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You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Me and football blogging: Changing of the guard”.
One Ping to “Me and football blogging: Changing of the guard”
13 Responses to “Me and football blogging: Changing of the guard”
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1. Chris Nee Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 2:12 pmWell said. It’s so important that the people who do this for free actually enjoy doing it. My reasoning behind canning TFT is that it was starting to feel like a chore.
I am, however, incredibly grateful for the hard work and amazing content you’ve produced for the site – I will never be able to thank you enough.
Viva la podcast.
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2. biff biffersib Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 2:33 pmtheres an entire industry now based on talking about football. it doesnt matter what you say. just keep talking. i worked at a club for a three years and that actually put me off the game – that and everton’s persistent crudness.
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3. Mbali Dlamini Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 2:35 pmVery well written, will miss your football blogging. I think you are write about the fact that most readers already know the story behind the headline. I hope you find another passion you will write about, one I am sure we will have the pleasure of reading.
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4. biff bifferson Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 2:36 pm‘I’m also not getting any younger. There was a period where becoming a sports journalist looked like a distinct possibility. At the very least, I could have freelanced and made enough to get by on. But that lifestyle has never appealed and the days where I had the time and commitment to attempt re-entering journalism in a different discipline are long departed.’
bloody hell, are you me?
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5. Chris Wright Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 2:45 pmHi there Gary. Sad to hear about the phase-out.
I too share your anti-self-promotion compulsion and have probably suffered for it in the past. The thought of shilling for the big boys to enhance a CV doesn’t appal me, it just doesn’t even register as an option.
However, I’m also aware that all strands of football journalism have their place in the big, wide internet. Some more ‘popular’, others less so.
I personally wouldn’t enjoy, say, a 2,000-word analytical break down of the offside trap Liverpool used against Fulham at the weekend, but by the same token I wouldn’t denigrate it – just leave it in the corner for someone else to get their kicks from.
Re: Blogging itself – Lord knows I’m not in it for the money (I could earn far more shifting pallets at the supermarket across the street for a couple of hours a day). I blog simply because I love the game, find sincere joy in the irreverent and, crucially, it beats working for a living. Then again, I’m young, foolhardy and naive like that.
As for falling out of love with football, I’ve been on the cusp many times – though when I am rendered aghast all over again at the disparity between the ‘haves and have nots’ (Tevez being fined triple the amount that dying club’s owe HRMC, etc) I simply remember that when it all goes tits up and the bottom falls out, football will start again from scratch – because first and foremost, it’s a game. A game people play.
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6. Catherine Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 2:49 pmSad to see it go! I also struggle to find time to write these days
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7. Kwolf Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 3:21 pmBlogging about blogging? Dear God.
Nice to see you went out on a high though hey? -
8. SurrealFootball Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 4:44 pmWhat a pussy.
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9. Gary Says:
November 9th, 2011 at 5:59 pm@ Chris Nee Thanks mate, much appreciated. Have massively enjoyed my time TFT.
@ Mbali. Thanks! Have always enjoyed our chats on Twitter. I have several other passions. Just not sure I fancy writing about them. Yet
@ Chris Wright. I think that’s a very valid point. It’s certainly not for lack of variety of topics. Very much agree on the differing types of post and their place. I’d never degenerate a piece of writing, but I do wonder at the reasons behind some posts.
I still enjoy football. Mainly playing it at a sedate place these days rather than analysing it. But there’s still lots to love about the game.
@ Kwolf I know. Very meta. I do a lot of that.
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10. Chris O Says:
November 10th, 2011 at 7:49 amWell it’s a great shame that football blogging will no longer be bolstered by your talents, Gary, but I fear a lot of us are all reaching the same fork in the road.
Blogging is reaching saturation point on the authoring side of things, so for the readers out there the tendency is to go for one or more of the super-blogs. Of course that needn’t stop anyone setting up their own blog, but I think there seems less point in doing so unless you have something brilliantly original to say or you’re happy to have a minute readership.
I think the way forward is to choose a niche subject and become a writing ‘expert’ on that, personally. I have my own ideas about what I want to blog about in future and I think it follows those lines.
Anyway, this isn’t about me! Gary – well done on all your writing achievements over the years. You should be very proud of all you’ve done and the quality of your writing. Best of luck in whatever you choose to do in the future.
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11. The truth Says:
November 10th, 2011 at 11:57 amWow, what a whining, self-important piece of horse toss. I’ve never read anything you’ve written and after reading this I’m very glad I never did. If this is what you’re like then football will only be improved given you’re be nowhere near it.
Try not to let the door hit your backside on the way out. Although if it does you’ll clear write more drivel on why you’re not using doors anymore.
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12. TheTruth2 Says:
November 15th, 2011 at 1:49 pmThe Truth said it best. Get over yourself, Gary. The only thing I’m sad about is that some random linking led me here.
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13. Chris Wright Says:
November 17th, 2011 at 2:32 pm@Gary: True. Personally, whenever I have to shoe-horn a link into a piece for the sake of an editorial (not often, but it does crop up) I try and do so in as natural-a-way as possible – consciously trying to have it impact on the post as minimally as possible, while trying to keep the quality of the writing up even if the integrity is admittedly undermined to some degree.
I don’t like doing it but, with Pies, it’s a necessary evil to maintain cashflow – however meagre it may be. I’d hope that would be a motive that readers could understand and tolerate. This, to all extents and purposes, is my job.
As for yourself, I do hope you (and Les Rosbifs for that matter) keep going as I genuinely enjoy reading a proper writer sound off once in a while!
November 17th, 2011 at 9:28 pm
[...] Chris Nee, has already launched a new site, The Stiles Council) and another stalwart of the scene, Gary Andrews, has also stated his intention to semi-retire from from writing about [...]