Sorry...Another annoying Spillage report

[Peadar]

Originally posted by patsh
He wasn't even within the playing area at the time...

The ref was afraid that Spillage would call him a racist if he didn't give the peno.

[tiktok]

lads, it's all about selling newspapers. i guarentee that more echo's were picked up today because lads in the shop who were having a quick look at the back page wanted to know more.

the echo might be our sponsors but they are a newspaper first, if something was to reflect badly on city which was true they shouldn't refrain from printing it just because they have a commercial relationship with us.

in this case they got their news incorrect, and used a sloppy tabloid tactic to sell extra copy. the fact that spillane wrote that the booing was due to Liningstone's colour says more about his prejudices than those of city fans.

[liamon]

Originally posted by patsh
Sigh......
Would some people look at the title of the thread?
It says an "Annoying Spillage report".
It does not say anything about having a go at English teams.
I did not at any stage have a go at Bolton, ......... claim a match against Vlencia, Milan or Timbucf*ckinToo would be better.
I asked 2 questions. Most people have not bothered to actually notice this.
It is a thread ABOUT SPILLANE.
?

Yeah, I get that, and I posted my thoughts earlier on those 2 questions. But I was just asking why it is that this particular column got under your skin so much. There is a lot of anti-UK clubs stuff on foot.ie and I was just wondering if this was more of the same. Some of it is justified, more of it is daft.

I don't think anyone here would be a big fan of Spillane, but this racism stuff is sickening. I don't see how CCFC can continue to support this idiot by allowing him access to players and staff. He's a disgrace and should be forced to apologise for this slur on CCFC.

[Colm]

When I looked at the back page of todays Echo I was annoyed by what I saw. I know it's the kind of thing we should have come to expect of Spillane but in all fairness this story is devoid of any truth whatsoever and without any basis. The booing was because Livingstone handled the ball just before Pats scored their second goal, in this case he was going to get booed whether he was black, white or purple i.e. it had nothing to do with racism in way, shape or form. Brian Lennox is quoted as saying it was because he handled the ball but yet Spillane ran with the story. He's a disgrace and time and time again he prints untruths and brings bad publicity to our club.

What's the Echo's email address?

[liamon]

Originally posted by tiktok
lads, it's all about selling newspapers..

That's not a reason to print blatant lies that defame CCFC.

Originally posted by tiktok
the echo might be our sponsors but they are a newspaper first, if something was to reflect badly on city which was true they shouldn't refrain from printing it just because they have a commercial relationship with us. ..

Please tell me you're not defending his right to free speech?
Freedon of speech carries certain responsibity
He has a responsibility to make sure his articles are accurate and fair. His incompetence is not an excuse.

[tiktok]

Originally posted by liamon
That's not a reason to print blatant lies that defame CCFC.

i never said selling newspapers was justification, but if a journalist comes with a story like this to an editor he is going to give it prominence because it will sell copy. if the editor trusts his writer, the story runs. a paper of the size of the echo is unlikely to have staffers who will fact check stories prior to print, the responsibility lies with Spillane to produce an accurate truthful piece, which he has failed to do.

Originally posted by liamon
Please tell me you're not defending his right to free speech?

that part of my post had nothing to do with Spillane, rather our relationship with the echo.

Northofthelee stated we should break ties with the echo, i was merely highlighting the distinction the echo have to make between being sponsors of the club and a newspaper (which is their business). they can't pick and chose stories based on how they affect CCFC, their job is to sell copy. breaking a commercial arrangement between ourselves and the paper would be detrimental to both parties.

if you read the rest of my post i stated that in this case they got facts wrong and used tabloid tactics of which i disapprove. City are entitled to an apology and there is a case for breaking links with Spillane, but i would retain a commercial relationship with the echo.

I'm as upset as the rest of you that City fans have been tarnished this way. Spillane has quite clearly used his medium to print unsubstantiated lies. In the end, it's all well and good to give out on here, but it'll accomplish nothing, contact the editoral dept. of the echo and register your complaint directly.

[tiktok]

Originally posted by Colm
What's the Echo's email address?

Contact email addresses for John McHale (the sports editor) and Conor George (deputy sports editor) are available from their website on www.eecho.ie.

[Éanna]

there's another thread on the racism article here
As for English teams. I have a deep-rooted dislike of the premiership becuse of its aggressive and cynical comercial approach which is destroying clubs in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and smaller clubs in England. Thus I have little time for the muppets who buy into this propaganda. I have nothing against individual clubs or player or managers, or their genuine fans. It's Sky Sports fans that are the problem, not football fans.

[patsh]

This is the reply I received fro John McHale to my email.
*********************************************
Thabk you for you email concerning Noel Spillane's story about
some elements of racism creeping into the Shed.
Unfortunately we know that this happened as we have had ive/six independent reports of racist taunts being thrown about and the chairman of the club, Brian Lennox, has confirmed that it has happened also.
We are inclined to believe these reports and if you didn't hear them it doesn't mean that it didn't happen.
I thank you for taking the time to write and express your criticism.

Yours
John McHale
**************************************************


My reply to his reply is this:
---------------------------------------
Hello Mr. McHale,
Just a couple of points.
1. Your "five/six independent reports of racist taunts being thrown about" are hearsay.
I stand at the front of the Shed and repeat I did not hear anything. If I could not hear anything, it's highly unlikely anyone on the pitch can hear anything. That does not, by itself, confirm that nothing was said, but it does imply strongly, that if any of these alleged taunts were uttered, it was by single individuals in a manner which did not carry further than a few feet.
This is a far cry from the sensational headline on the Echo story which conveyed the impression that there is a major problem with rascism in a certain section of Turner's Cross.

2. Your comment that "We are inclined to believe these reports" leads me to a question.
How many people, who stood in the Shed, were asked for their "reports" ? Did you print a damaging and I still maintain, incorrect story, on the basis of hearsay from a small number of people?
You cite Brian Lennox as confirmation of these reports. Neither Mr. Lennox or your reporter view games from the Shed. They must rely on the same hearsay that you have done for your story.

Whether you see it as such or not, this is unfair and imbalanced reporting.
Five or six reports of rascist taunts is five or six too much, but too make such a mountain out of the molehill of a few alleged taunts is a diservice and an insult to the thousands of passionate, loyal and fairminded Cork City fans.
Thank you for your reply,
--------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to know
1. Genuinely now lads, did anyone hear anything?
2. If you did, how many people were involved and what did they say.

[Storysham]

Originally posted by patsh
1. Genuinely now lads, did anyone hear anything?
2. If you did, how many people were involved and what did they say. [/B]

I was sitting in the derrynane stand, on the shed side of the halfway line, heard no racist abuse whatsoever from where i was sitting or anywhere nearby. And if i did i would always tell the individual to be quiet, no need for it in the game.
The only abuse i spat out was to the ref and tony bird.

[Ruairi]

Jaysus, Livingstone was booed cause he handled the ball in the lead up to the pats goal. If it was any other player there wouldn't be all this hullabaloo. Players get booed at every game, regardless of skin colour.

[A face]

I was standing on the far side of the shed (Derrynane side) and didn't hear any racist taunts at all.

I heard the abuse after the hand ball incident.

I now actually believe that the papers independent reporters either ......

a.) Got it wrong about the taunts and mistook them for being racist.

b.) They are racists themselves.

Conclusion

I think the paper owes an apology to the club, which can be passed onto the fans. Failure of such a gesture to the fans can only mean that they dont have any value in conveying the truth in their paper and should result in a boycott of this paper.

Can someone post up John McHales email address.

[patsh]

john.mchale@examiner.ie

[NorthoftheLee]

I picked up a copy on the way home on Friday and was even more angry after reading the "article". I am now refusing to buy the Echo. I will not support a publication who deemd fit to publish that complete sensationalised untrue story. It really painted a poor and sorry picture of the supporters at the Cross, reflected really bad on CCFC and also on the LOI in general. I am still in the belief that the club should cease its relationship with the paper. Thats two really poor articles in as many weeks. Two too many IMO.

[pete]

Theres a simple solution to this - don't buy the Echo.

[ccfcman]

they do sponsor city yet then condemn the fans?
evening echo we need a sport editorial on this matter

[James]

yeah think i'll give the echo a miss infuture
can get all my city info from the excellent match day magazine anyway
available outside the ground and inside the ground at the programme cabin, a steal at only 2.50 euro. Back issues also available from the programme cabin at ONLY 2euro

[Éanna]

i'd expect better from mchale than that. surprise surprise I haven't got a reply yet, seeing as I questioned the integrity of that "journalist" Spillane. The Echo is a disgrace, and i suggest we mount a serious campaign to boycott it. SHAME

[niamh]

The guts of the article was about the fact that Cork City will ban any racists at the Cross. The headline was correct - they will ban racists if they are ever found.
HOWEVER the example they used was incorrect and City FANS deserve an apology on that one.
That's my two cents anyway.

[niamh]

AND the Echo should never not print a story because it reflects badly on the club - partnership or not. I've said already I don't think it's a good partnership. The Echo is not a PR outfit for the club, not should it be.
The partnership thing seems to be along the lines of advertising the games and special offers and stuff.