https://www.facebook.com/notes/wakefiel ... 7971359644

https://www.facebook.com/notes/wakefiel ... 7971359644

Fair play to the man, he has responded to his critics by posting here.

He has not actually made a judgement, so we should not criticise.

Someone, however is responsible for the incident, and that is for the
courts to decide.

We all offer our best wishes to the girl and her family, for a speedy recovery,
free of any trauma.

In the meantime, we should actually be encouraging the editor to continue to
put Wakefield Trinity on the front page by the clubs achievements taking pride
of place.

I hope AG and JE extend an invite to him to attend the pre match dinner for
the Salford game, where the positive aspects can be discussed in a friendly,
comfartable environment.

Not a bad idea.

Happy stories don't sell papers hence a procession of 'Wakefield is crap' and 'Wakefield is full of nasty people' stories on the front page.

A news paper editor should know how news is gunna impact different aspects of the city of that paper. personally there is not enough positive news about wakefield put in our express thats why people give our city and our club a bad name. And i agree witht he comment made on his reply I totally think the express is a joke get rid of em all, I'm not stupid and it doesn't take someone with more than 5 GCSE's to workout what that front page was inclining about the club. That is a page read by many people in the city that is going to put a lot of support off Wakefield Trinity wildcats. I understand that this was a serious case of assult and it's sad for that poor woman if it is the case but when there are probably goodness knows how many crimes that happen in Wakefield every week its funny how they choose to smack the readers in the face with another big story that words the headline so it puts a bad shine on us.

My comments in no way detract from the sympathy I feel for the victim of this terrible attack.

I agree with the editor that the local paper should report this matter. I agree that their role is to bring matters to the attention of the community given the standing and heritage of Trinity therein. It is right that the recruitment policy of trinity is open to scrutiny (did many of us not indulge in this about Leo Latu?)

But W.E. could have fulfilled these duties without the harrowing image being splashed on the front page. On an inside page perhaps.

To masquerade as an agent of civil democracy whilst exploiting this sensationalist front page image to sell the newspaper is, in my opinion, disingenuous hypocrisy.

Are we to believe that the W.E. would have treated this story in the same manner had they recently recruited somone who had recently been subject to a criminal allegation? I think not.

I think a line should be drawn here.

There is no one on this forum that has and will condone such an act, the law will takes its course and I hope the right decision will be made.

The relationship with the media i.e Wakefield express and the sky sports team will have to be worked on to show the positives of the club.

There is nothing we can do about speculation of our future in SL, we can only show the positives of the players and fans in backing Andrew Glover in a achieving our aim to be successful.

I hope Mr Bradley can take this on board as success for the club could give him increased sales getting behind the club than trying to show the us in the wrong light

That sentence is a thing of beauty; you are my new best friend.

It's not just us though, is it? As others have pointed out, the WE thrives on negativity and offering the bleakest view of the city it possibly can. This is more polemic than balanced journalism. The rag needs a new editor, someone who understands what a local paper is actually about, not someone who appears to have one eye on the editor's job at the Daily Mail.

Your use of the semicolon is duly noted [size=50and has been recorded in your file[/size.

Thanks - am I approaching my limit of intellectually affected use of arcane punctuation yet, or can I continue to wield my semi with wild abandon?

Take a leaf from many football chairman, sick of the negativity, ban them. If they want to report, they can pay to get in. Tough.

There's the official website, loads of sports ones and local radio stations to get messages out to.

The Express is not fit for fish and chips, makes them too bitter. Years and years and years of feeding them exclusives and what has the club ever got back in return?

They are fools to mess with a club now owned by someone who can afford TV advertising for his business, and that ain't cheap!

i've known the WE has printed nothing but negativity for awhile especially about trin that is why i don't buy it any more. Hit'em where it hurts in their pockets!

Boo ya shaka! A friend!!!

Although he says he offers no opinion, the mere fact that it was selected as the front page story says that in the editor's opinion that is the most important story in Wakefield this week.

Although he is careful with his words, as he clearly knows the rules on reporting on-going cases, the use of a picture of the player in a Wakefield shirt alongside a picture of the victim and her injuries says more than a thousand words.

What opinion will be formed by people seeing that front page on the news-stand?

Damage done. A step too far with the timing and other negative stories in the past. Prepare to take the consequences.

Cancel that - in light of the above, it's revoked.

Great post, but that highlighted sentence is little short of outstanding.

I'm going to shamelessly steal that superb piece of prose for future use. I'll share the by-line with you though.

Inviting the editors down would be a good idea.

It's time to build bridges not burn them further.

The best thing would be to sack the Editor and replace the staff, the paper needs a new fresh start I say...

I vote "owiepob" as next editor...

They should get nothing from us. They bombed the bridge, why should the club waste time it can develop partnerships with other media when time and time again the Express denigrates and denigrates.

Just received a response to the email I sent to the Express:

Neil

The timing of this story flies in the face of the positive journey the club is hopefully about to embark on, but while I take on board the debate about whether the story should be on the front page, I must stress that it was the club's decision to make this signing, and prior to the conclusion of an ongoing police investigation.

Whether this was the correct decision for a family club to make is up for individuals to determine.

I would like to think that as a newspaper we do support and represent the community, and we have been positive about many of the exciting schemes in the pipeline for the city - even when it would have been easier to be critical (again people will have their own individual views)

However, it's fair to say that I have fully absorbed the strength of feeling on this specific matter.

Yours sincerely

Mark Bradley

He's so full of 5h1t his eyes have turned brown.

Just had the same reply myself.