We had a City Addicks meeting a couple of years ago with Lennie as guest.
Lennie made a big song and dance about everything he says has to be off the record, if anything ever ended up on the internet or any papers he would never do anything Charlton related again blah blah
About ten mins later I looked behind and Scoop was hiding behind a post scribbling away in his notebook under his armpit. Had to ask him to turn it in and he seemed pretty put out by it.
To be honest that is really out of order on his part, off the record MEANS off the record which means no notes and obviously no recordings.
We have lots of off the record briefings at work with politicians/executives and if someone saw you doing that then you'd have no chance of getting asked to attend again.
Off the record doesn't really mean no notes, it means no publishing / broadcasting what you've heard. You are still hearing information for a reason and if you have to take notes to remember it you have to take notes. And every journo and interview subject knows (or should know) if it's REALLY off the record, don't say it.
Very true, especially the distinction between making notes and publishing.
Let me clarify this.
If I get an 'official' off the record briefing from a PR or the person themselves then you can take notes on that and report it (with no attribution).
However, if you are talking about a social event (as this was) then taking notes of what is said there is out of order, because nothing there should be used outside the room - if you don't obey that then guests will simply come along and mouth platitudes.
Let me give you an example of this, I was on a company visit to a US Fortune 500 technology firm in Chicago and we had pre-dinner cocktails at the hotel with the top management.
I was talking, in a group of four or five, with the CEO of the company (a very well known guy) and we were discussing Net Neutrality.
The guy had had a few G&T's and was getting angrier and angrier and he just came out and said, "Look, the bottom line is that Barack Obama is a fucking Muslim Socialist and he's destroying this country."
To say I was shocked was an understatement, this would have been MAJOR news to be able to out the CEO of a major US corporation as saying that sort of thing about the President of the United States.
However, it was a strictly Off The Record event and if I had gone out and reported that or leaked it to a willing journo (very easy to do) that would have been very unfair on the individual concerned - no matter how much of a fuckwit he might have been.
I ended up pulling their PR woman aside and telling her that she should probably have a word in his shell, she went ghost white when I told here - which was quite remarkable as she was an Indian lady!
Personally I think it's very lucky that didn't get out. This is exactly what happened with Ken Livingstone and the concerntration camp episode. It was said out of frustration at a social function. But it was said and it demonstrated a very important aspect of Livingstone's character and was therefore clearly of public interest. The fact that it was said to a jewish journalist obviously didn't help. I would suggest the same public interest would apply to an Amercian CEO about their president. It would also depend on how much that journalist has to lose from loosing the confidence of that company versus how much they have to gain from the career break of leaking the story. And this often depends on whether the person is a trade or news journo.
That said, as AB rightly points out, this is nothing to do with Scoop and that situation. I just thought it seemed a bit harsh to take his pad of him.
Brought back some happy memories reading this thread. For Charlton fans of a certain age, Pete Burrowes is the voice of Charlton. Many a happy day back in the 80s was spent furtively dialling Charlton Clubcall at 36p a min...on the office phone. One particularly memorable classic during a barren Selhurst based summer was Scoop's 3 part interview with the admin assistant in the Selhurst portacabin.
No, the Club Call interview that embarrassed me as Commercial Manager and made me get more involved with Club Call content was when Peter, admittedlly in the close season, had a two part interview with Audrey Hannant our laundry lady! I remember cringing when I heard Peter asking Audrey, who I adored but that's not the point, what soap powder she used on the kit!
In Peter's defence, there were only 8 members of staff at the time and with the players on leave it was left to Peter to ensure there was fresh content on Club Call every day. It's amazing to think that this was pre-Internet days and Club Call was literally the only way you could keep up with what was happening at the Club.....or not happening, hence the soap powder interview!
No, the Club Call interview that embarrassed me as Commercial Manager and made me get more involved with Club Call content was when Peter, admittedlly in the close season, had a two part interview with Audrey Hannant our laundry lady! I remember cringing when I heard Peter asking Audrey, who I adored but that's not the point, what soap powder she used on the kit!
In Peter's defence, there were only 8 members of staff at the time and with the players on leave it was left to Peter to ensure there was fresh content on Club Call every day. It's amazing to think that this was pre-Internet days and Club Call was literally the only way you could keep up with what was happening at the Club.....or not happening, hence the soap powder interview!
Suthers
I think I once spent about 2 quid of my parents money listening to him interview the groundsman at the training ground!
If you were a Charlton fan in the mid 80s you only had 3 ways of getting info about the Club. The match programme (dire), Voice of the Valley, or 36p a min with Scoop.
To be fair to the great man, we had some gruff and blunt players in that era. Rumour was that Pete Burrowes was seen doing cartwheels down Thornton Heath High St when Garth Crooks signed for us.
During the 1970's I used to tune into LBC on Saturday afternoons to get Scoop's reports from our away matches. One match against Burnley you could hear the despair in his voice as we let a 4-1 lead slip in the last 20 minutes to eventually draw 4-4. I also knew Audrey Hannant and her family very well as I used to go to primary school with her son. The whole family were fanatical Charlton fans and her grandson was named after the entire1972(?) team.
During the 1970's I used to tune into LBC on Saturday afternoons to get Scoop's reports from our away matches. One match against Burnley you could hear the despair in his voice as we let a 4-1 lead slip in the last 20 minutes to eventually draw 4-4. I also knew Audrey Hannant and her family very well as I used to go to primary school with her son. The whole family were fanatical Charlton fans and her grandson was named after the entire1972(?) team.
Strangely, or perhaps not, when I think of those LBC Saturday aways, I too recall the Burnley game.
NB Which primary did you go to & which son was it ? I remember Andy the youngest, & Gary who I believe died some years ago. I think I also recall a Trevor (eldest). I lived on the same estate as a kid.
It was Henwick Primary and Gary was in my class. I know Andy and Linda well but Trevor was always a bit of a nightmare. Used to scare me. I'm saddened to hear that Gary is no longer with us. Always had time for him.
It was Henwick Primary and Gary was in my class. I know Andy and Linda well but Trevor was always a bit of a nightmare. Used to scare me. I'm saddened to hear that Gary is no longer with us. Always had time for him.
The Hannants lived a few doors up the road to me, in Appleton Road. I remember Trevor, Linda and Audrey. You could always have a good chat with Audrey about Charlton. Don't recall Gary, but he might have been a different age group.
It was Henwick Primary and Gary was in my class. I know Andy and Linda well but Trevor was always a bit of a nightmare. Used to scare me. I'm saddened to hear that Gary is no longer with us. Always had time for him.
The Hannants lived a few doors up the road to me, in Appleton Road. I remember Trevor, Linda and Audrey. You could always have a good chat with Audrey about Charlton. Don't recall Gary, but he might have been a different age group.
It was Henwick Primary and Gary was in my class. I know Andy and Linda well but Trevor was always a bit of a nightmare. Used to scare me. I'm saddened to hear that Gary is no longer with us. Always had time for him.
The Hannants lived a few doors up the road to me, in Appleton Road. I remember Trevor, Linda and Audrey. You could always have a good chat with Audrey about Charlton. Don't recall Gary, but he might have been a different age group.
Gary would have been 53 now
That may be why, he would have only been about 4 or 5 back then.
It was Henwick Primary and Gary was in my class. I know Andy and Linda well but Trevor was always a bit of a nightmare. Used to scare me. I'm saddened to hear that Gary is no longer with us. Always had time for him.
Gary died at least 10 years ago, probably more, according to my mum. They moved from Blackheath a long time ago.
Sorry to hear that Garry had died at an early age I am certain that he and his mum would help out in the original club shop (a small cabin in the car park-this would be around the early 80's when we had all had a whip round to buy Ronnie Moore.
Had a weird experience last night when I saw Scoop in his voluntary job as a doorman at Cadagon Hall near Sloane Square.
He seems to enjoy his notoriety and fame on Charlton Life although he was unaware of this thread. He complained that his computer kept chucking him out of Charlton Life when he tried to log in.
I shared with him some of the nicer anecdotes and he laughed about Off its car journey back from the north east and Suthers club call interview with Audrey Hannant. He told the Luton story of the fightback in the 7-1 game and how he still gets ribbed about it.
No, the Club Call interview that embarrassed me as Commercial Manager and made me get more involved with Club Call content was when Peter, admittedlly in the close season, had a two part interview with Audrey Hannant our laundry lady! I remember cringing when I heard Peter asking Audrey, who I adored but that's not the point, what soap powder she used on the kit!
In Peter's defence, there were only 8 members of staff at the time and with the players on leave it was left to Peter to ensure there was fresh content on Club Call every day. It's amazing to think that this was pre-Internet days and Club Call was literally the only way you could keep up with what was happening at the Club.....or not happening, hence the soap powder interview!
Suthers
Brilliant, Suthers! - and I don't just mean the colours of Audrey's laundry....
Comments
It would also depend on how much that journalist has to lose from loosing the confidence of that company versus how much they have to gain from the career break of leaking the story. And this often depends on whether the person is a trade or news journo.
That said, as AB rightly points out, this is nothing to do with Scoop and that situation. I just thought it seemed a bit harsh to take his pad of him.
In Peter's defence, there were only 8 members of staff at the time and with the players on leave it was left to Peter to ensure there was fresh content on Club Call every day. It's amazing to think that this was pre-Internet days and Club Call was literally the only way you could keep up with what was happening at the Club.....or not happening, hence the soap powder interview!
Suthers
Burrowes: The pitches are in great condition?
Groundsman: Yes, they are.
Riveting stuff!
To be fair to the great man, we had some gruff and blunt players in that era. Rumour was that Pete Burrowes was seen doing cartwheels down Thornton Heath High St when Garth Crooks signed for us.
NB Which primary did you go to & which son was it ?
I remember Andy the youngest, & Gary who I believe died some years ago. I think I also recall a Trevor (eldest).
I lived on the same estate as a kid.
I'll check with my mum re Gary, as she still lives there.
http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/20220/richard-murray-at-city-addicks-meeting/p2
Sorry to hear that Garry had died at an early age I am certain that he and his mum would help out in the original club shop (a small cabin in the car park-this would be around the early 80's when we had all had a whip round to buy Ronnie Moore.
Had a weird experience last night when I saw Scoop in his voluntary job as a doorman at Cadagon Hall near Sloane Square.
He seems to enjoy his notoriety and fame on Charlton Life although he was unaware of this thread. He complained that his computer kept chucking him out of Charlton Life when he tried to log in.
I shared with him some of the nicer anecdotes and he laughed about Off its car journey back from the north east and Suthers club call interview with Audrey Hannant. He told the Luton story of the fightback in the 7-1 game and how he still gets ribbed about it.