Matt Scrafton

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basilrobbie

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At the risk of being controversial, what is with the sudden and very overt anti-Grayson style of writing? Is it hard-hitting and genuinely held opinion? Or is he playing to the gallery?

If it is the latter, it is pretty disappointing, in my view. I always thought that journalists were supposed to be objective, and tell truth to people who didn't want to hear it. So for him to go into doom and gloom mode now - when the club is emerging from the most terrible period in its history - seems odd to me.

It is all the more so when you consider that the Gazette let us down in their coverage of the biggest story of recent years - namely the court case. Let's face it, if Blackpool fans had relied upon them for information about what was happening they would have been sold pretty short. And to be honest, I'm not sure that the coverage of the team's affairs were any more negative then than they are now.

My point is that his current style of reporting would have been entirely appropriate back then - and I'm not sure that is what we got. And I don't think it is well-judged now. Thoughts?
 
basilrobbie said:
Or is he playing to the gallery?
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He has always played to the gallery! He realised way too late the anti-Oyston feeling in the club and came to that party very late on and then he runs with the hares and tries to be a crowd pleaser. To be honest his low amount of Twitter followers under 5,000 are an indication of what low regard Blackpool fans hold him in. The main local reporter of a club our size should have at least double that.
 
He is trying to sell newspapers,his opinions are all over the place,he says what he thinks people want to hear.
 
Well he is a Lincoln supporter. 😲

Twitter is a lot more anti-Grayson than this board, and he is playing to them. If we beat the Gills it will all die down... until the next time.
 
Yesterday was another improvement and boy did SG need it. I am not a massive fan of Scrafton and he was late to the Oyston out party but I think if we can beat Gillingham then he will have to give credit where credit is due. The Gazette is a shadow of the paper it used to be and has little influence these days.
 
Don't agree. Didn't he win a journo award last year? I do think he has been a bit more hard hitting recently, but hey, he sees all the games and he can't keep saying things are ok when they are not. And blaming him for not reporting the Oystons failings more strongly earlier on is both wrong and unfair. I thought in the later years the coverage was spot on. I for one think he does a good job and I look forward to reading his Twitter observations on team matters and all things BFC. Cut him some slack.
 
He's negative about everything, he always looks for a negative point, he's a poor journalist in my opinion. He tries to write controversial click bait, in a tabloid style. I used to think it was maybe the direction he's given, but the way he reacts to comment is also negative and grumpy, and defensive. He'd find a negative side to anything. Seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder to me.
 
I don’t know cos I can’t read the gazette online any more cos you have to register and it won’t let me.
 
I’m with Cresser here, during the Oyston out period he couldn’t get anywhere near the club as the Gazette wasn’t a preferred media outlet, and now he’s in , he’s just saying it as he sees it !
 
basilrobbie said:
At the risk of being controversial, what is with the sudden and very overt anti-Grayson style of writing? Is it hard-hitting and genuinely held opinion? Or is he playing to the gallery?

If it is the latter, it is pretty disappointing, in my view. I always thought that journalists were supposed to be objective, and tell truth to people who didn't want to hear it. So for him to go into doom and gloom mode now - when the club is emerging from the most terrible period in its history - seems odd to me.

It is all the more so when you consider that the Gazette let us down in their coverage of the biggest story of recent years - namely the court case. Let's face it, if Blackpool fans had relied upon them for information about what was happening they would have been sold pretty short. And to be honest, I'm not sure that the coverage of the team's affairs were any more negative then than they are now.

My point is that his current style of reporting would have been entirely appropriate back then - and I'm not sure that is what we got. And I don't think it is well-judged now. Thoughts?
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Bazbob. You used to support the Oystons and changed your mind later on.

Matt has that prerogative too you know.

His comments and reports are entirety his own, who are you to judge?
 
SouthCoastTangerine said:
Bazbob. You used to support the Oystons and changed your mind later on.

Matt has that prerogative too you know.

His comments and reports are entirety his own, who are you to judge?
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Oh hello, the bad penny is back.

It's over five years since I actively started working for the Trust so your point is as spurious as it is cheap. It also has nothing to do with Mr. Scrafton, who is a journalist on the local paper with all the obligations that go with it. I find his reporting style odd, and have said so. You disagree, which is fine.

No thoughts on the Gazette's (not very good) coverage of the court case? I'd say it was a defining moment for them - and they flunked it.
 
SouthCoastTangerine said:
Bazbob. You used to support the Oystons and changed your mind later on.

Matt has that prerogative too you know.

His comments and reports are entirety his own, who are you to judge?
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Well said. Quite amusing too to see some posters accuse others of playing to a gallery :-)
 
I like a journalist who is not afraid to express his opinion and Matt Scrafton certainly didnt hold back in the pre-match Radio Wave interview.
The complete opposite of Chisnall, who was all over Grayson, in the post match interview.
 
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Bring Back Standing said:
I like a journalist who is not afraid to express his opinion and he certainly spoke his mind on the pre-match Radio Wave interview.
The complete opposite of Chisnall, who was all over Grayson, in the post match interview.
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Chisnall hardly ever got any stick for his pro Oyston stance and Radio Lancashire never really nailed them in the post Holloway era.
Funny how some folk take the local media to task now but hardly said a thing during those troubled times
 
I have to be honest and say I never read anything he writes or the Gazette publishes unless it's copy and pasted on here, Good old journalism is dead since the internet came along as we're now all writers.
 
Disagree with the O/P which I suspect is more to do with the fact that unlike many he doesn`t share Scrafton`s views on SG.

I disagreed for a long time with his deeply misguided views on the Oyston`s,the biggest and most clear cut and critical issue of our time, until he belatedly saw the light.I disagree with him now regarding both Scrafton and Grayson.

Ultimately of course it`s all about opinions.We all have `em and we`ll never all agree.
 
Plumbs said:
Chisnall hardly ever got any stick for his pro Oyston stance and Radio Lancashire never really nailed them in the post Holloway era.
Funny how some folk take the local media to task now but hardly said a thing during those troubled times
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Really? Chissy was slated from pillar to post by keeping his pro Oyston, just back the team stance and is still not forgiven.
 
I read Scraftons reports and comments - i don't consider them to be Anti-Grayson at all. He's just telling it like it is.
 
basilrobbie said:
At the risk of being controversial, what is with the sudden and very overt anti-Grayson style of writing? Is it hard-hitting and genuinely held opinion? Or is he playing to the gallery?

If it is the latter, it is pretty disappointing, in my view. I always thought that journalists were supposed to be objective, and tell truth to people who didn't want to hear it. So for him to go into doom and gloom mode now - when the club is emerging from the most terrible period in its history - seems odd to me.

It is all the more so when you consider that the Gazette let us down in their coverage of the biggest story of recent years - namely the court case. Let's face it, if Blackpool fans had relied upon them for information about what was happening they would have been sold pretty short. And to be honest, I'm not sure that the coverage of the team's affairs were any more negative then than they are now.

My point is that his current style of reporting would have been entirely appropriate back then - and I'm not sure that is what we got. And I don't think it is well-judged now. Thoughts?
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Crap paper and has been for years. The website is a joke as well.
 
Plumbs said:
Well said. Quite amusing too to see some posters accuse others of playing to a gallery :-)
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To be fair, I think Robbie is allowed - or certainly should be - to comment on the views expressed by Matt Scrafton. Robbie does struggle with folk who express views on matters that differ from his own. For someone who supported/defended - sorry I believe the term is "refused to criticise unduly" - the Oystons for so long, he has some front.
 
It seems to me that certain posters will never ever forget or forgive any indiscretions or views that someone else may have or may have not had. To slate the OP because it was viewed as written by someone who years ago didn't call the O's fit to burn is becoming a little tedious and tiresome. There are very few who could hold their hands up and say I warned you about the Oystons 10, 15 or even 20 years ago and I include myself in that category.

It seems to me that whatever BRR says, he will always be tarnished with the 'you came to the party late' tag with those who perhaps from jealousy or pure hate of the man just wish to contradict him at any opportunity. For me it's wearing a little thin and yes I have argued with BRR in the past about various aspects of the ownership, but have also agreed with him on many points. He has done more for the cause than a lot on here who love to have a pop at him have done and it's about time some realised that.

If he had farted in church ten years ago, would he still be reminded about it? No doubt he would, as there is still a lousy smell being made by some.
 
Chizzlenuts lost the plot after years of being in the orbit of the Oystons .... he got brainwashed by their bull crap and turned against the fans. That Huddersfield commentary was unforgivable sycophancy. I turn him off...even when he strays onto rugby league commentary.
 
Oi Curryman, I warned you about the Oystons 10, 15 and even 20 years ago! ;)

The Gazette is a struggling local rag. Fighting for its life like so many others. Unable to fund the level and quality of reporting it needs. Doomed. Scrafton isnt perfect but in my opinion his writing and reporting is improving. He is under pressure to raise money for the paper, as BFC probably attracts the most readers. Sport sells paper. The OP has been wrong plenty in the past about BFC matters, and that is relevant to this thread in which he criticises somebody else. And he was able to think independently at the time, not under the pressure of sales for his employer. That moral high ground is elusive.
 
I've always been able to think independently voy. I think it is a lot better than just following the herd, or going missing for months and years at a time.

All that said, the points you and others make about Matt Scrafton's obligations as an employee are fair ; my gripe is not just with him (although I don't think he is especially insightful or interesting to read), but more with the paper itself. It had the football story of the decade on its doorstep in 2017 - and only turned up half way through it.
 
Absolutely you've always been able to think independently. Which removes your excuse, which is my point. ;)

I've never followed the herd, and I've gone missing at appropriate times!
 
I've always had a healthy scepticism about everything I read on social media voy, until some evidence comes along to back it up. In all seriousness, I think that was why fans being sued (provable fact) and the court case (testimony under oath) were so important.
 
voyeur said:
Oi Curryman, I warned you about the Oystons 10, 15 and even 20 years ago! ;)
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You did as did others when things like the Gene Kelly were being done,the Travelodge land sold and many other examples where some fans were crying 'dont follow the herd' on here when it was obvious what was going on.The sale of Scott Taylor was a pivotal moment as the club seemed to slide a tad from there,where the departure of Steve McMahon seemed to be the start of a rot that led to Hendry and an almost complete lack of investment.
 
Curryman said:
It seems to me that certain posters will never ever forget or forgive any indiscretions or views that someone else may have or may have not had. To slate the OP because it was viewed as written by someone who years ago didn't call the O's fit to burn is becoming a little tedious and tiresome. There are very few who could hold their hands up and say I warned you about the Oystons 10, 15 or even 20 years ago and I include myself in that category.

It seems to me that whatever BRR says, he will always be tarnished with the 'you came to the party late' tag with those who perhaps from jealousy or pure hate of the man just wish to contradict him at any opportunity. For me it's wearing a little thin and yes I have argued with BRR in the past about various aspects of the ownership, but have also agreed with him on many points. He has done more for the cause than a lot on here who love to have a pop at him have done and it's about time some realised that.

If he had farted in church ten years ago, would he still be reminded about it? No doubt he would, as there is still a lousy smell being made by some.
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I am sure that it is perfectly possible that Robbie "came to the party late" AND "has done more for the cause" than plenty of others.
 
I started a campaign against the Previous owner in the aftermath of the sacking of Billy Ayre.
Through the Gazette and the sports editor Tony Durkin at that time.
I found Tony very helpful, they put it on the front page and mentioned about a demonstration outside the ground.
Radio Lancashire got involved but even then they were biased towards you know who.
The demonstration wasn't well attended and basically the campaign fizzled out.
I received a lot of abuse at the time (even from people I worked with).
So you can imagine how I felt when Simon Sadler became the new owner.
So proud of all the fan's who boycotted and the fans who were sued who put their heads above the parapet
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
I am sure that it is perfectly possible that Robbie "came to the party late" AND "has done more for the cause" than plenty of others.
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Totally. Robbie is an infinitely better supporter of the club than myself, and many others, and has atoned for his sins, in the court room and beyond. :-)

I suspect his attitude to the Oystons pre the suing of fans was a lot about accepting what couldn't be changed. And a coping strategy.
 
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voyeur said:
Totally. Robbie is an infinitely better supporter of the club than myself, and many others, and has stoned for his sins, in the court room and beyond. :-)

I suspect his attitude to the Oystons pre the suing of fans was a lot about accepting what couldn't be changed.
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Only a fool would question Robbie's credentials as a supporter and follower of the Mighty.

Robbie - or anybody else - would be a fool to suggest that his defence of /support of /refusal to criticise the Oyston's went on for way too long.

His contributions to various initiatives should be appreciated regardless of his opinions of the Oyston's and his long term support of the Oyston's can't be denied because of his positive contributions.
 
BFC 59, I said There are very few who could hold their hands up and say I warned you about the Oystons 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. I take my hat off to you sir you were one of the few, and I was no doubt one of your critics at the time. Sorry!
 
Curryman said:
BFC 59, I said There are very few who could hold their hands up and say I warned you about the Oystons 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. I take my hat off to you sir you were one of the few, and I was no doubt one of your critics at the time. Sorry!
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No apologies needed Curryman, reading your posts I can tell you are passionate Pool fan.
We have a fantastic future ahead of us, let's all enjoy it TOGETHER UTMP
 
Going back to the o/p I read maybe the first 2/3 match reports he did and they were just dull! Compare them to the likes of Tony Quested, Jonathan (can't remember his surname!) and even Canavan who always gave a lively, opinionated, detailed and entertaining report .. sooner read AVFTT for a more interesting analysis.
 
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