So after emailing the news desk today asking why they choose not to report such things as flares/violence at local egg chasing games this is the response I got: Thanks for getting in touch. I'm sorry you feel we victimise fans but you'll not be surprised to find that I completely disagree. I was very lucky to be in charge of the newsroom when City were promoted this year. We did lots of stories in the run-up, pull-outs and all sorts, including coverage on the web and in the main paper. We have also been heavily involved with the fans over the debacle with West Yorkshire Police. We have covered fans' views over the name change and done regular features on fans travelling south for games in the Premiership, etc. I remember a really nice story I was involved in last year when a man brought his elderly mum to a City game and she became ill. Fans came to her aid and the son went out of his way to tell us about how he respected Hull City fans. Page 3, if I remember correctly. Yes, we do print stories about violence at games but these things have to be reported to us. Our news team don't attend City games nor rugby matches as a matter of course and we do stories that are brought to our attention, either by other fans, through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, from the clubs themselves or, in most cases, by the police. If we don't know about it, we can't report it and we certainly don't make routine calls to the police asking if our fans have been in trouble after every game, no matter the sport. The flares story came out through Twitter and was confirmed by the police. I've also been asked by the reporter to point out to you the story clearly states the problem of flares is a country-wide issue and is not restricted to Hull City or their fans. He went out of his way to make that clear in his article because he expected a reaction from City fans. And, by the way, we did report the flares at the rugby derby. I was on duty that weekend as well. I was also in charge of the newsdesk on one particular occasion when rugby fans were accused of fighting and pouring beer on top of their rivals. It always seems to happen on my watch. That went online and in the paper. There have been other stories but, as I said earlier, we rely on people reporting them to us. If you knew about the fighting outside the game, did you tell us about it or did any of your friends? I certainly did not see this reported anywhere else, our reporter at the game did not see it and we had no information about it so I'm at a loss to take that one any further with you, I'm afraid. When we carried the story about the trouble at the last derby, we were inundated with almost identical complaints to yours by rugby fans on both sides, accusing us of "victimising" their team and only doing positive "write-ups" about the football team. We can't win. I'm quite sure you won't accept anything I've said as it is in total disagreement with what you say. You'll, no doubt, be thinking I've got ulterior motives. Well, I do. I've very proud to work for the Hull Daily Mail and it's very unfortunate that fans choose to accuse us of all sorts to claim some kind of conspiracy against us. It's not accurate. There is no conspiracy. Sometimes we get it wrong and I'm big enough to accept we make mistakes. I remember we reported a story about police appealing for calm at a game last season (I think it was Huddersfield). There hadn't been trouble at the same fixture for years and, despite the police coming to us with the story, I wish we hadn't run the story. I've learn from that one. My take on this is if people fight or cause trouble at a match, they deserve to be shamed in the paper, whatever the club, whatever the sport, whatever the fixture. When I worked in Scotland, I used to fend off similar complaints from both Celtic and Rangers fans, accusing the newspaper I worked for then of exactly the same thing you're alleging. I think it goes with the territory as people are so passionate about their sport and their team that they hate anything negative to be reported. I understand and accept that and I'm sorry that you feel we let you down. But I don't accept we do. To the impartial observer, they would see the vast majority of Hull City stories which appear in the paper are positive. Hull City is the city's football team and we're just as pleased as you that you're back in the Premiership. But the rugby clubs deserve our backing too and we will never stop writing stories about our clubs, regardless of the sport, good and bad, if they are considered newsworthy. That applies across the board - whatever the sport. If people choose to behave badly and heap shame on their club, if we learn about it, then we will report that, regardless of whether it's football or rugby. All three clubs back us in that as they want to ensure these people are disassociated with the club. That's why they tell us about banning orders and the like. But I can assure you we would always prefer to write positive pieces and we do, lots and lots of times - charity events, work with schools, new kits, fans being honoured, all of that and more, every day of the week for Hull City, Hull FC and Hull KR. If you'd like to talk to me about this, please call me on 0148. If you have any positive stories about your club or anything you'd like us to cover, please get in touch. I'd be delighted to hear from you. Maybe you'll even tell me your real name! Thank you for contacting us. I'm sorry you thought your email wouldn't be read. It was, I've understood your point of view and I'll bear everything you say in mind. Best of luck against Spurs on Sunday. Allison Coggan Deputy news editor
I like the part saying that they did report the flares. Even the FC fans at work who didn't actually go to the game knew nothing about it
To be honest I don't think that's a bad response. My argument wouldn't be 'Why did they report it?' It's "What the **** is so wrong with smoke bombs?!' but we've already got a thread for that debate.
I was in the left hand corner right next to the Everton fans! When the smoke bomb went off I smiled ( as you do ) then looked to my left and got eye contact with an Everton fan and he just shrugged and smiled in agreement!
Right on the end! Good banter really, twice I've been there and on both occasions I've come away thinking how quiet they are!
The worst part is, they seem to base their news coverage on crap they read online and stuff that's sent in. Seriously? Fook me. So if someone say, tweeted about a massive fight at an FC game, then someone followed that up with direct contact, they'd print it as actual news?
I thought that was a pretty good response to your question? Aside from the grammar that OLM has already pointed out, it's a decent riposte.
Getting a bit tired of this "victim culture" some of our fans seem to thrive in. We're getting far too similar to Liverpool if you ask me.
I can't believe she wasted her time writing a sensible, reasoned response to such an inane and pointless email.
