go to Chelsea?
It was close, very close. I’ve no regrets I made the decision to stay loyal to Liverpool. A lot of people talk about my loyalty to Liverpool, but what doesn’t get mentioned is their loyalty to me. I’ve been here since I was eight years old and the contracts kept coming. No matter what I’ve done I’ve always had fantastic people around me at the club and Liverpool deserve a big thank you from me.

On England…for how long should football writers book hotels with England at the World Cup in Brazil next year?
I don’t want to raise expectations if and when we get there. At major tournaments you need that bit of luck, the ball bouncing your way and a decision going in your favour. I’ve experienced this with Liverpool…Chelsea did it last year [in the Champions League] and not necessarily all the time does the best team win competitions. If we get there we’ll go with hope and belief. We have big players coming back from injury such as Jack Wilshere, who will play a big part. He’s someone who ticks all the boxes, but we have a batch of young players coming through and hopefully they can peak for the Brazil World Cup.

Is Wayne Rooney still central to England?
He would say himself he hasn’t always hit his high standards at big tournaments, but knowing Wayne as a friend and as a player he’ll feel the disappointment we all shared last summer at Euro 2012. He’ll be looking to guide us to the World Cup and shine in Brazil.

What’s Roy Hodgson like with the players?
We’re all enjoying working under him. England are going in the right direction, we’re growing as a team, we have some tough qualifying ties to come but we’re all in it together and will do our best to get the job done.

FWA Q&A: Steve Bates

Posted on by
1

STEVE BATES of the Sunday People on being a silly Haas…the Baan Rim Pa in Phucket…and the ordinary John Richardson

Have you ever worked in a profession other than football?
I have always been a journalist in adult life, but as a youngster I had a few Saturday jobs. Perhaps the most bizarre was as a 14-year-old  I was the lift operator in a posh Manchester furniture store. Looking back it was like the Grace Brothers in Are You Being Served – but it gave me an early football insight into going up and going down.

Most memorable match?
Few could ever compare with Bayern Munich v Manchester United in the Champions League Final in 1999. At the final whistle it was bedlam, but I can recall Rob Shepherd sat in front of me smoking a large Cuban cigar. I was also at England’s 5-1 win in Munich and the famous Liverpool comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005, but for sheer instant drama the Nou Camp 1999 will take some beating.

One moment in football you’d put on a DVD?
My son Dominic’s 30-yard top corner screamer for Altrincham Grammar Under-13’s to beat Parrswood School Didsbury in 2005.

Best stadium?
As a football theatre the Bernabeu in Madrid is fantastic.

And the worst?
In 2000 I went to Rio de Janiero for the Fifa Club World Cup and was excited about watching a game in the famous Maracana Stadium, but it was a crumbling wreck and such a disappointment.

Personal new-tech disaster?
Apart from the usual wi-fi problems every journo suffers on deadline, none has been too spectacular. The funniest I recall was in Hong Kong pre season when John Richardson from the Sunday Express was having connectivity problems at a match. A helpful Aussie lady in the press area tried to help asking John which internet provider he was using prompting the now famous reply: “I’m on ordinary!”

Biggest mistake?
Possibly mistaking another FC Basel player for Bernd Haas in the mixed zone following a Champions League game against Manchester United in Switzerland. I’m told I carried on the interview despite him insisting he wasn’t Haas.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?
Jonny Northcroft from the Sunday Times claims someone recently asked him if I was Ray Lewington. Other than that my pals reckon I have a passing resemblance to Leslie Phillips.

Most media friendly manager?
Sam Allardyce understands the demands of the press and in my opinion always has time for journos.

Best ever player?
As a youngster I just caught the end of George Best’s days at Manchester United and he was mesmerizing.

Best ever teams (club and international)?
The recent Barcelona side and Brazil circa 1970.

Best pre-match grub?
Arsenal.

Best meal had on travels?
At the end of a pre-season Manchester United tour to Japan a few years back myself and some of the guys went to a Tepenyaki restaurant in the Ginza district of Tokyo. The Kobe beef was sensational.

On non-football trips I’d go for the restaurants at The Cliff, Barbados, and the Baan Rim Pa in Phuket, Thailand.

The worst?
In a hotel in Algiers in December 1990 covering England B v Algeria. You could order anything off the menu but everyone got the same – goat from memory.

Best hotel stayed in?
The Shangri-La’s in Bangkok and Singapore stand out. Trump Tower, SoHo New York, not shabby either.

And the worst?
One in Istanbul for the 2005 Champions League Final. Hotels were at a premium, but this one would have been condemned had in been in the UK. Thankfully we were moved after one night.

Favourite football writer?
Toss up really, Paul Hayward (Daily Telegraph)/Martin Samuel (Daily Mail).

Favourite radio/TV commentator?
Mike Ingham (BBC Radio 5 Live)/Martin Tyler (Sky Sports)

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be?
A futile exercise really. There will always be a fundamental difference between how journalists do their jobs and how football clubs would like us to do our jobs.

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?
Boxing Day Ashes Test Match between Australia and England at the MCG Melbourne.

Last book read?
A Death In Calabria, Michele Giuttari.

Favourite current TV programme?
Homeland which just finished its second series recently. Captivating TV.

Your most prized football memorabilia?
A few years back I paid 500 quid for an arty picture of Pele in full flow at an event in Manchester. The man himself was there and signed it. I recall Gary Neville was at the same event – but he spent a lot more than me.

Advice to anyone coming into the football media world?
Talent always shines through so be persistent, develop a thick skin and always be polite no matter how rude and ungracious footballers can be in mixed zones.

Obituary: Dave Horridge

Posted on by
3

Dave Horridge, a long-serving member of the Football Writers’ Association, has died at the age of 78.

The Liverpool-born Horridge worked for the Liverpool Echo, Daily Mail and Daily Mirror. Horridge’s career in the media began as a Liverpool Echo photographic messenger before becoming a sports sub editor. He joined the Daily Mail’s sub-editing team in Manchester before moving to a similar role with the Daily Mirror who subsequently offered him the opportunity to be their beat reporter in Liverpool in 1963.

Horridge, together with the late Derek Potter of the Daily Express and the Daily Mail’s Colin Wood, became known as the Mersey Musketeers. The trio were the first football writers specifically appointed by national daily newspapers to cover Merseyside football.

Moving to the Midlands, Horridge covered Nottingham Forest’s two European Cup triumphs for the Mirror.

Horridge, who lived in Greasby, Wirral, with his wife Betty, leaves a son and a daughter.