Newspapers....and books...and magazines

Three well-put observations which say much about the delicate relationship between local newspapers and football clubs. There's many a fine line to cross in deciding what to publish - or not - and when. From a punter's perspective, the modus operandi is rarely clear and seems to turn with the tide. I guess that's journalism and newspapers - a mixture of news, the so-called "truth" (whatever that might be) and a whole host of legal, commercial and operational considerations. And, of course, the arrival of the "interactive message board" makes it all the more curious alongside the increasing pleas for readers to come up with the goods: Do you know Stephen Beer? If so, call the Herald Express newsdesk on 01803 676223 or e-mail newsdesk@heraldexpress.co.uk.

I'm not sure what people want of their local paper. It's an impossibility for everything is reported at the earliest opportunity in a wholly "transparent" way. Life doesn't quite work like that. And where does opinion become news and visa versa? There are those who want the Herald to splash BUCKLE MUST GO! headlines across the back page practically each time we lose a game together with news of every training ground fall out. Hmm, not sure about that myself. The Herald has been tabloidised enough, thank you.

Ultimately the Herald probably handled the Roberts Affair just about right. I e-mailed material to Dave Thomas early in the process and his reply gave the impression the paper was on to something and was being guided by its legal team. It doesn't surprise me he eventually gathered more material than was ever used. But it took time and, initially, I understand Dave Thomas used all manner of contacts - without success - to try to establish Roberts' football past. There must have been little to damn the man within the game so harder evidence had to emerge.

And, on the topic of newspapers, how do people feel about how football is covered locally and nationally? I actually think the Herald Express, Western Morning News (much improved) and the Sunday Independent (faults and all) do a decent job. As for the nationals we're generally getting the sports coverage we could only have dreamed about a few years back. Mind you, that's not true for every paper and the papers I like most for news (and other stuff) are still the ones I rate the most highly for sport. I guess that's both habit and outlook.



Well, Jon, if you do I'll be in the queue for your book-signing at the Torbay Bookshop in Paignton. I'm sure it will become a minor cult classic. But would it sell? There's always self-publishing if Harper Collins are sniffy.

Do other posters read football books? I've enjoyed reading about football for as long as I've been interested in the game and - on balance - I believe the game has a better literature than it did in the past. The Fever Pitch/Sportspages/fanzine era helped and created such an explosion of football titles that it got out of hand for a while. But, on the other hand, there were some cracking football books back in the 1960s and 1970s when the chattering classes and critics wouldn't touch the game with a bargepole.

Received wisdom says Fever Pitch changed all that. It's not a bad book - it has a reference to Maurice Cox and I believe I was on the same coach as Nick Hornby going from Bournemouth to Southampton v Arsenal in 1971 - but I was never sure what all the fuss was about. My theory is that being written by a well-connected person - who just happened to support Arsenal - greatly helped. Jon could have written something far better about TUFC but I'm sure it wouldn't have been turned into film.

Any favourite football books to recommend? And what about football magazines? They're always in WH Smith but who buys them?