Unhappy to report that cutbacks at the SLP/Mercury have claimed the scalp of Charlton's longest-serving reporter, Kevin Nolan, after 23 years.
Together with Millwall reporter Neill Lebbell, Kevin's freelance services were apparently dispensed with in midweek and it does not appear he will even get the chance to sign off his epic series of match reports, which began at Shrewsbury as Lennie Lawrence's side were earning promotion to the old First Division in 1986.
The SLP/Mercury group's other Charlton reporter Rob Kelly covered today's game - however, he is also leaving, so the future coverage of Charlton in the two papers is unclear.
Kevin was the last survivor the Charlton press pack from the early 1990s and has enjoyed a particularly loyal and appreciative following among readers as the Mercury's fortunes have ebbed and flowed over two and a bit decades.
There's no doubt that local press is feeling the pinch like everyone else, and especially so with the migration of readers and advertising to the net, but there aren't many football reporters able to write with the character, insight and depth of background knowledge about their club as Kevin.
As one of his former sports editors I think it's a sad day for Charlton . . . and the Mercury.
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Charlton through and through
Here's hoping that News Shopper or the Kentish Times group see sense and employ his services.
As for his writing, the bloke was different gravy, my brother and I used to race down the corridor to get hold of The Mercury to read his weekly match report.
Crying shame, a great match report, pure class
I also enjoyed his Mercury reports.
Proper Charlton man.
Maybe he could/would contribute to Charlton life.
Got to admit, I've not read his Charlton reports in the Mercury for a long, long time, mainly because I've not had a regular delivery of the Mercury here in Charlton for about eight years or so. But I remember reading him when I wasn't going to games, but getting a regular delivery at my parents' place, and seeing Charlton matches brought to life by his reports. Never properly met the guy, but I remember sitting in Bartram's when Millwall were in the Football League Trophy final and the commentator was describing the Spanners as "a family club" - and a voice behind us bellowed out "what family? The Kray family?" It was Mr Nolan.
The local newspaper scene is dying, though - as far as I'm concerned, there is no real local newspaper in most of the borough of Greenwich; the Mercury is a cheap freesheet produced off the back of the SLP in Streatham and the News Shopper has always been an odd product, hampered by being based in Petts Wood and having to apply the same editorial values to an area which stretches from Nunhead to beyond Gravesend. Not even the best reporter is going to understand south-east London when they've got to work out of an office in the arse end of Orpington. At least the NS understands the internet, but there's basic fuck-ups in its copy which betrays how little its reporters know about the areas assigned to them. (That said, I rarely get a delivery and depend on what I read online...)
And neither paper is helped by Greenwich Council running its own weekly propaganda sheet which is better distributed than either of them, and has started offering free advertising to small businesses. Like football clubs, local papers need millionaire benefactors and people willing to take a risk. Witness the Russian bloke who bought the stinking corpse that is the Evening Standard.
That said, perhaps the club might consider withdrawing its "favoured paper" status from the SLP - after all, its news coverage stops at Deptford Bridge (the Lewisham/Greenwich borough boundary); clearly, so does its sport now.
This internet thing is the main reason, I'm afraid. I remember living abroad at the end of the 80s and the Mercury sent from the parental home, arriving on Tuesday or Wednesday, was the first proper information I'd have. I imagine that the Mercury may just start using the OS reports soon, as much of the CAFC content is paid-for anyway.
Met Kevin once, Blackburn away, good man. Good writer too.
Airman, can you say what the Mercury freelance rate is at the moment?
Hope he gets another job (if he wants one) , his write-ups are unique and always show that he`s Charlton though and through.
Top bloke.
The guy said not to worry he had a spare - Kevin Nolan - Top bloke
I'm sure Kevin would want me to tell you that he is 72, although you wouldn't even know that.
Pitiful as ever, I'd imagine. I doubt if the Mercury would have been paying much over £100 to cover an away game (including expenses!).
I wouldn't presume to second-guess their budgets at this point, but having worked in the local press for a decade it was always difficult to understand their financial priorities. To be fair, however, under Westminster Press and Trinity ownership, the Mercury was usually prepared to spend more on freelances than the News Shopper or the Kentish Times and the latest owners didn't immediately change that.
When I left the Mercury in 1998 the sports desk was folded into the SLP, which was always the likely outcome of Trinity's purchase of the papers in 1996. Neill and Kevin were a legacy of the Mercury's previous independence and the biggest surprise is that they lasted this long, given the vagaries of local newspaper management.
And mighty were the celebrations by all concerned when Wigan got their 90th-minute winner . . .
Spent many many hours in his company driving up and down the country in the early nineties, had some great laughs, and a few arguments, but his company remains as enjoyable as his writing. Always thought he deserved a bigger stage for his talent - there must be one of the papers out there that recognises an opportunity when it comes up?
As for Barnsley... best you ask Kevin himself. ;-)
Wasn't there a magazine compilation of Kevin's Charlton features some years ago?
He didn't deserve to leave the Mercury this way whatever their financial problems.