Free Agents

[Camuldonum 0]

 

The only comment I would make is that one year contracts are dangerous even at age 30 because if they turn out to be really good for you they can talk to another club from January onwards.  If they are 34/35 then it is fine in my opinion.

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="Camuldonum"]

 

The only comment I would make is that one year contracts are dangerous even at age 30 because if they turn out to be really good for you they can talk to another club from January onwards.  If they are 34/35 then it is fine in my opinion.

[/quote]

True, but 3 year contracts can also turn out to be dangerous, as Newcastle will find out this season and just as also found out when the next Thomas Gravesen turned out to be a constantly hungry (for food) drink driver, and our championship leading scorer turning out to be a spent force.

[USAcanary 0]

I think its obvious that there are going to be anumber of quality free agents available this year.

Most will have to take a substantial cut in wages as most clubs are going the younger/cheaper option.

In the new world of football outside the prem its all about wages and less about transfer fees.

[The Chirp 0]

ryan, is Lee power still working as an agent? when i did some work in that field for a little while i spoke to him about agent work (this was when he was on the board at cambridge) and he said he was happy to be out of it. I think he is at Rushden now on their board... Just interested really that he''s gone back to it. Also, i asked previously... Who do you write for? I am starting my course at harlow in sept and would be interested to know if you could recommend any books to read on the legal side of journalism and also if you could recommend a book on shorthand (is it t-line of smething?)  - off topic i know.. my apologies... Back on topic, it''s an interesting list but i think a lot of those guys will be offered new deals at their respective clubs or be way out of our league when it comes to signing fees and wages etc... nothing ventured nothing gained though!thanks,  james

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="The Chirp"]ryan, is Lee power still working as an agent? when i did some work in that field for a little while i spoke to him about agent work (this was when he was on the board at cambridge) and he said he was happy to be out of it. I think he is at Rushden now on their board... Just interested really that he''s gone back to it.

Also, i asked previously... Who do you write for?

I am starting my course at harlow in sept and would be interested to know if you could recommend any books to read on the legal side of journalism and also if you could recommend a book on shorthand (is it t-line of smething?)  - off topic i know.. my apologies...

Back on topic, it''s an interesting list but i think a lot of those guys will be offered new deals at their respective clubs or be way out of our league when it comes to signing fees and wages etc... nothing ventured nothing gained though!

thanks,  james
[/quote]

Hi mate,

I am not strictly a journalist in that form, and certainly dont make a living out of it! I just write for a couple of trade magazines monthly on technology and do a little bit of freelance, mainly researched articles rather than news items. Sorry, but I have absolutely nowhere near enough experience to help you with either shorthand (which I dont need to use and am awful at) or the legal aspects of journalism (I only know what to do when somebody plagerises my work, nothing else has ever been applicable to me). I only see it as a means of paying into a pension, whilst keeping all of my salary for beer and football ;-)

I recommend that you ask Cam, he isnt strictly a journalist, but he is involved in some form (mainly research) with the industry and indeed is very knowledgeable, so might be able to point you in the right direction or maybe even have a friend that can help? My form of journalism is pretty much always industry specific as an area of expertise or great interest is the only form that has shown me that it pays unless I was to work full time (which I dont want to do). I took much of my studies down the PR route towards the end.

With regards to your course/degree, if it is in Journalism? the best people to ask for book recommendations is your tutors / lecturers. Your course is likely to have a few key texts, which you may be required to buy. It would be silly to spend £30 on a book on shorthand, if you turn up and they tell you that you must buy another almost identical book on shorthand for another £30. Maybe you should hold fire until September and see what they recommed? I have been continually told that shorthand is not essential for journalism these days, there is a preference for using a dictaphone, as recorded conversations provide proof that a particular quote has been made - which makes a lot of sense and protects against liability. I more often see shorthand as a required skill for high level P.A. jobs!

Anyway, to the other point. The source that I have shows the only client of Lee Power being Brett Ormerod. Therefore I suspect that he is telling the truth and has just kept on Ormerod, probably because he was at one stage his highest earner! Or they might just be good friends.

Cheers,

Ryan.

 

 

 

 

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

[quote user="The Chirp"]I am starting my course at harlow in sept and would be interested to know if you could recommend any books to read on the legal side of journalism and also if you could recommend a book on shorthand (is it t-line of smething?)  - off topic i know.. my apologies..[/quote]The standard book on law always was (and I suspect still is) McNae''s Essential law for Journalists, now written by Tom Welsh and published by the Oxford University Press. Probably the one to get.There is also Law for Journalists, by Frances Quinn, published by Longman, of which I know nothing. You will find both on Amazon. Which ever you choose (or both) get the most up-to-date version you can, because this is a fast-moving world.As for shorthand I think real hard-bitten hacks would say that T-Line is for wimps and only proper Pitman''s would do...

[Camuldonum 0]

 

Leaving aside me not being strictly a journalist having started at the Laindon Recorder at 15 and getting as far as the dizzy heights of the late lamented Today as Assistant Editor (News)  and 25 years in a hot seat with News International shorthand is still essential if you want to work for a newspaper.  I am Pitman''s but it is now T-line, a derivative of same which I was slightly involved in via Eric Hill and Harry Butler.   You can''t take a recorder into a court house currently.

As great a need is the ability to rewrite 2000 words into a 300 word splash in less than ten minutes.  Or perhaps a 150 word "Page One write off."

Or, as befits:

"We want a colour piece on the faithful Norwich fans wanting iconic cook Delia Smith out."

Or:

"We want a colour piece on iconic cook Delia Smith defending herself against football thugs."

As long as it is an order we will duly oblige on either.

Orders are paid whether used or not.  Bit like footballers really.

 

 

 

 

 

]

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="Camuldonum"]

 

Leaving aside me not being strictly a journalist having started at the Laindon Recorder at 15 and getting as far as the dizzy heights of the late lamented Today as Assistant Editor (News)  and 25 years in a hot seat with News International shorthand is still essential if you want to work for a newspaper.  I am Pitman''s but it is now T-line, a derivative of same which I was slightly involved in via Eric Hill and Harry Butler.   You can''t take a recorder into a court house currently.

As great a need is the ability to rewrite 2000 words into a 300 word splash in less than ten minutes.  Or perhaps a 150 word "Page One write off."

Or, as befits:

"We want a colour piece on the faithful Norwich fans wanting iconic cook Delia Smith out."

Or:

"We want a colour piece on iconic cook Delia Smith defending herself against football thugs."

As long as it is an order we will duly oblige on either.

Orders are paid whether used or not.  Bit like footballers really.

][/quote]

Lol. I didnt know that, at least I acknowledged your extensive knowledge base ;-)

Were you at Today when it collapsed? If so, how did that feel? I was very young then but seem to remember when my old man told me to get him a paper, sometimes I would say what one and he would say ''any''..... literally I had to go and choose one for him, Im talking about when I was 8 or 9........ He used to give me a quid and I always plumped for a tabloid as the change would be enough to get a fair few sweets. All I can remember about the Today is that it was always really really thin, I never used to choose it, as it didnt feel like my dad could read it for long enough to justify giving me the quid.

 

 

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="ryan85k"][quote user="Camuldonum"]

 

Leaving aside me not being strictly a journalist having started at the Laindon Recorder at 15 and getting as far as the dizzy heights of the late lamented Today as Assistant Editor (News)  and 25 years in a hot seat with News International shorthand is still essential if you want to work for a newspaper.  I am Pitman''s but it is now T-line, a derivative of same which I was slightly involved in via Eric Hill and Harry Butler.   You can''t take a recorder into a court house currently.

As great a need is the ability to rewrite 2000 words into a 300 word splash in less than ten minutes.  Or perhaps a 150 word "Page One write off."

Or, as befits:

"We want a colour piece on the faithful Norwich fans wanting iconic cook Delia Smith out."

Or:

"We want a colour piece on iconic cook Delia Smith defending herself against football thugs."

As long as it is an order we will duly oblige on either.

Orders are paid whether used or not.  Bit like footballers really.

][/quote]

Lol. I didnt know that, at least I acknowledged your extensive knowledge base ;-)

Were you at Today when it collapsed? If so, how did that feel? I was very young then but seem to remember when my old man told me to get him a paper, sometimes I would say what one and he would say ''any''..... literally I had to go and choose one for him, Im talking about when I was 8 or 9........ He used to give me a quid and I always plumped for a tabloid as the change would be enough to get a fair few sweets. All I can remember about the Today is that it was always really really thin, I never used to choose it, as it didnt feel like my dad could read it for long enough to justify giving me the quid.

[/quote]

As for taking a recorder to a court house, most local papers pay retired old dears about £20 to sit in Mags all day!  Not sure that £20 would buy months or even years of learning, effectively, a new language!

 

[The Chirp 0]

hahawell it''s certainly t-line. It''s interesting watching the reporters i have worked with (daily mail and the news of the world). Some use s/h all the time others stand there, drink the free coffee and stuff biscuits into their mouth and then seem to just make it up! Brilliant. It''s not the legal side or the s/h that bothers me, it''s going back to education at 26 years old! The aim is to be a football writer and hopefully with doing a day a week at news of the world plus a game/conf i will get there in the end! Thanks for the info though, it''s appreciated. Best, James

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="The Chirp"]haha

well it''s certainly t-line. It''s interesting watching the reporters i have worked with (daily mail and the news of the world). Some use s/h all the time others stand there, drink the free coffee and stuff biscuits into their mouth and then seem to just make it up! Brilliant.

It''s not the legal side or the s/h that bothers me, it''s going back to education at 26 years old! The aim is to be a football writer and hopefully with doing a day a week at news of the world plus a game/conf i will get there in the end!

Thanks for the info though, it''s appreciated.

Best,

James
[/quote]

Being a mature learner can work in your favour mate, particularly with what you take out of it and your performance. 18 year olds move to a new city, out of their house for the first time, with a big lump of student loan money and rarely remember anything from the first year. Then suddenly the second year matters and most snap out of hedonism a little, but then have a lot more work to do to achieve in that year as they havent really gained some key foundation knowledge. You on the other hand, are clearly going purely for a specific reason and to achieve a goal, which will also stand you in good stead upon leaving.

Have you considered starting an online blog? You can hone your skills throughout your course, whilst also embracing the way that journalism is going. You should probably write it under another name though, as you wont want it to effect your employment, but if you can read up a decent amount of RSS subscribers or people that bookmark, you can discretely monitize the site with a few adsense ads.  That seems to be the way that its going, even the main newspapers are relying a lot on online readership, and that is effectively what Rick Waghorn is doing now (im sure his takings are revenue linked as its competitive).

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="ryan85k"]

[quote user="The Chirp"]haha

well it''s certainly t-line. It''s interesting watching the reporters i have worked with (daily mail and the news of the world). Some use s/h all the time others stand there, drink the free coffee and stuff biscuits into their mouth and then seem to just make it up! Brilliant.

It''s not the legal side or the s/h that bothers me, it''s going back to education at 26 years old! The aim is to be a football writer and hopefully with doing a day a week at news of the world plus a game/conf i will get there in the end!

Thanks for the info though, it''s appreciated.

Best,

James
[/quote]

Being a mature learner can work in your favour mate, particularly with what you take out of it and your performance. 18 year olds move to a new city, out of their house for the first time, with a big lump of student loan money and rarely remember anything from the first year. Then suddenly the second year matters and most snap out of hedonism a little, but then have a lot more work to do to achieve in that year as they havent really gained some key foundation knowledge. You on the other hand, are clearly going purely for a specific reason and to achieve a goal, which will also stand you in good stead upon leaving.

Have you considered starting an online blog? You can hone your skills throughout your course, whilst also embracing the way that journalism is going. You should probably write it under another name though, as you wont want it to effect your employment, but if you can read up a decent amount of RSS subscribers or people that bookmark, you can discretely monitize the site with a few adsense ads.  That seems to be the way that its going, even the main newspapers are relying a lot on online readership, and that is effectively what Rick Waghorn is doing now (im sure his takings are revenue linked as its competitive).

[/quote]

Sorry meant to say something like "if you can build up a decent amount of RSS subscribers"

[Camuldonum 0]

[quote user="ryan85k"][quote user="Camuldonum"]

 

Leaving aside me not being strictly a journalist having started at the Laindon Recorder at 15 and getting as far as the dizzy heights of the late lamented Today as Assistant Editor (News)  and 25 years in a hot seat with News International shorthand is still essential if you want to work for a newspaper.  I am Pitman''s but it is now T-line, a derivative of same which I was slightly involved in via Eric Hill and Harry Butler.   You can''t take a recorder into a court house currently.

As great a need is the ability to rewrite 2000 words into a 300 word splash in less than ten minutes.  Or perhaps a 150 word "Page One write off."

Or, as befits:

"We want a colour piece on the faithful Norwich fans wanting iconic cook Delia Smith out."

Or:

"We want a colour piece on iconic cook Delia Smith defending herself against football thugs."

As long as it is an order we will duly oblige on either.

Orders are paid whether used or not.  Bit like footballers really.

][/quote]

Lol. I didnt know that, at least I acknowledged your extensive knowledge base ;-)

Were you at Today when it collapsed? If so, how did that feel? I was very young then but seem to remember when my old man told me to get him a paper, sometimes I would say what one and he would say ''any''..... literally I had to go and choose one for him, Im talking about when I was 8 or 9........ He used to give me a quid and I always plumped for a tabloid as the change would be enough to get a fair few sweets. All I can remember about the Today is that it was always really really thin, I never used to choose it, as it didnt feel like my dad could read it for long enough to justify giving me the quid.

 

 

[/quote]

I was actually the last stop that night.  Fielded readers calls until 4 am (some in tears or thereabouts).  Heard the closure on my way in to work (Gants Hill I think).

Then did four years as the Guardian East Anglian reporter ("bit of a black hole for us"  as Rusbridger said).  Aged 50 something I eventually wondered why I was still driving 60,000 miles a year and getting home at 1 am having started at around 7 a.m

So I set up my own agency and it has sort of "growed".  There are only five of us (one part time) but there we are.

Fabulous job to do.  If I could do it all over again, yes I would, because I can''t think of anything better.

Delia in or Delia Out? What is it you want? Let me know and we''ll write it, hopefully to your satisfaction.

[;)]

 

 

[The Chirp 0]

[quote user="ryan85k"]

[quote user="The Chirp"]hahawell it''s certainly t-line. It''s interesting watching the reporters i have worked with (daily mail and the news of the world). Some use s/h all the time others stand there, drink the free coffee and stuff biscuits into their mouth and then seem to just make it up! Brilliant. It''s not the legal side or the s/h that bothers me, it''s going back to education at 26 years old! The aim is to be a football writer and hopefully with doing a day a week at news of the world plus a game/conf i will get there in the end! Thanks for the info though, it''s appreciated. Best, James[/quote]

Being a mature learner can work in your favour mate, particularly with what you take out of it and your performance. 18 year olds move to a new city, out of their house for the first time, with a big lump of student loan money and rarely remember anything from the first year. Then suddenly the second year matters and most snap out of hedonism a little, but then have a lot more work to do to achieve in that year as they havent really gained some key foundation knowledge. You on the other hand, are clearly going purely for a specific reason and to achieve a goal, which will also stand you in good stead upon leaving.

Have you considered starting an online blog? You can hone your skills throughout your course, whilst also embracing the way that journalism is going. You should probably write it under another name though, as you wont want it to effect your employment, but if you can read up a decent amount of RSS subscribers or people that bookmark, you can discretely monitize the site with a few adsense ads.  That seems to be the way that its going, even the main newspapers are relying a lot on online readership, and that is effectively what Rick Waghorn is doing now (im sure his takings are revenue linked as its competitive).

[/quote]well i have a blog on here (the chirp) but will probably look to blog on something other than norwich if i get the time. Not sure about the rss subscribers, i notice i have some on my blog already but i guess the pinkun sorts that side of things!

[Camuldonum 0]

[quote user="Camuldonum"][quote user="ryan85k"][quote user="Camuldonum"]

 

Leaving aside me not being strictly a journalist having started at the Laindon Recorder at 15 and getting as far as the dizzy heights of the late lamented Today as Assistant Editor (News)  and 25 years in a hot seat with News International shorthand is still essential if you want to work for a newspaper.  I am Pitman''s but it is now T-line, a derivative of same which I was slightly involved in via Eric Hill and Harry Butler.   You can''t take a recorder into a court house currently.

As great a need is the ability to rewrite 2000 words into a 300 word splash in less than ten minutes.  Or perhaps a 150 word "Page One write off."

Or, as befits:

"We want a colour piece on the faithful Norwich fans wanting iconic cook Delia Smith out."

Or:

"We want a colour piece on iconic cook Delia Smith defending herself against football thugs."

As long as it is an order we will duly oblige on either.

Orders are paid whether used or not.  Bit like footballers really.

][/quote]

Lol. I didnt know that, at least I acknowledged your extensive knowledge base ;-)

Were you at Today when it collapsed? If so, how did that feel? I was very young then but seem to remember when my old man told me to get him a paper, sometimes I would say what one and he would say ''any''..... literally I had to go and choose one for him, Im talking about when I was 8 or 9........ He used to give me a quid and I always plumped for a tabloid as the change would be enough to get a fair few sweets. All I can remember about the Today is that it was always really really thin, I never used to choose it, as it didnt feel like my dad could read it for long enough to justify giving me the quid.

 

 

[/quote]

I was actually the last stop that night.  Fielded readers calls until 4 am (some in tears or thereabouts).  Heard the closure on my way in to work (Gants Hill I think).

Then did four years as the Guardian East Anglian reporter ("bit of a black hole for us"  as Rusbridger said).  Aged 50 something I eventually wondered why I was still driving 60,000 miles a year and getting home at 1 am having started at around 7 a.m

So I set up my own agency and it has sort of "growed".  There are only five of us (one part time) but there we are.

Fabulous job to do.  If I could do it all over again, yes I would, because I can''t think of anything better.

Delia in or Delia Out? What is it you want? Let me know and we''ll write it, hopefully to your satisfaction.

[;)]

 

 

[/quote]

PS: It was during that time that I met Mel, the Press Officer of NCISA apparently.

"I cannot confirm or deny.............."

Mel, we have pictures.

"I cannot confirm or deny............."

Wouldn''t have missed it for anything.  Fabulous job to do.  You against the rest.[:P]

 

 

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="The Chirp"][quote user="ryan85k"]

[quote user="The Chirp"]haha

well it''s certainly t-line. It''s interesting watching the reporters i have worked with (daily mail and the news of the world). Some use s/h all the time others stand there, drink the free coffee and stuff biscuits into their mouth and then seem to just make it up! Brilliant.

It''s not the legal side or the s/h that bothers me, it''s going back to education at 26 years old! The aim is to be a football writer and hopefully with doing a day a week at news of the world plus a game/conf i will get there in the end!

Thanks for the info though, it''s appreciated.

Best,

James
[/quote]

Being a mature learner can work in your favour mate, particularly with what you take out of it and your performance. 18 year olds move to a new city, out of their house for the first time, with a big lump of student loan money and rarely remember anything from the first year. Then suddenly the second year matters and most snap out of hedonism a little, but then have a lot more work to do to achieve in that year as they havent really gained some key foundation knowledge. You on the other hand, are clearly going purely for a specific reason and to achieve a goal, which will also stand you in good stead upon leaving.

Have you considered starting an online blog? You can hone your skills throughout your course, whilst also embracing the way that journalism is going. You should probably write it under another name though, as you wont want it to effect your employment, but if you can read up a decent amount of RSS subscribers or people that bookmark, you can discretely monitize the site with a few adsense ads.  That seems to be the way that its going, even the main newspapers are relying a lot on online readership, and that is effectively what Rick Waghorn is doing now (im sure his takings are revenue linked as its competitive).

[/quote]

well i have a blog on here (the chirp) but will probably look to blog on something other than norwich if i get the time. Not sure about the rss subscribers, i notice i have some on my blog already but i guess the pinkun sorts that side of things!
[/quote]

I take it you get sort of remuneration for that blog? There are people that have built up blogs taking £20k+ a month in adsense revenue, maybe thats what you should be seeking to achieve. 

There is one man in the USA that makes $30,000 a month from a blog telling people how to make money, which is rather ironic. I personally know somebody that takes $15,000 a month from his blog, but for the first two years he got up at 6am and went to bed at 12pm having written 20-30 articles a day every single day. Still, he now makes enough to (secretly) pay somebody else to do his writing under his name, whilst he spends most of the year travelling with the income.

[JuanVelasco 27]

[quote user="ryan85k"][quote user="The Chirp"][quote user="ryan85k"]

[quote user="The Chirp"]haha

well it''s certainly t-line. It''s interesting watching the reporters i have worked with (daily mail and the news of the world). Some use s/h all the time others stand there, drink the free coffee and stuff biscuits into their mouth and then seem to just make it up! Brilliant.

It''s not the legal side or the s/h that bothers me, it''s going back to education at 26 years old! The aim is to be a football writer and hopefully with doing a day a week at news of the world plus a game/conf i will get there in the end!

Thanks for the info though, it''s appreciated.

Best,

James
[/quote]

Being a mature learner can work in your favour mate, particularly with what you take out of it and your performance. 18 year olds move to a new city, out of their house for the first time, with a big lump of student loan money and rarely remember anything from the first year. Then suddenly the second year matters and most snap out of hedonism a little, but then have a lot more work to do to achieve in that year as they havent really gained some key foundation knowledge. You on the other hand, are clearly going purely for a specific reason and to achieve a goal, which will also stand you in good stead upon leaving.

Have you considered starting an online blog? You can hone your skills throughout your course, whilst also embracing the way that journalism is going. You should probably write it under another name though, as you wont want it to effect your employment, but if you can read up a decent amount of RSS subscribers or people that bookmark, you can discretely monitize the site with a few adsense ads.  That seems to be the way that its going, even the main newspapers are relying a lot on online readership, and that is effectively what Rick Waghorn is doing now (im sure his takings are revenue linked as its competitive).

[/quote]

well i have a blog on here (the chirp) but will probably look to blog on something other than norwich if i get the time. Not sure about the rss subscribers, i notice i have some on my blog already but i guess the pinkun sorts that side of things!
[/quote]

I take it you get sort of remuneration for that blog? There are people that have built up blogs taking £20k+ a month in adsense revenue, maybe thats what you should be seeking to achieve. 

There is one man in the USA that makes $30,000 a month from a blog telling people how to make money, which is rather ironic. I personally know somebody that takes $15,000 a month from his blog, but for the first two years he got up at 6am and went to bed at 12pm having written 20-30 articles a day every single day. Still, he now makes enough to (secretly) pay somebody else to do his writing under his name, whilst he spends most of the year travelling with the income.

[/quote]

Of course, I mean "I take it you DONT get remuneration......."