Hi all, I have recently taken over the role of communications manager at the club and one of my first tasks is to look at the coverage we currently receive in all forms of the media, written or online. I have so far engaged with the Mid Cheshire independent where we have had no coverage and am pleased to say that we will be in the March edition for the first time in 12 months. As far as the Guardian is concerned, I am meeting with Andrew Simpson in the next week to look at how we can get more coverage in the paper and how moving forwards we can ensure that we get our share of column inches. I also note in earlier comments about our website, and I agree that it is not a great platform, so we will be moving to a new site very soon which will give us much greater capability. Currently the new site is built and I am putting it through some tough testing. Before we decide the final view I will be looking to get some fans feedback to ensure that it really hits the mark! I appreciate that there is a lot to do and I have a very detailed plan on how we will move this forward and I will be as transparent as possible with all concerned, needless to say I won’t get everything sorted overnight!
Just read you are a 1666 supporter so your opinion of me is of no interest to me or anyone else at Witton. Oh, by the way, keep your eye open for the new book on Witton written by me, you will find the truth about 1874 and your ex ground in there. I say “Eye” as you are probably a “One Eyed Northwicher” who now watches 1666 because the other lot are in the mire, bet you were at the big cup ties though!
WHS.
Up till just over 18 months I was the Comms manager for the club and have seen how these things work and probably have more of an informed opinion than most. The doesn’t take away anybodys right to have their say but perhaps you are not aware of the full picture.
I think the criticism here of Andy Simpson is unfounded and unfair. Like any sporting club you have to fight for your column inches in any publication. This happens as far up as the Premier League (I know this as I have a friend who is a press officer at a top flight club). It doesn’t matter if you think you are the senior team or whatever, it is about readership and circulation. Take the North East for example. Newcastle should be underneath Sunderland in terms of ‘seniority’ however there are far more Mags than Mackems so Newcastle get a bigger share of the local rag. Sadly for you, 1874 are on par with Witton despite playing at a lower level, and during my time were actually surpassing Albion in terms of gates and interest. So we created our own interest. Exclusives with players and management (not just Pritch but 3 different managers in my time), podcasts, social media, radio interviews. The list goes on.
So rather than going and been critical you should be looking at the club first and what they do to capture the imagination of the local press. Anyone who thinks that Witton have a god given right to the back page is deluded and in with no disrespect meant - a little arrogant. Does Andy Simpson still write a programme piece? Does he do that for other clubs (including non football). Does Andy Simpson go on Local radio and podcasts and talk about Witton? Judging by his social media he does. Don’t get too hung up on column inches in a newspaper. Times have changed and a lot don’t read the paper anymore they will head online. And from the little research I’ve just done Andy Simpson does more for Witton online than the clubs own Twitter and Facebook account.
As for saying some of it was down to Andy’s personal relationship with Pritch - what a load of bollocks. Pritch worked as hard as anyone to create a good working relationship with the local press as he knew the importance of that. But so did Tony Sullivan and I believe Carl is quite engaging as well (we won’t mention Dundas!). I can’t speak for managers before that as I wasn’t at the club.
Lexwire - good luck. It’s a thankless task at times as you can see as even when the club are doing well people will find reason to be negative. If you need anything feel free to give me a shout as i’ll always help!
WHS if it is written by you I’ll be lucky to get past the title page without falling asleep.
And the irony of a man who is writing a book full of hatred for rivals calling someone one eyed is humorous. Not sure it was meant to be.
Tell you what I’ll come down to your big game next week and we can discuss it there? Or will you be otherwise engaged and come on here telling everyone why you couldn’t be at the game.
I did reply to this but then I thought, “Why am I talking to a 1666 supporter on the Witton Albion web site”? Bit confused though why you want to meet me if my words would only send you to sleep. GOODBYE. Are you still awake?
WHS.
[quote=“Alan Walker” post=69036]Why should I lay off him. He’s the one slinging mud to start this topic off.
I’ll admit I’m a ‘1666’ fan myself but come on here for amusement to watch you lot self implode. You are flying high, have a great manager and a great team and yet you still moan.
How many of you contributors to this forum roll your sleeves up and get stuck into the work that needs to go on at the swamp. Or are you all too busy on here crying that you haven’t got a bigger headline on the back page of what is let’s be fair a small local paper.
Ask yourselves this. Is the reason the Guardian give as much coverage to us as you lot because we are on an equally footing? Or have you forgotten last years CSC?!
Mind the Gap[/quote]
Were you one of the 1874 fans that spat their dummy out when Northwich Town Council sponsored our game on boxing day? Absolutely pathetic gesture by some of your fans but hardly surprising.
Yes thanks for pointing out my typo. Fat fingers and a Samsung don’t mix.
It doesn’t bother me who sponsors your games to be honest. I genuinely wish Witton the best of luck in their endeavours to get back to Northern Prem. But it just amuses me to see the self destruction from within your own fan base of your club. And that’s why you’ll never move forward. Too many dinosaurs who think history is everything and the future is nothing.
WHS I was going to extend the olive branch of peace. I could ‘enjoy’ a game with you and in return you could come to one of our promotion games and experience real passion and not apathy. Maybe then you could write a real story.
Does your book begin ‘once upon a time Witton took a load of dirty money’? Actually I’ll just wait and pick up a copy in the charity shop before the end of the season.
RO and others just read this weeks guardian and judge if that is fair on Witton Albion it is frankly disgusting, and it is only fairness we ask for. This season by the way We are the biggest gate as 2012 Winsford gates are dropping despite a relatively successful season albeit at a low level. UTA
[quote=“Alan Walker” post=69042]WHS if it is written by you I’ll be lucky to get past the title page without falling asleep.
And the irony of a man who is writing a book full of hatred for rivals calling someone one eyed is humorous. Not sure it was meant to be.
Tell you what I’ll come down to your big game next week and we can discuss it there? Or will you be otherwise engaged and come on here telling everyone why you couldn’t be at the game.[/quote]Well Mr Walker it certainly wouldn’t take you long to write a book on the history of your little Winsford club.
I think all this tripe of Andrew Simpson’s so called biased reporting is a huge joke. He has attended most of Witton’s home games and written unbiased reports of the games. He has also attended a fair few away games and regularly writes a column in Witton’s programme, so come off it stop this stupid whinging and focus your energy on supporting Witton Albion.
You and Kronenburg 1664 get more publicity in the local rag than Vic’s do but you don’t see us complaining by the way you might be the top club in Mid-Cheshire but you all are not the senior club Vic’s are still and when we get the club back we will still be.
I have made a point of reading it. Also read online and caught up on all social media and I would say across the board, considering Witton didn’t have a game last weekend and the midweek game was not exactly back page stuff I’d say it’s pretty balanced. I can understand the frustration but to say Simmo is biased is wrong.
Like I said take it from someone who actually knows how this stuff works doing it for over 4 years. It’s a two way thing and by the sounds of it things are about to improve on the Witton side. So that should give the Guardian more to work with.
As for gates don’t think that it’s just about that. The Guardian, like every other online publication will look at it’s click stats on certain pages. If 1874 stories are getting more clicks than Witton stories that would suggest that there is more interest. Therefore any print may use that as a lead.
Get clicking on the Witton stories on the website if you want to help. And if you still feel so strong about it rather than the personal flogging why not contact the Guardian.
Have a look at the Warrington edition. The towns football team gets next to nothing.
I am not bothered about last weeks report that much, I understand that, but the promotion of this weeks coming games IS NOT FAIR period, I will leave it to the new club new media man to make contact and to work away to ensure we get fair treatment, I understand those close to Andrew Simpson will defend him ! but I am sure the reporting has been drifting away from Witton culminating in this weeks debacle and I am trying guess why so maybe not being fair their, maybe He has good reason but I cannot understand why ! so frustrated to say the least.
I wont even respond to the idiot DDD.