“Fan Journalists”

[Pogue Mahone]

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.

 

[horsechoker]

If they ask more interesting questions than regular journos who ask the same question but rephrased then I'm all for them.

 

[jameyzane]

The preseason press conference was a disgrace.

 

[JPRouve]

In Football it's often low quality from everyone involved but in US sports, I think that you are often better served by "fan journalists" and benevolent bloggers who sometimes end up being genuine beat reporters.

 

[Pexbo]

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.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

About as useful as posts on a forum.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

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.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

In Football it's often low quality from everyone involved but in US sports, I think that you are often better served by "fan journalists" and benevolent bloggers who sometimes end up being genuine beat reporters.

True. There is a culture of proper fan analysis there. Here it is just emotion and outrage

 

[Adam-Utd]

Personally thought his question was the best of the lot. Something with actual insight and not just "DERPA DERP RONALDO WHERE IS HE DERP"

I know papers will ask the questions that will get them the most traffic, but something with more fan representation can never be a bad thing IMO.

 

[cyberman]

I always thought it’s stupid that the people asking the questions are only asking questions because of their qualifications and not for football knowledge.
Flex etc are worse than that though, they just say what everybody wants to hear for a higher sub count.

 

[GDaly95]

Depends what channel it is for me.

The United Stand (or maybe just Goldbridge?) is terrible if you're a level-headed United supporter over the age of 16. He's playing the character of Alan Partridge as a United fan. Naturally it does great numbers because it caters to opposition fans.

Paddock is pretty good. Not great, but pretty good.

 

[Infra-red]

It seems that the club have been trying to embrace fan channels in recent years, so I'm not too surprised to see that this guy 'Flex' has been invited to ask a question. I've never heard of him, but his question was an oasis surrounded by inane Ronaldo drivel from the Manchester hack pack.

 

[dubplate warrior]

Don't mind Flex to be honest, he's not very sensationalist in his outlook. I would like some journalists with a real tactical mind to enter the fray and ask more questions in general.

 

[devilish]

What's wrong with Flex? He's one of the good guys out there and he asked a decent question. At least it wasn't the 10000 question about Ronaldo

 

[groovyalbert]

This Saturday my mate took me to The Guardian Football Weekly live show. It was a laugh, but you definitely get the sense that these supposed top tier journalists have about as much insight as the rest of us. Nothing that isn't regularly expressed or echoed here was shared, and there was no great reveals or anything like that.

At the end of the day, football journalists go into the profession because it enables to write about the sport they love. Everyone's a fan really.

 

[romufc]

Depends what channel it is for me.

The United Stand (or maybe just Goldbridge?) is terrible if you're a level-headed United supporter over the age of 16. He's playing the character of Alan Partridge as a United fan. Naturally it does great numbers because it caters to opposition fans.

Paddock is pretty good. Not great, but pretty good.

Yep, it seems that people usually take the big ones as the barometer of fan channels, United Stand, AFTV etc.

I quite like the content United View put out, its not narrative based, neither do "fans" on the panel get sacked for not agreeing with the host.

It has been the case with United stand, if you dont agree with Mark, you are sacked.

Flex has given insight to quite alot, spoke to Ajax fans and the like which gives fans perspective of ETH.

 

[flameinthesun]

Flex has been in a few press conferences at both United Stand and United View. Whilst people associate him with Goldbridge Flex has always been respected generally by fans and the media, generally for united view and now his own channel he's been able to get other journalists and sports people on. Everytime he is allowed to ask a question at a presser 9 times out of 10 its a better question than any of the other journalists, pretty much because of the fact he's a united fan so doesn't end up asking the obvious "will ronaldo be here next season" type questions. I'd be happy if they also allowed him in the regular matchday pressers as at the moment I think its only in the pre-season matches or some europa league matches that he gets a pass for.

 

[Rado_N]

In Football it's often low quality from everyone involved but in US sports, I think that you are often better served by "fan journalists" and benevolent bloggers who sometimes end up being genuine beat reporters.

This is true, there’s some great NFL YouTube channels which are essentially “fan journalism”, I’m not aware of any football examples of the same, just dickheads like Goldbridge.

 

[Bwuk]

Mark Goldbridge epitomises everything that’s wrong with modern football fans.

 

[JPRouve]

This Saturday my mate took me to The Guardian Football Weekly live show. It was a laugh, but you definitely get the sense that these supposed top tier journalists have about as much insight as the rest of us. Nothing that isn't regularly expressed or echoed here was shared, and there was no great reveals or anything like that.

At the end of the day, football journalists go into the profession because it enables to write about the sport they love. Everyone's a fan really.

I have doubts about that part, simply because too many of them have no clue about how team or players actually play. It's almost too obvious that many don't watch games.

 

[ReallyUSA]

Flex, Mark, Owen, etc are most interesting than any other journalist. They are first discussing the news on Man Utd specifically.

 

[Lewnited]

The press conference today was absolutely painful watching 6 or 7 highly respected journalists regurgitate the same question repeatedly. I don't see how one or two fan journalists at a presser, who are in tune with the feelings across the general fanbase, can be anything other than a positive.

Also, Flex's channel (United View) comfortably produces the best united related content on the platform in my opinion. Happy to see him doing well.

 

[tomaldinho1]

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.

Exactly. There’s no difference in content quality between professional journos and fan journos these days so let them do as they want and the crème will filter to the top.

 

[Infra-red]

Mark Goldbridge epitomises everything that’s wrong with modern football fans human beings.

Edited for you.

 

[Chairman Steve]

I feel like they can be better than the ex-pro stereotype who vomits cliches and trite.

Although if they reach the level of appearing on mainstream media, then I’d start using real names and phase out the alias as it looks and sounds stupid.

’Joining us for our broadcast of todays game is Gary Neville, Graeme Souness and Flex’

 

[VP89]

I groaned when I saw Flex had a question. But he asked a superb question, better than the shit ones from journalists.

 

[The Viper]

I think Flex asked a pretty good question and unlike Goldbridge he doesn't chase clout. His content is decent and nothing over the top. It's good to have fan journalists as long as they keep asking better and relevant questions compared to the regular ones.

 

[groovyalbert]

I have doubts about that part, simply because too many of them have no clue about how team or players actually play. It's almost too obvious that many don't watch games.

I don't think this is true, but there will be specific requirements from their editors which dictate how/what they write about. Basically, their job is to write the stories that get the most attention/scope and I'm not sure what you mentioned would necessarily do that.

It was interesting hearing what the panel chose as their favourite games of all time though. Many chose Istanbul/Barcelona/games with late drama from a fan perspective, but from a professional one, the ideal game is one which is done by half time.

 

[Judas]

Flex literally asked the only good question. I don't care if its a polar bear, if they ask good questions, show a decent knowledge and understanding, I'm not bothered about their background, if its Youtube or Disney, doesn't really impact me.

 

[villain]

Flex is great, really nice guy in person too - always catch him whenever I'm at OT.
Goldbridge and the click-bait merchants are actual poison - I hate that so many fans just parrot opinions from him (and other journalists) as if they're truth.

Sports journalism for football compared with other sports is so terrible, I don't even care to read anyone's "think pieces" because they're useless or just intentionally feed into negativity to drive clicks to their platform.

 

[Kaos]

Flex literally asked the only good question. I don't care if its a polar bear, if they ask good questions, show a decent knowledge and understanding, I'm not bothered about their background, if its Youtube or Disney, doesn't really impact me.

Pretty much this.

Was sick of the predictable onslaught of Ronaldo questions from our sensationalist junkie press. Was refreshing to actually hear a question, the answer of which many of us fans would genuinely be curious to hear.

 

[horsechoker]

Mark Goldbridge epitomises everything that’s wrong with modern football fans.

Do you think he's really like that or he's just playing a character based on modern fans?

 

[Someone]

Mark Goldbridge is pretty annoying, he seems to be someone in character rather than a real person. Flex is nice.

 

[Someone]

Do you think he's really like that or he's just playing a character based on modern fans?

He's definitely playing a character to pander to the modern angry fan, which will generate more views than any normal level headed discussion.

 

[Av7x]

What’s the story with Flex ? Is he a United fan ? Some say no

 

[Drainy]

They have a place in the ecosystem of sports news.

Aggregators who present it in a relatable or entertaining way.

 

[Bosws87]

Just perpetuating the never ending negative spiral we hear about united constantly as it makes them more money and gains more views.

No issue with the concept as a whole more with the way they do it generate clicks and baiting people with headlines and non stop constant drama to keep people engaged, sad thing is it works look at the state of any transfer thread on this forum.

Clueless, walk away, Di Maria, can only do 1 deal at once the list is never ending and people believe it all and constantly repeat it until its "fact"

They are inherently toxic in the current format and that's the issue.

 

[Leftback99]

About as useful as posts on a forum.

That's all it is though. Their opinions hold no more weight than anyone here but get repeated everywhere because they have a big following.

 

[cyberman]

Was it Flex with his hatred of Rashford or somebody else? That whole Rashford nonsense?

 

[Mickeza]

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.