“Fan Journalists”

[pastyfool]

I can’t bare Mark Goldbridge.

In fact I can’t bare anyone who produces YouTube videos and puts big flashy text on them with an image of themselves with a facial expression that would require an exclamation mark.

Don't forget the arrow. You have to have an arrow pointing at something in the thumbnail.

 

[JB7]

Following on from discussion about “Flex” (who?) in presser thread, what does everyone think about the way fans are integrating themselves into the journalists who cover the club?

About time the lazy useless journalists had some competition?

Or embarrassing AFTV wannabes ruining the game?

I have a pretty low opinion of all the journalists. There’s maybe only three who write anything worth reading (because they’re actually good at writing) But I have an even lower opinion of YouTube football experts. Feck that.

As is obvious from the previous thread, I don't like the "fancam" stuff at all. There was a lot of work done by RedIssue and a few others a couple of years back about how interlinked with large media firms a couple of the channels were from the outset, largely due to the popularity of AFTV and how much money there was to be made by putting a character on the screen. This was further backed up when one of the fancam lads got into LASK away despite it being the first behind closed doors game we played. Obviously with the pandemic these channels popularity have gone through the roof with people having to watch games from home, whereas in the months immediately prior, there was a real movement against fan channels from a lot of match-going supporters at different clubs.

The fact that this "Flex" guy got in to ask a question today, and him and a number of other fancam types regularly appeared on TV/radio even well before their channels were particularly popular adds further weight to their channels being linked to larger media firms from the outset which has to bring up the obvious questions around their authenticity.

The flip side to this however, is that the written press today all have newspapers to sell whereas "Flex" didn't. So while they were clamouring for a Ten Hag quote on Ronaldo despite relatively little encouragement, which they had to realistically do as part of their job because unfortunately for most of us, that's the story that sells papers, "Flex" was able to ask a good question that had a lot more interest to the regular supporter (after Ten Hag had batted the initial Ronaldo question obviously). So while I do dislike it as a principle, there is a certain benefit to having people in the press-pack asking questions relevant to the United supporters rather than the English media.

 

[SilentWitness]

Unfortunately social media and new platforms like Netflix have resulted in the world needing instant gratification and so fan journalists that offer buzz-words and silly reactions appeal to the masses and younger generations.

 

[Mainoldo]

Flex asked the best question and I think this happens when you have ’genuine fans’ in this industry.

Not sure what all the who harrr is about. Most of you sound like grandad’s but yet like me I’m sure your best football program use to be Soccer AM?

So I don’t see what’s wrong with providing football content whilst also being abit of character as well. Each to their own though, I just think people need to chill out.

 

[Solius]

What was the question Flex asked?

 

[sunama]

I can’t bare Mark Goldbridge.

In fact I can’t bare anyone who produces YouTube videos and puts big flashy text on them with an image of themselves with a facial expression that would require an exclamation mark.

I know what you mean, but that's marketing for you.
Times have changed, my friend.
Thumbnails and clickbait titles, sell.
These days a teenager who has a following of 1M subscribers will outearn a doctor who is 10 years older and has trained for 8 years, to save lives.

I have nothing against social media influencers, as that's where we are at in 2022.
And as for Mark Goldbridge or Flex - I enjoy their content. It's entertaining and offers a different (usually unfiltered) point of view. The official journalists are clearly muzzled and can't speak the truth. If they do, they'll be ostracised.

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

To be fair, there are too many press conferences.

You can only ask so many questions before it's been answered. After that its rinse and repeat which becomes boring.

Having said all of that, the majority of journalists for some reason don't seem to have a questioning strategy and don't know the difference between an open and closed question. What they teach these people at University is beyond me.

I know you can't ask questions about tactics before a match, but there are so many other topics to discuss it always amazes me that they continue to be so lazy or so crap. No wonder Alex Ferguson had no time for them.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The real mystery to me is why anyone on here would watch their YouTube channels? Surely you get more than enough exposure to mindless hot takes on redcafe? And at least that’s a two way conversation. Not just sitting in front of a screen forced to listen to a muppet rabbiting on.

 

[sunama]

I think the toxicity of Goldbridge with his gaggle of social media cnuts that take their lead from him is picked up by the media and contributes hugely to the continual hysterical negative cloud that engulfs the club on a daily basis. The fact he literally earns his entire income by creating division and negativity for clicks which harms the club he supposedly supports makes him one hell of a cnut in my eyes.

Goldbridge doesn't need to do anything to create negativity. The club have done that all by themselves. We are now 4-5 years without a trophy and that won't be changing anytime soon.
Why not direct your ire towards the senior club officials who have put us in this mess and are continuing to do so?

 

[Revaulx]

I can’t bare Mark Goldbridge.

In fact I can’t bare anyone who produces YouTube videos and puts big flashy text on them with an image of themselves with a facial expression that would require an exclamation mark.

Goldbridge is a vile opportunistic cnut.

A naked Goldbridge would be 100 times worse…

 

[b82REZ]

There seems to be an air of resentment that people are making a living talking about the club online.

I don't like a lot of them, but fair fecks, they've made a living out of it. Even the ones people supposedly don't like get brought up all the time.

 

[Solius]

The real mystery to me is why anyone on here would watch their YouTube channels? Surely you get more than enough exposure to mindless hot takes on redcafe? And at least that’s a two way conversation. Not just sitting in front of a screen forced to listen to a muppet rabbiting on.

Yeah I've never felt even an iota of desire to sit through one of their videos, regardless of like or disliking them. They're literally just going to say the same shit everyone already knows? It's utterly pointless.

The amount of times I see something on Twitter like 'DYBALA TO MUFC? WE'RE LIVE NOW DISCUSSING'. Like feck me I'd rather shag a needle bin.

 

[Flying high]

As is obvious from the previous thread, I don't like the "fancam" stuff at all. There was a lot of work done by RedIssue and a few others a couple of years back about how interlinked with large media firms a couple of the channels were from the outset, largely due to the popularity of AFTV and how much money there was to be made by putting a character on the screen. This was further backed up when one of the fancam lads got into LASK away despite it being the first behind closed doors game we played. Obviously with the pandemic these channels popularity have gone through the roof with people having to watch games from home, whereas in the months immediately prior, there was a real movement against fan channels from a lot of match-going supporters at different clubs.

The fact that this "Flex" guy got in to ask a question today, and him and a number of other fancam types regularly appeared on TV/radio even well before their channels were particularly popular adds further weight to their channels being linked to larger media firms from the outset which has to bring up the obvious questions around their authenticity.

The flip side to this however, is that the written press today all have newspapers to sell whereas "Flex" didn't. So while they were clamouring for a Ten Hag quote on Ronaldo despite relatively little encouragement, which they had to realistically do as part of their job because unfortunately for most of us, that's the story that sells papers, "Flex" was able to ask a good question that had a lot more interest to the regular supporter (after Ten Hag had batted the initial Ronaldo question obviously). So while I do dislike it as a principle, there is a certain benefit to having people in the press-pack asking questions relevant to the United supporters rather than the English media.

I don't really have a problem with any of the fan channels having links with traditional media, it can lead to some very interesting content. But all of them succumb to the click-bait/sensationalist bollox after a while.

You see it with YT channels in any genre. What makes them popular to start with, gets lost in the business of running a media outlet.

 

[Utd heap]

Andy Mitten etc = fair enough. Represents our support and has followed us years.

Goldbridge/Flex/whoever = load of nonsense, represent the worst of our support (clickbait, look how shit we are etc etc).

That said they can both have a place, i'll just ignore the second lot.

 

[Rightnr]

Thread title is like a bat signal for the Redcafe boomers (or those with a similar mentality) to assemble Avengers style.

 

[roonster09]

As is obvious from the previous thread, I don't like the "fancam" stuff at all. There was a lot of work done by RedIssue and a few others a couple of years back about how interlinked with large media firms a couple of the channels were from the outset, largely due to the popularity of AFTV and how much money there was to be made by putting a character on the screen. This was further backed up when one of the fancam lads got into LASK away despite it being the first behind closed doors game we played. Obviously with the pandemic these channels popularity have gone through the roof with people having to watch games from home, whereas in the months immediately prior, there was a real movement against fan channels from a lot of match-going supporters at different clubs.

The fact that this "Flex" guy got in to ask a question today, and him and a number of other fancam types regularly appeared on TV/radio even well before their channels were particularly popular adds further weight to their channels being linked to larger media firms from the outset which has to bring up the obvious questions around their authenticity.

The flip side to this however, is that the written press today all have newspapers to sell whereas "Flex" didn't. So while they were clamouring for a Ten Hag quote on Ronaldo despite relatively little encouragement, which they had to realistically do as part of their job because unfortunately for most of us, that's the story that sells papers, "Flex" was able to ask a good question that had a lot more interest to the regular supporter (after Ten Hag had batted the initial Ronaldo question obviously). So while I do dislike it as a principle, there is a certain benefit to having people in the press-pack asking questions relevant to the United supporters rather than the English media.

Yeah I remember that redissue or republicofMancunia post. They did lot of research on who was the main sponsor behind all these "fan cams" and the people are not even fans. They just picked some characters who played roles.

Anyways on the journalist part, I think it's better to have people who at least ask interesting questions. Today every journalist repeated same question on Ronaldo.

 

[Rightnr]

Flex asked the best question and I think this happens when you have ’genuine fans’ in this industry.

Not sure what all the who harrr is about. Most of you sound like grandad’s but yet like me I’m sure your best football program use to be Soccer AM?

So I don’t see what’s wrong with providing football content whilst also being abit of character as well. Each to their own though, I just think people need to chill out.

Funny, isn't it? All these pro journos had the biggest radio silence on Dividend day but apparently they're pros. Or are they just bought and paid for by the club.

 

[saivet]

I don't follow too much United fan content but see clips on social media and from what I've seen of Flex, he's a lot more balanced than the likes of Goldbridge and brings some interesting thoughts/questions to the table. Generally no issue with fan journalists as long as they're not brining sensationalist nonsense to the media, which I've not seen as of yet.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

A lot of the sentiment in here could be placed in the transfer forums. Instant and constant need for content leads "journalists" to make up stuff for clicks. This is it.

 

[Schmiznurf]

These fan journalists are the same as real journalists, they're not fans of the club and just use the name for clicks and views.

 

[ReallyUSA]

These fan journalists are the same as real journalists, they're not fans of the club and just use the name for clicks and views.

Flex isn’t a fan?!

 

[Mickeza]

Goldbridge doesn't need to do anything to create negativity. The club have done that all by themselves. We are now 4-5 years without a trophy and that won't be changing anytime soon.
Why not direct your ire towards the senior club officials who have put us in this mess and are continuing to do so?

What mess are we in? You mean the mess 99% of clubs would consider success over the last decade? No thanks. I’d rather direct my ire at the spin-doctor who twists everything into an hysterical outrage so he gets paid - the same cnut twisting about Maguire and ETH within seconds of today’s press conference. In the last 5 years we’ve finished 2nd twice to a team managed by one of the greatest managers of all time bankrolled by a fecking state who have fraudulently cheated FFP. It isn’t a moral outage. It’s football. Liverpool have an incredible manager and an incredible recruitment team - they constantly make all the right decisions yet have won 1 title in 7 years with one of the best sides the PL has seen. That’s the bar - it’s high. Should we spend the money we have better? Yes. Is their room for improvement? Of course there is. Have the board made some proper poor footballing decisions in hindsight? Yes. However, the only chance we have of taking City on and getting back to what we were is for fans to be behind players and players behind the manager and vice versa - everything has to be one and connected - toxic shite hawks like Mark Goldbridge spinning everything into a negative directing abuse at the likes of Maguire/Mctominay/Darren fecking Fletcher so he gets paid make that more difficult. To put it bluntly he’s a fecking prick.

 

[wolvored]

Think it changed under Fergie when a journalist starts asking nitty gritty questions about a player, the team etc they dont like to answer. This keeps up the journalist is either then 'briefed', or banned. Other top managers/teams then joined the bandwagon.

 

[Vidyoyo]

One of the things you'll notice always about fan journalists is that they tend to give viewers exactly what they want and don't question their beliefs like traditional journalists might.

At the moment that means people like Goldbridge tapping into the negativity that surrounds United for his own attention - which is largely why I find him an unbearable hack.

Like seriously, this was him today:

 

[United492]

What mess are we in? You mean the mess 99% of clubs would consider success over the last decade? No thanks. I’d rather direct my ire at the spin-doctor who twists everything into an hysterical outrage so he gets paid - the same cnut twisting about Maguire and ETH within seconds of today’s press conference. In the last 5 years we’ve finished 2nd twice to a team managed by one of the greatest managers of all time bankrolled by a fecking state who have fraudulently cheated FFP. It isn’t a moral outage. It’s football. Liverpool have an incredible manager and an incredible recruitment team - they constantly make all the right decisions yet have won 1 title in 7 years with one of the best sides the PL has seen. That’s the bar - it’s high. Should we spend the money we have better? Yes. Is their room for improvement? Of course there is. Have the board made some proper poor footballing decisions in hindsight? Yes. However, the only chance we have of taking City on and getting back to what we were is for fans to be behind players and players behind the manager and vice versa - everything has to be one and connected - toxic shite hawks like Mark Goldbridge spinning everything into a negative directing abuse at the likes of Maguire/Mctominay/Darren fecking Fletcher so he gets paid make that more difficult. To put it bluntly he’s a fecking prick.

I concur, well said.

 

[Zebs]

Pretty sure Goldbridge is a Forest fan and that it's not even his real name.

Have heard Flex isn't a United fan either but not 100% on that.

The Stretford Paddock lads are fairly good. Joe and McKola especially.

 

[Adebisi's Hat]

I don't mind Goldstein, he can be very funny. I do respect someone that can do a 50minute youtube video with non- stop chatter while managing to actually say so little. But they must be doing well financially, i see they have Adam Matic out in Thailand reporting on the tour.

 

[Raoul]

Following on from discussion about “Flex” (who?) in presser thread, what does everyone think about the way fans are integrating themselves into the journalists who cover the club?

About time the lazy useless journalists had some competition?

Or embarrassing AFTV wannabes ruining the game?

I have a pretty low opinion of all the journalists. There’s maybe only three who write anything worth reading (because they’re actually good at writing) But I have an even lower opinion of YouTube football experts. Feck that.

Its partly down to the shifting nature of new media. We're no longer in a landscape where working for a TV station or newspaper are the only way to interact with clubs/players. If someone has a popular blog and/or social media presence, they are probably going to be in the mix to get access to players. The new normal imo.

 

[Berbaclass]

One of the things you'll notice always about fan journalists is that they tend to give viewers exactly what they want and don't question their beliefs like traditional journalists might.

At the moment that means people like Goldbridge tapping into the negativity that surrounds United for his own attention - which is largely why I find him an unbearable hack.

Like seriously, this was him today:

Although I do agree with his point it’s no longer time for that shit and time to focus on the upcoming season and be positive. He’s just constantly being toxic and idiotic.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

What mess are we in? You mean the mess 99% of clubs would consider success over the last decade? No thanks. I’d rather direct my ire at the spin-doctor who twists everything into an hysterical outrage so he gets paid - the same cnut twisting about Maguire and ETH within seconds of today’s press conference. In the last 5 years we’ve finished 2nd twice to a team managed by one of the greatest managers of all time bankrolled by a fecking state who have fraudulently cheated FFP. It isn’t a moral outage. It’s football. Liverpool have an incredible manager and an incredible recruitment team - they constantly make all the right decisions yet have won 1 title in 7 years with one of the best sides the PL has seen. That’s the bar - it’s high. Should we spend the money we have better? Yes. Is their room for improvement? Of course there is. Have the board made some proper poor footballing decisions in hindsight? Yes. However, the only chance we have of taking City on and getting back to what we were is for fans to be behind players and players behind the manager and vice versa - everything has to be one and connected - toxic shite hawks like Mark Goldbridge spinning everything into a negative directing abuse at the likes of Maguire/Mctominay/Darren fecking Fletcher so he gets paid make that more difficult. To put it bluntly he’s a fecking prick.

Nice rant. That’s why I mentioned AFTV in the OP. It feels like a lot of Arsenal’s fragility post-Wenger has been catalysed by this “us against them” fan vs player mentality. Footballers need to believe their fans are behind them to go that extra yard. I don’t think the whole Xhaka thing would have happened without all the online toxicity that shitehawks like these guys get their clicks from. So depressing that United are going down the same path.

 

[VP89]

Anyone thinking Goldbridge is remotely tolerable needs mental assessment

 

[SirAF]

Following on from discussion about “Flex” (who?) in presser thread, what does everyone think about the way fans are integrating themselves into the journalists who cover the club?

About time the lazy useless journalists had some competition?

Or embarrassing AFTV wannabes ruining the game?

I have a pretty low opinion of all the journalists. There’s maybe only three who write anything worth reading (because they’re actually good at writing) But I have an even lower opinion of YouTube football experts. Feck that.

Yes.

 

[harms]

Football journos certainly need competition — they're way too alike with referees as an institution as they're hardly ever challenged to provide quality reporting or, god forbid, analysis those days.

Usually good contributors from the fan community don't get a lot of recognition though with the likes of nonsense-spitting AFTV/Goldbridge stealing the limelight.

 

[saivet]

Have heard Flex isn't a United fan either but not 100% on that.

If he is, he hides it pretty well. I was in the same barber shop as him a few months ago and he was chatting away with another guy for like an hour predominantly about United and Spurs (the other guy was an ex-Spurs player, can't remember his name though) and just from overhearing their conversation I'd say he is either an incredible actor that has done years of research on United, is full of general football knowledge and thus know United. My impression is that he's just a big United fan, could be wrong but he just sounded like a United fan.

 

[shamans]

Not a big fan of fan channels but these journalists, professional journalists are just garbage.

They ask the same lazy cliched questions all the time. I laugh when they talk about getting up at X am to write an article. They haven't worked a proper job ever have they?

 

[shamans]

Yeah I've never felt even an iota of desire to sit through one of their videos, regardless of like or disliking them. They're literally just going to say the same shit everyone already knows? It's utterly pointless.

The amount of times I see something on Twitter like 'DYBALA TO MUFC? WE'RE LIVE NOW DISCUSSING'. Like feck me I'd rather shag a needle bin.

It's nothing useful. It's fun to listen to while I'm cooking or doing something. Almost like white noise. Just different opinions like "I won't take dybala because X, I would because Y". You're not gaining some great insight.

I find it better than the experts that sit on Sky who offer nothing at all.

 

[Solius]

It's nothing useful. It's fun to listen to while I'm cooking or doing something. Almost like white noise. Just different opinions like "I won't take dybala because X, I would because Y". You're not gaining some great insight.

I find it better than the experts that sit on Sky who offer nothing at all.

Yeah I get that but there's also the option of listening to none of them.

 

[Tyrion]

I can’t bare Mark Goldbridge.

In fact I can’t bare anyone who produces YouTube videos and puts big flashy text on them with an image of themselves with a facial expression that would require an exclamation mark.

I think he knows that he gets more hits by "raging" when United lose and just plays into it. I find him entertaining sometimes but I don't really take what he says seriously. It's a performance.

I think football journalism badly needed disrupting. But it's been disrupted by people stupider and more sensational than the incumbent, I had hoped it would go the other way.

Try Tifo Football. They've a YouTube channel that was bought by the Athletic and some of their stuff is very good. They've also got a weird sense of humour which I love.

 

[kps88]

Professional journos can write decent articles and get inside info but every single one of them are useless at press conferences. I'm all for letting fans ask questions because there needs to be a shake up in the sort of press conference questions asked.

Do we really need cliches like "how has pre-season been so far?" or unanswerable questions like "what will De Jong bring to the team?".

 

[bosnian_red]

Goldbridge you can tell is an idiot. No desire to hear his stuff. I don't care about random fans discussing a random deal, as they have no information.

I do really enjoy the Talk of the Devil's podcast, and in general I really like The Athletics work. As reliable as anything out there, well written, good reporters and journalists. This podcast has Carl Anka, Andy Mitten and Laurie Whitwell, so you get 3 very good, level headed sources/speakers who try not to sensationalize things. Past them, don't really have any interest in any of the fan journos. And they're well connected to Ornstein obviously who is king for any news.

Never heard of flex, never bothered with Adam Mckola or any of those others, even Rio's channel is horrible and he's an ex player.