Right then, let’s get straight to the point. Last night I, and by that I mean The Tuckster, got into a rather unseemly Twitter spat with “ExFleet St hack & broadcaster” Mick Dennis.
It went on for quite a while and started in the afternoon after I posted the article Report Suggests Norwich Have Paid €17m For Senegalese Striker.
I posted a link to the article on the @VitalNorwich twitter account and this then triggered the following response from Mick Dennis.
If you had proper journalists, instead of cut n paste merchants, you’d find out before posting anything.
— Mick Dennis (@MickDennisReal) May 28, 2019
If you read Vital Norwich regularly then you’ll know that I never claim to be in the know but I do have a few angles around the club and get to hear a few bits and pieces. Some of those I report, others I don’t because I always have Norwich City’s best interests at heart. That’s because I am a fully paid up member of the Canary nation and have been for over forty years.
VN, if you’re here regularly you’ll know, is not full of cut n paste merchants and is about so much more than that.
For the record, the article that triggered Mick contains a link to a Turkish media outlet which claims Norwich have agreed to buy Senegalese Striker Mbaye Diagne for €17m.
Yes, seventeen million euros.
I know, it seems a bit rich to me too but as I wrote in the article, I’m willing to be proved wrong. Diagne looks seriously impressive, on paper by the way.
Anyway, back to the spat, I was immediately supported by members of the Canary Twitterati and for that, I’m grateful.
https://twitter.com/andrewnickerson/status/1133380633772924928?s=21
And then it went on a bit…
You’ve seen a report and repeated it, with a bit of comment, but not asked anyone at the club if it’s true. That’s not journalism. It’s churnalism. I know newspapers are finished but I would hope a bit of oomph would survive.
— Mick Dennis (@MickDennisReal) May 28, 2019
They’re never going to tell me if I or you or Michael Bailey ask! It’s a fan site with a forum and fans interact whether it’s on transfer gossip or opinions on any number of subjects. I honestly don’t think you’ve been on the site & read any article in years, have you?
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
Think you might have jumped the gun slightly on this Mick, I’m aware of what Vital has posted in the past, but has improved in recent times in terms of not copy pasting, Archant are constantly posting rumour stories along with their judgement on likelihood of it happening etc.
— Matthew Ellis (@Mattyellis92) May 28, 2019
Bit harsh mick not sure what has been done wrong here?! Just offers an opinion on a report?
— Robert Eagleton (@Rob_Eagleton) May 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/lewisnich123/status/1133397511799037958?s=21
Is this not exactly what Archant are doing this silly season? They report a rumour and then give their opinion on the likelihood. Joe Hart & Simon Mignolet were reported as rumours by Archant & not by VN (because they’re ridiculous rumours) yet you don’t have a pop at them?!
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
Seems a bit harsh Mick 😯
— van der Finz 🐥going 🆙 going ⬇️ (@JamesFinbow) May 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/tweetingcanari1/status/1133444009446322178?s=21
People used to only have traditional media and looked to them for an answer: ‘Is it happening or not?’. Now thousands speculate every day via social media and fans are more interested in what ‘might’ be happening. It’s all good fun!
— Joe Ferrari (@joe_ferrari) May 28, 2019
Joe Ferrari is Director of Communications at Norwich City, by the way.
https://twitter.com/bozvaldos/status/1133437420882583553?s=21
Curious – does anyone at the club comment on transfer rumours, even off the record? Asking because even the EDP seems to run these transfer rumour stories, and we know they’re well connected to the club now.
— James Bigg (@JamesBigg) May 28, 2019
Nice column. No reporting in it. Have you anything where you’ve spoken to, you know, a person with relevant information? Or original transfer news that hasn’t appeared anywhere else? I’m not picking on you. I know you do what so many do, but it shouldn’t be enough for you.
— Mick Dennis (@MickDennisReal) May 28, 2019
But I’m not a news outlet. It’s a fan site and that sort of article is a big part of what we’re about these days. At this time of the year I’ll report transfer rumours but I never claim to be “in the know”, even though I often hear stuff through a very good club source…
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
I don’t report that stuff because it wouldn’t be fair on the club or my source. I know a real big club story at the moment but am keeping it u set my hat because I’m a fan first and foremost and don’t want to compromise anything for my club…
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
I think you’ve got VN all wrong, it’s not what it used to be, which did involve some cut & paste. That article you just read is hopefully representative of VN today. It’s by a fan for fans and for fans to interact with. Fans want to discuss transfer rumours and so do I…
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
Hence I will report some, not all, and offer an opinion. We could both name sites that report any rumour no matter how ridiculous. This is a hobby for me and nothing more – I have a real job and I’m not 17 either. I enjoy writing and I love my club.
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
What should be “enough” for me then? I’m confused by that. Do you think I should be trying to be a professional journalist?
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
No, you think I think I’m a journalist. It’s just a hobby for me and not for the first time you start a squabble from a position of self imposed superiority. Read the site lately?
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
No. I’m not interested in idle speculation. I spent 40 years earning people’s trust so that they did tell me stuff. Perhaps it’s best if I just don’t see your tweets. But I bear no ill will or malice towards you.
— Mick Dennis (@MickDennisReal) May 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/lewisnich123/status/1133453869541990401?s=21
He’s had a shocker 😆
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
Some people just don't understand the meaning of a "fan site"… 100% unofficial, that's what the header in VN says. I enjoy reading VN, especially opinion pieces. Not a media outlet, it's a community.
— Diego Echeverria (@MrDiegoE) May 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/ewanwilson99/status/1133458651505577984?s=21
You've obviously done well. Ordinarily if anyone disagrees with @MickDennisReal he blocks them instantaneously!!
— Old and Fat (@c11shy) May 28, 2019
Thank you to all those that supported me this afternoon and evening. It’s a fan site and not a newspaper. Feel free to have a root about and see what was said and make your own mind up.
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
It's almost like it's 2019, and times have changed no?
— Alex (@Alex_Murray_) May 28, 2019
The local Norwich papers regurgitate non stories as much as any other media. Has Kalvin Phillips turned our bid down yet? Any 1 of 3 keepers signed? Get off your high horse…
— Sean W (@swils68) May 28, 2019
Mick, VN have too much respect for you to speak their mind. I don’t respect you one bit, so allow me. You didn’t have the decency to keep your egotistical opinions to yourself & now you’ve come off looking pompous as ever. You’re a weapon & will never represent City fans.
— Ryan (@ryanjameswillo) May 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/bozvaldos/status/1133470806556774401?s=21
https://twitter.com/bozvaldos/status/1133471031929315330?s=21
For “critique” read “cheap shot” aimed at a fan writing a fan blog. Now you have said you don’t read VN I do wonder how you can have such a powerful opinion on it?! I never used to read the Express but wouldn’t rubbish it based on a stereotype of tabloid papers…
— Vital Norwich (@VitalNorwich) May 28, 2019
And so it went on…
The bottom line here is that I’m writing about my football club and helping to facilitate a discussion, a meeting of fans. Whether it be on the front page and it’s articles or on the forum.
I have a full-time job and this is a hobby. I enjoy writing and I love my football club so it’s an easy thing for me to write about. I feel part of a community of Canary fans and I love that.
If you can be bothered, feel free to have a root about on Twitter and see the full extent of what he said, what I said and what everyone else said.
To those that came to my support, thank you, it means the world and I am very grateful.
By the way, I haven’t been able to publish the whole chat back and forth because it went via several different threads and there is just too much to it, besides, I wouldn’t want to be accused of cutting and pasting anything…
OTBC