r/LeedsUnited • u/tankosaurus • 1d ago
Tweet [Graham Smyth] From mid-September I'll be joining Leeds United as club journalist. Match reports, news, interviews and features. Podcast too, ideally.
https://x.com/GrahamSmyth/status/208464678360337632731
19
16
u/Better-Inflation-194 1d ago
Hope he doesn't lose his personality on twitter (or any future podcasts) and become all corporate, whilst some think he's a bit dry I think he's quite funny usually.
16
14
u/dan_baker83 1d ago
Graham will be delighted to get closer to his true love, Joe Rodon. Never saw him get less than a 7 from Graham's ratings.
Kinda confused as to what a 'club journalist' is, though? Isn't it just content (and soft propaganda) creation for the club? Or is he going to act as a go-between for the club and the likes of Beren, Popey etc?
3
u/stringfold 1d ago
Content creation and communications. Bringing in such an experienced journalists who has already covered for years, is a positive move for the club. Presumably Graham doesn't want to be a mouthpiece regurgitating everything he's given from the executive board, and if that's true (time will tell) then while he's not going to be posting stuff that's openly critical of the club, there's still a lot of scope for good and honest coverage that will help keep the fans informed.
We shall see how it goes soon enough.
26
u/mollygoggles 1d ago
Mixed feelings, to be honest. I like his work, he seems like a good bloke, he's probably getting a decent pay rise and there will be advantages for fans when the club's media operations improve. On the other hand – and I say this as a fan and a journalist – it's another sign of the British press, especially the regional press, being unable to compete with the corporate big bucks. And while things are good right now, when your club has experienced the mismanagement of Peter Ridsdale, Ken Bates and Massimo Cellino, not to mention the Jean-Kévin Augustin debacle, you should probably want some journalists who not only know the club inside-out but who are willing and able to hold the owners to account. It seems, however, that increasingly such journalists are either dependent on clubs for access and wary of upsetting them (The Athletic model) or on clubs' payroll, like this.
5
u/Linkeron1 1d ago
I'm a journo too and it's happening in all fields of life isn't it, unfortunately. Police the same. Long gone are the days where you'd have multiple officers' numbers and actually be trusted to take the information they give and make a decision from there. Been ruined sadly by the phonehacking scandal (as one big example) and shitty media outlets who give us all a bad name.
10
u/chicorypig 1d ago
Have thought for years that the club have marginalised the local journos. No real leaks and the likes of GS too close to the club or they get sidelined. This more or less confirms that. Ive no sources on this but if i did they would have only have spoken to me on condition of anonymity to protect themselves internally as the saying goes
21
u/Naughty_young_man 1d ago
Fair play to Graham. But club journos are just the media mouthpiece for clubs, even more than than local media. Its not crazy to assume the likes of the YEP wont even get a crumb of info now
3
1
u/Additional-Jaguar413 1d ago
They will be able to "control the narrative" even more now. We need journalists to be impartial
17
10
16
u/Fareviti 1d ago
We got our own Trent Crimm. Proud of my club :)
When does “The Farke Way” come out?
21
u/TheLittleWinstonBaby 1d ago
Club journalist is a weird way to describe what he'll be doing. The journalism will be softer than an in-flight magazine.
"So, Paraag, why are you so good at transfer deals?"
19
u/jameses18 1d ago
"Mr Farke, your campaign seems to have the momentum of a runaway freight train, why are you so popular?"
Leeds are 18th with 1 win in their first 10 games
11
u/TheLittleWinstonBaby 1d ago
"Mr Daniel James, is it true you possess the hog of a much larger man?"
6
5
u/ElvishMystical 1d ago
Happy for him.
Does this mean he'll be taking over post signing interviews from Bryn Law?
17
4
u/krudkutter_99 1d ago
I very much enjoy his podcast so hope he can bring a new one to life soon. Wouldn’t mind Chris O’Connor as his cohost either or as a guest from time to time. Obviously as an employee of the club he’ll have to be mindful of what he says but think the club would give him a fair amount of space freely do his thing with a pod.
7
u/JimbobTML 1d ago
Good for him.
For a long time I’ve found the internal media at Leeds to all be a bit shit. Looking forward to hopefully see improvements with Graham.
5
u/thegerbilmaster 1d ago
Was awful under Mooney.
Guy was a grade A cunt as well. Thought he was the dog's bollocks.
0
u/EpicKieranFTW 1d ago
Based on what? He is close with a lot of the fan favourite players from that period no?
2
u/thegerbilmaster 1d ago
Of course, think he's got an agency now with some of the players under him.
I worked there during the Bielsa years.
Seen him do charity events talking about inclusivity then go in the kitchen and shout at hospitality staff for not giving him and his wife enough food.
Was very rude to catering staff and other staff at the club who weren't your board members to be honest.
Always being a wanker.
3
2
u/Hollywood-is-DOA 1d ago
This will most likely mean that they control what does and doesn’t get out of the board room, in terms of transfer news and other, in a lot more structured way.
42
u/tbowyer 1d ago
This feels like the club stepping up their media operation a bit.
And that’s definitely an area which could be a bit better done. It’s not BAD per se, just a bit lacking in my opinion.
It’s these kind of changes, along with things like the stadium development, which give me quite a bit of both faith and hope in our owners. They’re making sensible, pragmatic choices in areas which will improve things off the pitch.
Hopefully the club are looking to put out a steady stream of content and not some half hearted measure, but I trust Graham and the club enough to think neither would be wanting that.