In case you are unaware The Chronicle ran a survey a few weeks ago asking fans to take part and to answer questions on Newcastle Utd's season and their opinion about it. 'Thousands' of fans, including myself, did just that and took part in their survey with good faith and with interest in how the results would come out and to compare them to their own. When the results were released they were included into an article by the chief sports writer for the Evening Chronicle Lee Ryder in which he wrote about the surveys findings. What this article entailed was somewhat shocking.To cut a long on going story short many people felt he spun the results and used them to carry out his own piece of club pandering propaganda, ignoring what fans actually thought by misrepresenting their answers and compromised fans' opinion to suit his own. All of which the Evening Chronicle were more than happy to print and even supported his 'findings' with the almost infamous headline 'Alan Pardew backed by 95% of fans Chronicle poll reveals'.
So in order to find out what fans thought about this I created my own survey in which I asked the fans to take part and tell us their opinion of the Chronicles survey and follow up article. I initially sent it out to a portion of fans that took part in the survey and then released the results and its finding accordingly here. This new survey of mine showed that 56% felt that they were misrepresented by the Evening Chronicle and 62% felt that their opinion had been compromised by Lee Ryder's article. The whole of the surveys results spoke for itself about what fans think about the whole affair, which can be seen here.
Since then I have kept the survey open and encouraged as many fans as possible to take part in it to have their opinion added to the issue, whether they had took part in the Chronicles survey or not. I am glad to say a lot of fans did and it's now the time to show these final results as a significant update has been reached. I would to thank every fan for taking part in the survey as well as the many people who have encouraged what I have been trying to do. This is not a witch hunt against the Evening Chronicle or Mr Ryder, or a crusade for attention for myself, this is about the principle of fans honest opinions being misrepresented for the sake of anything other than the truth. Its not on and many like myself wont stand for it.So anyway, on with the final results and they are as follows.
(Question 1 and 2 were merely formalities as to whether you filled in the survey or not and to include your name if you so wished.)
Q3: Do you feel like your/the answers to the Chronicles Big Toon Survey have been misrepresented?
Results: Yes 65%. No 19%. Undefined 16%.
Q4: Do you feel like your/the fans opinion has been compromised by Lee Ryder's article?
Results: Yes 71%. No 18%. Undefined 11%.
Q5: Do you back Alan Pardew?
Results: No 47%. Yes 45%. Undefined 8%
Q6: Do you feel like Alan Pardew is the man to take Newcastle to the next level?
Results: No 61%. Yes 21%. Undefined 18%
Q7: Do you agree with Lee Ryder's article conclusions?
Results: No 78%. Undefined 14%. Yes 8%
Q8: Do you wish you had never entered the Chronicles Big Toon Survey?
Results: Yes 38%. No 34%. Undefined 28%
Q9: Do you want an apology from the Evening Chronicle and Lee Ryder?
Results: Yes 51%. No 33%. Undefined 16%.
Q10: Will you be entering the Chronicles next survey?
Results: No 47%. Yes 32% Undefined 21%.
As you can see each result is pretty conclusive and extremely damning towards the Evening Chronicle and Lee Ryder himself. Just 8% of fans agree with his articles conclusions of the survey which his own paper carried out. That's an incredible amount. When you consider the fact his article declared that 95% of fans back Alan Pardew a result here of 47% saying that they don't and only 45% say that they do, that pretty much confirms that Lee Ryders article was nothing but fabricated nonsense. All designed as a propaganda tool to speak for the club like a glorified PR company, rather than a voice of the truth that all fans would expect. Especially when the Chronicle have actually requested their honest opinion to begin with.
I have kept my own opinion out of this issue the whole time until the final results of it all came through. I have been very conscious not to influence the survey or to seem like it is biased one way or the other. All I want is the truth. So what I will say is the article Lee Ryder wrote was a disgrace and a glorified example of what the Evening Chronicle and all of its sister publications has become. A voice for the club to spew whatever they like at the fans. Where as it should be a voice for the fans to give their opinion towards the club. The papers priorities and practices are backwards and need to change full circle.
The fact the Evening Chronicle can no longer be called a local paper any more is also a major point. The paper is controlled and ran by Trinity Mirror and its divisions who also run the Mirror, the Journal and many other 'local' papers up and down the country. So the days of the Evening Chronicle being a truly local rag are no longer with us, but that is no excuse. After all it is the locals of Newcastle who buy it, read it and keep the paper running when all is said and done. If we stopped they would soon know about it.
I gave the Evening Chronicle a chance to comment on this whole issue and it seems they have decided not to take up on that request. They obviously think they can ignore this disgrace and wait for it to blow over. Well it isn't going to blow over, not if I or the fans have anything to do with it. Treating us with contempt is one thing, but to request our input in the form of surveys and then abuse that information to pander for the club, voiding the actual facts, is beyond acceptable. Mark my words the press complaints commission will be fully informed of how the Evening Chronicle operates and goes about its practices.As for now, when the Chronicle create it's next survey and requests you to be apart of it just think twice. Do you really want your answers to be misrepresented? Do you really want your opinion to be compromised? Do you really want to be used as nothing but a tool so the club can continue to have its number one source of pandering in the Chronicle project fabrication and none truths for anyone who cares to read it? Should the Evening Chronicle and the club be allowed to continuously get away with it?
Well we'll see won't we......
I will place all of the expanded answers given by fans who filled in the survey in the comments section below. Many thanks to you all.
Follow this blog on Twitter @ToonBano
Expanding results to Question 3:
ReplyDelete"Absolute rubbish not behind Pardew at all. Terrible journalism!"
"Pointless survey with loaded questions"
“No, the survey results were printed and there to see. Lee simply put his own positive spin on results.”
“Mr. Ryder misused our response regarding our views on Alan Pardew. I’m contend for now but doesn’t mean i support him.”
“Wonder what happened to the individual questions to Ashley, Pardew etc?”
“I want to give pardew some more time, just because of the rollercoaster that nufc has been since SBR got sacked. Do I trust Pardews formation, tactics and teamselection? Not one bit, I find it incredible that we panic in possesion and can hardley put two passes together.”
“I for one was not endorsing Alan Pardew and judging by a number of NUFC forums neither are a lot of other fans.”
“Ryder has manipulated the results to suit himself and has not gave a true representations of the facts. i.e. 95% of fans back Pardew – this is is factually incorrect as it should really say ’95% of fans said they do not want Pardew sacked’ as 5% did say a change was needed. The remaining 95% was a mix of ‘happy for moment’, ‘not happy’ etc – but not the unequivocal support Ryder mentions.”
“Every answer given was twisted and spun into a positive article backing Alan Pardew. Some questions were presented as 4-5 options and no expansion was asked for as to why I would chose that particular answer. Then to proceed to say that I backed Pardew is laughable. Lee Ryder should offer complete impartiality as a journalist. He should not side with the fans nor the heirachy yet we know which camp he can be found in.”
“The questions were loaded in such a way that the answers could have been interpreted in a number ways. It was very difficult to say anything negative”
“I feel the questions themselves carried some ambiguity, so when for example he asked for how we felt about Pardew, some of us checked the same answer but meant different things by it.”
“They can’t have been misrepresented if it is a survey – i’m a mere statistic in a pie chart of differing opinion.”
“Like lots of things to do with the club this has been presented with an unbelievable pro Pardew spin.”
“They twisted my answers to make themselves look better.”
“Loaded questions so we can not undermine any answer”
“Ryder in in Ashley’s packet and so biased and unwilling to represent the real wishes and thoughts of NUFC’s customers.”
“I agree with your blog.”
Expanded results to Question 4:
ReplyDelete"The Evening Chronicle has been too soft for years and has only made negative comments on how the club has been run(badly)on a few occasions."
"He has disregarded the fans views and wrote an article on what he himself thinks not us the fans!"
"In terms of the backing for the manager the results have been over simplified. When it comes to either sack him or not then that;s the general consensus. I was not expecting analysis in the style of Ipsos Mori or ONS."
“It seems as though the people that don’t back Pardew are kicking up the biggest fuss, instead of just accepting that they are in the minority.”
“Ryder has a habit of creating headlines which he thinks will appeal to the masses and tries to influence public opinion. His articles are generally pandering to the club and Pardew and rarely reflect an objective opinion on the real state of affairs.”
“The article was a wolf in sheeps clothing. We were asked to identify aas to where the season was going wrong, the results were released and it turned into a pro Pardew statement on behalf of 95% of NUFC fans. Not once was I asked if I backed Pardew, so if I wasnt neither was the magical 95%. This was purley 1 persons perception of the results, and this one person is pro Pardew and so tried to manipulate the voices of the fans.”
“If I ever pay any actual attention to what Lee Ryder “writes” then I know I am in trouble. I’d have been more surprised if he could have actually expressed my, or anyone else’s, opinion is coherent written English.”
“At no point did I see a question rating Alan Pardew’s popularity.”
“My account of the survey is more fan feedback for the Chronicle – it helps them engage with their readers in the tone they think they’ll relate to. It’s not for fan purposes to be told what we know we think. The article was just based on where the fans were getting frustrations (booing) from.”
“Every thing Ryder writes compromises opinions and the English Language.”
“It’s obvious that his little perks from Newcastle depend on him writing what he is told.”
“As above”
Expanded results to Question 5:
ReplyDelete"I 'back' him as Newcastle manager. I don't believe any good comes from turning on your own manager, and in fact that would more often than not lead to poorer results. However, I don't support his tactical approach, and I don't even know what our identity is as a team! Are we long ball? Pass and move? 4-4-2? 4-3-3? 4-2-3-1? Who know's? It doesn't seem that Pardew knows himself!"
"I would like Pardew to remain as manager, but he needs to adapt his tactics more, find a style that works for us and STICK with it! (Please not 4-4-2 long ball though!)."
"He stated at the end of last season that we needed at least 4 first team additions with european football coming up then was delighted when we only got 1 in,, but kept our squad intact.As Sir Alec Ferguson is quoted as saying in the Times on Monday That it is fatal to stand still and that is what NUFC were allowed to do. Pardew also said that we would look to control games more this season yet our passing and long ball stats are among the worst in the league and make us the most predictable and easily coutered team in the league."
"Yes and because were struggling, my opinion come may might be different"
"Tactically inept, pandered to Ba, yes man, contradicts himself"
"However, I want the owner to back Pardew."
"Pardew is simply not upto job. He is nothing more than mike ashley's puppet. Terrible tactics, substitutions, playing players out of form or simply not good enough!"
"History of failure at West Ham , Charlton and Southampton"
"The guy is and has always been a puppet. He has very little (or no) say in who comes in and who goes out. His tactics are non-existent never changed from one game to the next and i believe he has lost what Chris Hughton created... Team spirit, morale has reached rock bottom."
"He is rapidly running out of credibility. The question can best be answered at the end of January. If he hasn't been able to convince Ashley & Lambias to add three quality players to the team (LB ((Santon to RB)), CH, & creative midfield player) then he is simply a 'puppet' & must go."
I've always felt the term "backing" the manager is wishy washy. I mean I "back" Pardew in that I am not going to cheer against him. But I certainly do NOT support or agree with a lot of what he does. He may be a decent man manager, but I very regularly disagree with his selection and formation/tactics. I don't think he should be sacked right now, but I also don't think he is the manager we need long term."
“Its a straight lie, it’s not 95% its about 66.6%.”
“In the survey I voted that I backed Pardew, but was waiting for results. Obviously if the poor results continue and there is a definite chance of relegation then I may change my mind. But I still back him, so would agree that my opinion was classed as one of the 95% that currently back Pardew.”
More expanded answers for question 5:
Delete“Want to see stability and growth at the club; but he seems content to go along with Ashley, Llambias.”
“Look at Q3, I’ll back him for now. But he better beat qpr or it’s time to go. I would love someone like Jol or Martinez, a manager who actually would like us to pass the ball.”
“I don’t completely back Pardew as I feel he is a puppet of the Ashley regime and he just spouts the party line to the media every day. I am tired of the excuses and incompetent management which has led to this situation. I don’t want him sacked right now as stability is vital. However if the worst happens in May I want him gone (along with Ashley and co).”
“But that doesn’t say a great deal- I support NUFC so I therefore back the manager, whether it is someone I despise (Allardyce, Souness) or someone I really like (Sir Bobby) Pardew comes somewhere in the middle, but I “back” him, whatever that actually means…”
“I don’t think this is the right time for a change of Manager, but I a not sure if he is the man to take us forward in the long term, but then again who is?”
“With the correct expansion of the squad I feel he is more than capable of allowing us to flourish in both European and Domestic Cup competitions and The League.”
“Yes, and after the work he’s done, I’m amazed you challenge the 95% statistic. Anything lower than that and I’d be dismayed to realise there’s a larger than 5% chunk who love the Freddy Shepherd days of reckless spending and chopping managers whenever it goes bad.”
“He was lucky last season and has now reverted to type. /His time is up. He has lost respect of the fans. And any sort of trouble I.e injuries and his inexperience shows.”
“I feel sorry for the man , his hands are tide ! but that is the way MA works! I want him to speak direct to us the fans.”
“Pardew got Newcastle to 5th and although it may be a fluke, I think we should give him more time.”
“But don’t necessarily seem him as the person to take us to the next level.”
“I dont back him but I dont want him sacked.”
Expanded answers to question 6:
ReplyDelete"Not as he is going about things this season. But if he addresses a few things then maybe."
"When Bobby Robson took over he quickly realised the team lacked attacking pace and adressed the problem signing Bellamy and Robert improving the team and whilst Pardew has improved the team to a degree he does not seem to understand this basic requirement of a successful team."
"For above reasons"
"We need more than just a manager to take us to the next level - Mr Ashley I'm talking about you. He took us to the brink of Champions League qualification. If the next level is to actually finish in the top four, then I think he could, but he has to be allowed to."
"Championship manager at best. Newcastle need a manager who'll play exciting football and also have backbone to stand up to Ashley n lambsarse!"
"It wasn't his team that led us to last seasons success Pardew is tactically inept .....he proves this week in week out Why take a right back off at 3-1 down, move the left back to right back and bring on another left back?
His inability to get the best out of Cisse this season is testimony to HIS poor man management Cisse lacks confidence ....simple as!"
"A lower level only."
"Every level of the NUFC team is performing very poorly. He cannot motivate the players any more, they've seen through him!"
“What is the next level for Newcastle? Alan Pardew helped us qualify for Europe and formed a side that could compete with any team on any given day. In my opinion, the next level could only be achieved by the level of investment that Man City and Chelsea have seen.”
“There is no next level. The current ownership has no ambition, everything is numbers in a spreadsheet.”
“Only if Ashley invests in new players and supports Pardew (and Carr).”
“If he can’t make a team with Ba, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Colo, Santon and Tiote controll a game then what does he want?? Xavi, Iniesta?? Not one game this season have we controlled the action. Even at stjp we get put under pressure from the first minute!”
“No change of style or improvement despite a shocking start to the season.”
“I think he should be given until the end of the season as sacking him at Christmas would be suicide. He did well last season and should be given a chance to recruit a couple of players in January and try to salvage a mid table finish. If we end up relegated or escape by a whisker then he should be removed as it is his responsibility for the performance over the whole season – no excuses.”
“He’s probably got as much chance as anyone we could reasonably hope to attract as manager- that is too say very little chance without huge investment. Such is the wonderful world of the English Premier League in 2012.”
“As above.”
“Not a serious question, is this? He already has. What, when 3 years ago we were playing Scunthorpe did anyone really believe we’d break that tight knit group, and smash the glass ceiling to the champions league? 5th place is best of the rest without thinking we’re so big we can splash £35mill on an unproven player…”
“Alan is just a yes man, maybe we need a chairman that is willing to bring in quality players?”
“We have great players who will not progress under a championship manager.”
“As above.”
“Not sure”
Expanded answers to question 7:
ReplyDelete"Total farce of a 'journalist'."
"Typical of sensationalist journalism."
"No, disgusted in it. Mr Ryder is obviously saying stuff pardew n Ashley want him to. Probably on pay roll."
"I didn't think it could get much worse than Alan Oliver but here we are."
“To be honest, I don’t think it matters whether I agreed of disagreed with his conclusion. The article was written by Lee so was obviously based on his opinions from what he saw in the survey results.”
“All Nufc articles by Ryder(and the Chron) keep away from any sort of criticism of Ashley and Llambias.”
“I rarely agree with anything Ryder writes.”
“I rarely agree with that man.”
“Definitely not representative and there is no way AP has a 95% support rating.”
“I don’t care for every journalist, or even every point a favourite journalist makes, it’s a matter of opinion and he can use statistics however he’d like – I.E. Simpson is the Premier League’s best full back…”
“He writes what he is told by certain NUFC people.”
“Loaded questions to get diluted answers.”
“See above.”
“Didn’t read that part.”
Expanded answers to question 8:
ReplyDelete"I stared the survey but gave up at the question that said Ashley has pumped £220m IMO he club, o you think he is doing a good job. Cleary not an objective survey."
"I filled in survey to put across my views not for Mr Ryder to come up with his own conclusions. I know a lot of toon fans who like me r not behind pardew at all."
"Chronicle keep wanting to be friends to the club, not reporting what we the public feel"
"The manipulation of the survey has further exposed the Chronicle & Lee Ryder for what they are - a propaganda machine for Mike Ashley & Derek Llambias."
“Personally I think there has been an over reaction, it’s just a survey. The results weren’t fixed. People complained about the questions asked, but if they had a problem with it why did they take part?”
“Apart from Lee Ryder’s spin on ‘the next level’ the survey was ok.”
“Think we are all aware by now that the chron will not challenge Ashley and Llambias; they cannot even get an interview with them unless it is in their interests for more Spin.”
“It makes no difference – Ryder would have come to the same conclusions anyway.”
“I a do not regret it as I like the opportunity to have my say, I do disagree with the results though.”
“Mainly because it spread my email address so far and wide, I’m not a huge fan of people I don’t know being able to contact me.”
“Yes because of blogs like yours always having to complain about the most inane points.”
“Lee may have been told to bend the truth a bit by the looks of it.”
“Why enter when your opinion counts for nothing”
“As above”
“It was pointless other than giving ryder fodder to manipulate.”
“The state of the team is more of a concern right now.”
Expanded answers to question 9:
ReplyDelete"Although I never entered the survey I am sick to death of the national media misrepresenting us fans, and find it shocking that we cannot trust our local paper to champion our views without trying to put their own spin on them."
"Lee Ryder already has a lot of apologizing to do with previous "reporting" on Toon matters."
"An apology!! LOL"
"The paper and especially Mr Ryder have come up with an article that is the total opposite of what the vaste majority of Newcastle fans feel. I'm disgusted in them!"
"So much for the Leveson enquiry on press standards!"
“What would he be apologising for? Putting a positive spin on a survey? I think he did the right thing, negativity in the press isn’t going to help the team on the pitch.”
“Perhaps our feedback will encourage Mr.Ryder to think twice next time.”
“Can’t believe Ryder did the actual collation.”
“It would be nice to see them eat some humble pie but I don’t think it will happen.”
“Why would I want or need one? They have merely shown their usual level of incompetence.”
“Not bothered either way, I am used to the Chronicle spinning stories and being the mouthpiece for the Mike Ashley regime.”
“For the aforementioned gaff regarding the email addresses and the fact that some fans felt their opinions were misconstrued, yes.”
“But if I did, I’d feel a bit emotionally challenged.”
“I did email him and got reply saying its his opinion and interpretation of poll.”
Extended answers to Question 10:
ReplyDelete"It would have been nice if they got it correct the first time, and acted with more integrity. Speaking as a fan, I'd have liked to have been shown more respect by my local newspaper than to be misrepresented in such a way. I won't be buying it again."
"Why bother they just ignore our views, they'd probably make up results again!"
"Why it's a twopence happny rag nothing more!"
"Only if the questions are fair and not open to too many interpretations."
"Only if the question are both clear and concise."
"Hopefully, you & other excellent Blogs will continue to expose any falsification / misrepresentation, and Lee Ryder & the Chron will realise they have to act in the best interests of the Football Club, and not themselves!"
“To be honest though, judging by some of the posts on the chronicles website I’m not sure if the people who are taking part in the surveys for the chronicle are the best demographic to represent the general opinions of our supporters. They seem to be very negative and almost take pleasure in the fact that we’ve stumbled this season. Which is in contrast to what I would say the majority of supporters who go to games actually think.”
“My first and last time for any surveys.”
“No idea.”
“I will look at the way the questions are worded carefully next time.”
“Probably, but a little more clarity in the questions and a little less of a pa lava with the contacting people who have partook.”
“It’s pointless if the facts are not stated.”
“Never in a million years.”
“Not unless Ryder is replaced with someone who is not Ashley’s mouthpiece.”
“Maybe”