Category Archives: Events

NORTHERN MANAGERS AWARDS DINNER – Nov 24th

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39th NORTHERN MANAGERS AWARDS DINNER

PEP GUARDIOLA and JURGEN KLOPP will be the star names at the FWA’s 39th Northern Managers Awards dinner, on Sunday November 24th in Manchester.

Guardiola led Manchester City to an unprecedented treble last season, retaining their Premier League title and adding the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Klopp took Liverpool one better than last season, beating Spurs to win the Champions League and challenging City all the way in the league.

Chris Wilder is among a host of other successful managers honoured for winning promotion with Sheffield United.

The full list of winners is:

JURGEN KLOPP (Liverpool)

PEP GUARDIOLA (Manchester City)

CHRIS WILDER (Sheffield United)

DANIEL STENDEL (Barnsley)

RYAN LOWE (Bury)

MICKY MELLON (Tranmere Rovers)

GRAHAM ALEXANDER (Salford City)

DAVE CHALLINOR (AFC Fylde)

BARRY LEWTAS (Liverpool Under 18’s)

NICK CUSHING (Manchester City Women).

Each of our winners will be presented with an inscribed crystal glass award and the function will be compered by BBC Radio presenter Ian Dennis. The evening will be enhanced by the traditional video tribute to the successful managers and the annual quiz. Details of the menu, vegetarian options and the wine list will be published at a later date.

Tickets can be ordered from the secretary Richard Bott (rbottmanc@aol.com) at the same price as last year: £70 FWA members, £75 Non-members or guests. Book now: Tables of 10/11, smaller groups or individuals. Reception: 6.45 for 7.30pm. Dress code: Lounge Suits

Venue is the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester (formerly the FreeTrade Hall) and room rate for our members and guests is £130 inc Breakfast & VAT (for a single room) or £148 inc Breakfast & VAT (for twin or double) Rate available for a limited time only.

Ring 0161 835 9929, Press Option 1 for Reservations and quote 1124FOOT

You can see highlights of last year’s events here: https://youtu.be/37gBQPlbo08

Racism, club ownership and City to retain their title – FWA Live

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Our latest FWA LIve event at the Landmark London on August 6 was a huge success, with a wide range of topics discussed by our panel in front of a packed house.

Chris Hughton, Simon Jordan and Teddy Sheringham were our special guests from the world of football, and joined FWA Chair Carrie Brown and Times football correspondent Henry Winter on a panel hosted by Gerry Cox, former Chairman of the FWA.

The first 45 minutes involved a panel discussion on the likely winners of this season’s Premier League (Manchester City were overwhelming favourites), transfer dealings this summer, the fates of the newly-promoted clubs and how Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will fare.

After a short break, panellists took questions from the 100 or so guests, resulting in lively and revelatory discussions about racism, club ownership, the difficulties of management and more.

The event was streamed live on Facebook thanks to our title sponsors William Hill, and you can see the first 45 minutes on the FWA’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/FootballWritersAssociation/videos/2131821920279052/

And a substantial sum was raised for our charity Alzheimer’s Society.  See the great work they are doing on research into a disease that increasingly affects not only football but society as a whole https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

(Left to right) Gerry Cox Former Chairman of FWA/Hayters TV, Chris Hughton Former Brighton Manager, Simon Jordan Former Crystal Palace Owner & Broadcaster, Teddy Sheringham, Carrie Brown FWA Chair and Henry Winter  of The Times.

Simon Jordan, Former Crystal Palace Owner & Broadcaster, and Teddy Sheringham during the FWA Live Season Preview at The Landmark Hotel, London.

Carrie Brown- FWA Chair and Henry Winter of The Times during the FWA Live Season Preview at The Landmark Hotel, London.

Chris Hughton, Former Brighton Manager, during the FWA Live Season Preview at The Landmark Hotel, London.

General view during the FWA Live Season Preview at The Landmark Hotel, London.

FWA Live – Hughton, Sheringham and Jordan

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We are delighted to announce a star-studded line-up for our latest edition of FWA Live, which will be at the Landmark Hotel, London on Tuesday August 6.  Chris Hughton, Teddy Sheringham and Simon Jordan will complete a panel including FWA Chair Carrie Brown and The Times Football Correspondent Henry Winter, with proceedings overseen by Gerry Cox.

Much-respected manager Hughton will be joined by former Spurs, Manchester United and England striker Sheringham, as well as Crystal Palace’s former owner Jordan, now a regular on TalkSport.  They will look back on the summer’s transfer activity and look forward to the new season, with previews and predictions about who will thrive, survive and win the big prizes in the Premier League and elsewhere.

The event is brought to you in conjunction with our headline sponsors William Hill and proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Tickets are only £10 including a free drink, and can be ordered here: bit.ly/2NT4zyt

 

Growing Women’s Football – Panel this Thursday 11th

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50 per cent discount on tickets for FWA members.

Carrie Brown, FWA Chair, will be taking part this Thursday 11th July in a panel discussion about Growing Women’s Football following the successful World Cup in France this summer.

The event, hosted by Snack Media’s Digital Sport, will be held at the office of law firm Howard Kennedy, near London Bridge from 17.30 to 21.30 .

Tickets are available from the following link and there is a 50 percent discount for FWA members who enter the Promo code: FWA50

Tickets here:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/growing-womens-football-tickets-62969952824

Carrie is moderating a panel that also includes representatives from:

Twitter – Bruna Zanin-Juresic, Global Sports Partnerships
Visa – Adrian Farina, Head of Marketing, Europe
Engine Sport – Lisa Parfitt, Managing Director
Endeavor – Robin Clarke, SVP International

Wolves at the double in FWA Midlands awards

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By Nick Mashiter, Press Association and FWA MIdlands branch chairman.

Nuno Espirito Santo and Raul Jimenez completed a Wolves double at the Football Writers’ Association Midlands awards.

Mexico international Jimenez won FWA Midlands Player of the Year while Wolves boss Nuno was named the Manager of the Year on Wednesday April 24.

Members voted for the pair after an impressive first season back in the Premier League for Wolves.

Wolves legend Steve Bull, the club’s record scorer and vice-president, collected the awards on behalf of the pair, who were preparing for their 3-1 win over Arsenal, at the event which was sponsored by law firm Stewarts, along with FWA official sponsor William Hill.

Jimenez, who became the club’s record buy when he turned his loan from Benfica into a permanent £32million transfer last month, has scored 16 goals in all competitions this season.

The striker has netted 12 times in the Premier League and has impressed with his work-rate and the speed with which he has adapted to English football.

Nuno has continued to build on the club’s Sky Bet Championship title win last season and victory over the Gunners put Wolves seventh. They also lost a thrilling FA Cup semi-final 3-2 after extra time to Watford earlier this month.

Wolves have set a new club record points total in the Premier League this season and could return to Europe for the first time since 1981 if they finish seventh and Manchester City beat Watford in the FA Cup final.

Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neill, Burton boss Nigel Clough, West Brom interim manager Jimmy Shan and Birmingham boss Garry Monk all attended the lunch, at the Burlington Hotel in central Birmingham.

Ron Atkinson, Steve Froggatt, Kevin Phillips and Geoff Thomas were among other former managers and players in attendance.

A tribute was paid to former Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was killed in a helicopter crash in October. Sir Doug Ellis and FWA stalwart and ex-West Brom director Jeff Farmer were also remembered, after passing away in the last year.

A raffle for Prostate Cancer UK raised £660 in memory of former national committee member Ralph Ellis who sadly passed away last year. His widow Sue was one of our special guests.

Clubs donated signed memorabilia with the Football Association providing a signed Gareth Southgate England shirt and Leicester donating four hospitality tickets for a game next season.

It was also the first official function for Carrie Brown, our new Chairman, who was with former Chairman Paddy Barclay and Executive Secretary Paul McCarthy.  Jacqui Oatley and Nick Mashiter were also representing the National Committee in what was an undoubted success.

Thanks to Mark Radford photography for the pictures.

 

Pathway to sports journalism and broadcasting

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‘The Football Writers’ Association Speakers Event 2019 – Pathway to sports journalism and broadcasting’ took place on April 9 at the Sway Bar in Central London.

Our panelists were interviewed by Snack Media after the event.

Jacqui Oatley, Sports Broadcaster for BBC & ITV

Anna Kessel, Women’s Sports Editor, The Telegraph

Natasha Henry, Freelance Sports Journalist

Vaishali Bhardwaj, Sports Reporter & Broadcaster for the Evening Standard

Alison Bender, Sports Broadcaster for ESPN, BBC & BT Sport

FWA AGM – Tuesday April 23

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The Annual General Meeting of the Football Writers’ Association will be held at noon on Tuesday April 23 at The Old Bank of England, Fleet Street. 

 All National Committee members seeking re-election must attend or give a minimum 72 hours notice of apology.

All FWA members are welcome.  Please let Executive Secretary Paul McCarthy know if you wish to attend.

 

Raise Your Game – Racism in Football

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Darren Lewis of the Mirror and FWA’s National Committee attended a debate on Racism in Football, organised by Kick it Out, at BBC Centre, London on March 19. Here are his thoughts…

WE KNOW the numbers.

The people who run the game, who run our media and the industry know all about the glass ceilings and scandalous representation within it.

So it was a breath of fresh air to see football being asked, at Kick It Out’s Raise Your Game event last night, what it intends to do about it.

It was refreshing to hear tough questions being put to the game’s stakeholders. 

It was an education – even now – to hear players offering different perspectives on the racial abuse they suffered over so many years. To see the light shone on grass roots football and its frustrations at being ignored as the game takes a long hard look at itself.

Football needs to face up to the harsh realities put forward in that central London meeting room last night. We can only have so many panels. We can only have so many investigations. 

We can only have so expressions of sympathy from the game without substantive action to actually change things. We in the written press need to look at ourselves and finally listen to the concerns expressed over many, many years about the representation of young black men.

The broadcast media needs to have more people of colour asking the questions, making decisions about policy, approving content. 

It is laughable that there are so few decision-makers of colour with any power in the upper echelons of the FA and the Premier League when football has had so many influential black leaders over the past five decades.

Ex-West Ham striker Carlton Cole, who spoke powerfully on the night, said: “It was a discussion that needed to had. 

“Everyone had a point. Some of the people in the room got things off their chest. Now it’s all about action.”

Women in football journalism event

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We are delighted to join the world in celebrating International Women’s Day by announcing that on the 9th April, the Football Writers’ Association and Snack Media will host an event dedicated to promoting and supporting female football writers and broadcasters.

The first FWA all-women panel will be populated by some of the most recognisable names within the football media world and are also fantastic role models for all aspiring writers and broadcasters – not just for women.

We believe that football is a game of opinions, and the greater the diversity of voices we hear in the sport the better our understanding of it will be.

This event, which seeks to encourage young women who aspire to a career in football media, will take place in Sway Bar, just off Covent Garden. Tickets are FREE but must be applied for through Eventbrite as places are limited.

The Football Writers’ Association Speakers’ Event last October featured Patrick Barclay, Paul McCarthy, John Cross, Raphael Honigstein and Joel Beya. That evening 80 young journalists attended and received advice on taking their first steps in the world of football media from some of the industry’s best-known figures.

April’s event is another chance for the Football Writers’ Association to continue its pledge to promote up and coming personalities within the sports media industry and broaden the voices speaking about football for the good of the sport.

Running Order:

Doors open: 18:00
Panel Starts: 18:30
Panel Ends: 19:45

Address:

Sway Bar
61-65 Great Queen St,
WC2B 5BZ

The event is part of a joint FWA/Snack Media initiative to attract a more diverse workforce to the sports media industry and will be followed by other campaigns, initiatives and recruitment drives in the coming months.

apply for tickets here: https://bit.ly/2H9tyZV

Shearer leads North East FWA award-winners

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Alan Shearer led a glittering line-up at the North East FWA’s annual awards dinner, as the former Newcastle and England captain collected the region’s Personality of the Year award, in association with the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Shearer was one of many famous football faces at the Ramside Hall, Durham, for another great evening that was superbly organised as ever by Colin Young, secretary of the North East branch of the FWA.

Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka collected the Player of the Year award, while Sunderland’s manager Jack Ross picked up the Young Player of the Year award on behalf of the club’s former striker Josh Maja.

Beth Hepple of Durham was voted Womens’ Player of the Year, and presentations were made to Stockton Town, South Shields and Marske United in recognition of their successes in non-league football last season.

There were also special awards for two people who have worked closely with the FWA over the years. Adrian Bevington, former head of communications for Middlesbrough and England who is now Boro’s head of recruitment, was presented with the Bob Cass award for his outstanding contribution to North East football.

And Louise Wanless, who also worked at Boro before becoming head of communications at Sunderland, won the John Fotheringham Award.

Steve Harper spoke wittily about his good friend Shearer, who then gave an insight to his life as a player turned pundit, in a Q and A session with BBC’s Ian Dennis who conducted his Master of Ceremonies duties with superb professionalism.

Shearer has raised over £11m for charities since retiring, and said he gets more satisfaction from his charity work than any of his many achievements on the pitch. The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, for whom Shearer is a patron, was also represented.

Other former players included Gary Pallister, Kevin Ball, Jim Montgomerie, Craig Hignett, Martin Gray and John Hendrie. The FWA National Committee was represented by former Chairman Steve Bates, Gerry Cox and Paul McCarthy, and the evening was supported superbly by our sponsors William Hill.

“This is always a special night, bringing together the region’s football family and celebrating the best of the game,” said Colin Young, who paid special tribute to the Ramside Hall for hosting the event.

“The focus is often on the Player of the Year awards and we were proud to honour both Martin Dubravka and Beth Hepple.

“However, it’s also very important that we recognise the significant contributions made by dedicated individuals within the game and the wider community, and we were grateful to have the opportunity to do that last night.”