MERTHYR DIS STRESS

What have we done to our local paper merthyr express.Not a mention of our fine away win last saturday .Not a mention of our forthcoming game against didcot.In fact not a mention of anything about our martyrs.In past weeks they have been pretty decent to us but for some reason they have gone back to the bad old ways of reporting nothing.I do not know if it is the clubs fault for not supplying them with information or the fault lies with them.Whatever it is something needs sorting out at once because it is important we get the right coverage for the club

I am the only person who provides reports for the Merthyr Express. I write them when other people are enjoying football on Sky TV (I am lucky to see any of the game on a Sunday afternoon).
The newspaper does not have any sports reporters.
I cobble together what I can, on a voluntary basis. I have had most of my reports used this season, one hiccup being when they used some stuff by Terry Phillips and used an article of mine from two weeks previously which then was out of date and referred to a friendly at Frome Town which had already been!
I sent my report this week, including the draw for the next round of The FA Trophy but nothing used. I have contacted them and await a reply.
The only Merthyr sport this week was Merthyr Darts and Merthyr Football League. Nothing either on Treharris FC, Aberfan SDC (SWAL), Penydarren BGC, etc.
Some people don't bother to buy the paper but read it online. The online version says By Ian Caleb even though I write it.
I can't really provide any actual news about the club as I am limited in the time I have available and it is not my job to do what a sports reporter was expected to do when we had proper local newspapers, but I do what I can for the club and for the supporters or otherwise there would not be anything. I went to London in May and got up early on the Sunday to write the report. It is ANNOYING when nothing is used! I suggest people write to the Editor in Chief in Cardiff (the paper does not have an editor) as per email on page 2 of Express.

As Tim Drummond says, the Express doesn't have a sports reporter any more, and it does seem as if any reports, etc, in any sport that appear are only what have been sent in to them as he does (and then, as we've seen, they don't always appear anyway!). I have noticed that they hardly ever seem to have reports on Merthyr Rugby Club matches - not that I read them when they do - and I've guessed that it's because nobody is sending reports in for them.

Tim can only do so much himself, and it's back to what I seem to keep on about here and in the programme, we should no longer think of it as THE club - it's OUR club. Anyone who wishes could come forward to help out with sending stuff to the Merthyr Express, the same as anything else to do with the club.

On the issue of volunteering in general maybe what we need is a catchy slogan - 'Don't criticise it - do it!'

Although in this particular case we can't do much about the Merthyr Express not using anything sent to them - apart, as Tim says, complaining to the paper's publishers.

And there are lots of football and rugby clubs which never get a mention.The Sports Supplement covers Merthyr Borough, Rhymney Valley, Rhondda, Pontypridd, Cynon Valley and Gwent as well, I think.
There have been occasional reports on Aberfan SDC (now in The SWAL), Treharris and Penydarren BGB but it seems to be hit or miss rather than regular.
Treforest and Aber Valley of The SWAL should expect coverage but they never seem to appear and yet they are in their respective areas of Pontypridd and Rhymney Valley.
For a while I was able to get Merthyr reports in the Pontypridd Observer when we were playing in Taffs Well but Taffs Well never had a mention and they still don't although they are in the Pontypridd Observer's circulation area.
I wrote to MediaWales when the new Sports Supplement came into being and was critical, saying it would not be a good thing. I was told it "will enhance the paper." Mmmmmmm!!!
Of course, the problem with clubs submitting their own reports is that they are hardly likely to mention anything not in their favour or which is controversial. But the days of sports writers covering non-league matches has gone and will not return.So you are never going to get actual sports NEWS in the papers.
To comply with SL regulations, Merthyr Town FC had to supply a Press Box with so many seats for this level of football.So they utilised the old PA box but not one journalist has been seen there so far this season.

I am surprised that the club is relying on tim to supply us with reports in the merthyr express.Do i assume that the reports in the echoe and western mail are also from tim.The echoe cannot be faulted they are generally consistant and appear on a regular basis.You would think the express would go through the trouble to paste off the forum some of the good reports that appear on here particularly from old sod imp and cf48.Further i was also under the impression but obviously wrong that we had a media dept wrapped in with the commercial manager to promote the club.Unfortunately until every home is able to go on line we have to depend on our local rag for information.

Terry Phillips writes articles in Western Mail and Echo. I spoke to him yesterday morning and speak to him most (but not every) week.

scamp wrote:
You would think the express would go through the trouble to paste off the forum some of the good reports that appear on here particularly from old sod imp and cf48.

Further i was also under the impression but obviously wrong that we had a media dept wrapped in with the commercial manager to promote the club..

The Merthyr Express did used to copy and paste off the forum - almost always uncredited! - but these days it seems they don't have the staff to do it.

For approximately the first half of last season there was a 'Media & Communications' manager, but it was only meant to be for a limited period from the outset as the person concerned (James Baylis) was with the club as part of his university studies. The Business Development Manager, Steve Lloyd and his assistant deal with the club's website, but I'm not sure that dealing with the media goes any further than that.

My own view is that we COULD do with a person responsible for 'media & communications', if only to co-ordinate the various channels of communication. But I doubt if it could be afforded to pay someone to do it. Scope for a volunteer!

This forum gives far better unbiased accurate reporting of Merthyr games. I still buy the Merthyr express purely to find out who got married in pontypridd , who died in treorchy and who Merthyr beat in 1987 . I strive for accuracy too but get it wrong most of the time. Only the diehard fans care about the club and the match reports. I am grateful for the reports of Solihull martyr and co when they put away game reports thereon. The best match report is from people who live sleep and eat football the imp and mr Drummond for example. Who needs publicity. The fair-weather fans can watch it while eating prawn sandwiches in the warm. I prefer the freezing cold dodgy floodlights and tubular footballs. Come on the town.

No, I don't write the match reports etc for the Western Mail and Echo although I did many years ago and I have certainly written far more words on Merthyr Tydfil/Town FC than anyone else as well as having reported for several years on the now defunct Valleys Radio- my idea and again unpaid- in a bid to publicise the club.
I did also provide reports for the Italian press before the Atalanta game, not bad seeing as I don't speak or write Italian!!
Terry Phillips usually previews Merthyr's games but, of course, can't attend many of them. The match reports are submitted by someone else.
I just try and get some column inches in the Express to try and keep the club in the public eye and there is not often any actual NEWS content, I admit, but it's something. And,at least, previews the coming games and records events for fans and the average reader. And it's done voluntarily and in my own time alongside at least three other organisations which I do voluntary work for.
However, with the state of the newspaper industry today, a slump in advertising revenue and circulation, you can't rely on the media anymore as in the past.
How many Merthyr supporters still buy the Express (circulation is way down)? How many people in Merthyr still buy the SW Echo which doesn't have any news reporters based in The Valleys anymore and has little local content anyway. They even dispensed with the Echo sellers on the Cardiff streets.
Of course, the internet has changed things so all of us who use it are really hammering another nail into the coffin of newspapers!
The days when I supplied match reports for the Welsh editions of the Sunday Express, News of The World, Sunday Telegraph plus regional newspapers which covered our opponents are long past!
I think the first place of call for the fans is the club's website and fans' forum but, of course, not everyone is online.

Tim Drummond wrote: I think the first place of call for the fans is the club's website and fans' forum but, of course, not everyone is online.

There's also the match programme for people who may not have access to the Internet, or who like to have the printed word to read. Some of its content may be copied or re-hashed from the website, but of course there's still plenty that's exclusive to the programme - articles, opinion, sometimes news, and plenty of stats in forms that are different and, dare I say, perhaps more conveniently handy than looking for them on the Internet would be.

Although by its nature, of course, the publication of the programme is irregular compared to a newspaper. But remember people who are unable or unwilling to go to matches and buy a copy can still get it on subscription, or as a one-off, by post.

I should add that the Non-League Paper, published every Sunday, includes brief match reports of Merthyr's Saturday home games - at least I hope it does! I never buy it myself.

Yes, I think more fans should buy the programme. And the NL Paper is handy for info re other teams in the SL as well as the match reports from home and away games.I always buy it.

It looks as if the Merthyr Express are running a week behind. No doubt we'll read of the win over Didcot in next week's issue.

This is getting ridiculous. I complained last week when there was no mention of Merthyr Town. I didn't get a reply. I sent them the latest report on Sunday. That doesn't get used but they print the previous week's report!!!
It does show that no-one at the paper has a clue! So the paper says today Merthyr are home to Didcot on Saturday! I give up!!!

The reason for the confusion is simple instead of putting the clocks back a hour they have put them back a week how stupid

Don't miss next week's Express for the full report on Merthyr's Welsh Cup triumph over Newport County!!!

I send in photos from the home games, none used this week, except for last seasons shot of Matthew Harris, they have up to date photos but choose not to use them.

Yes, I know, Peter. A woman took some pictures of the Merthyr Tydfil Veterans in a game last season and at awards night but they weren't used.
I am not really sure who puts together the sports pages or where. There doesn't seem to be much local knowledge. Page 10- Llwydcoed called Coed in headline. That never happens in real life. And Treharris Western are called Western in a headline which again is misleading.
We could go on!.....

Why do we bother?

I wrote an informative piece for the Merthyr Express as a preview for the Tonbridge clash, including news of a former Martyr playing for Tonbridge. Nothing was used. The only piece on Merthyr was a report on the Poole game which I didn't submit.
I wasted my Sunday again! If anyone wants to see the report I wrote, let me know and I will email it to you.
If you want to complain to the Express, please email ian.caleb@walesonline.co.uk and Editor In Chief, sandra.loy@atwalesonline.co.uk.
So this week's paper has more on Treharris FC and more on Merthyr Tydfil Veterans FC, which was used and also written by me!
Words fail me, to be honest!

Tim Drummond wrote:I wrote an informative piece for the Merthyr Express as a preview for the Tonbridge clash, including news of a former Martyr playing for Tonbridge. Nothing was used. The only piece on Merthyr was a report on the Poole game which I didn't submit.
I wasted my Sunday again! If anyone wants to see the report I wrote, let me know and I will email it to you.
If you want to complain to the Express, please email ian.caleb@walesonline.co.uk and Editor In Chief, sandra.loy@atwalesonline.co.uk.
So this week's paper has more on Treharris FC and more on Merthyr Tydfil Veterans FC, which was used and also written by me!
Words fail me, to be honest!

Our goal keeper Lee Worgan has played for you on loan I believe.
Over the many years there have been a number of players in common to both clubs. The late Fred Crunp being one that comes instantly to mind.

Tim Drummond wrote:I wrote an informative piece for the Merthyr Express as a preview for the Tonbridge clash, including news of a former Martyr playing for Tonbridge. Nothing was used.

No doubt it will be in next week's paper.

Yes, goalkeeper Lee Worgan is the former Martyr (was on loan from Cardiff) in the Tonbridge squad.

Yes, Worgan was with Merthyr on loan from Cardiff, played seven games in 2006.
Fred Crump played for Tonbridge, in goals. Also, Ron Skyme went there in the late 1950s.
Oh, raining heavily now!

Tim Drummond wrote:I wasted my Sunday again!

Look on the bright side - at least it stopped you posting naff lyrics on Facebook!

Tim Drummond wrote:If anyone wants to see the report I wrote, let me know and I will email it to you

Why dont you post them on here?