Cartoons after Southampton ban photographers from Argyle match
IT'S comic book stuff as Plymouth Argyle start the season with a win — but these images form part of The Herald's coverage after rivals Southampton banned photographers from the match.
The drawings, by city historian and Herald contributor Chris Robinson, were commissioned in response to Southampton Football Club's controversial decision to force newspapers to buy photos from a single accredited agency.
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The Herald, along with many other media outlets, had refused to buy the "official" images from Southampton.
In the end, Plymouth Argyle stepped in to provide a solution to the stand-off by releasing their own images of their players in their 1-0 season-opening win at St Mary's.
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The Herald's editor, Bill Martin, said: "It's outrageous that a football club is blocking photographers from covering something which is of much interest and importance to many people.
"All credit to Argyle for putting the best interests of fans, their players and their sponsors first and publishing their own photographs."
Had that solution not been found, The Herald was ready with Chris's drawings.
Chris said: "It was an interesting escapade.
"I'm a bit rusty as far as that sort of thing is concerned, but I used to do a lot as a kid."
Chris said his style was inspired by comic strips such as Roy of the Rovers, and the result couldn't have been scripted better.
The lifelong Argyle fan said: "It was brilliant. After the struggle for points last season, it was great to start with an away win, especially against Southampton."
Rick Cowdery, Plymouth Argyle's head of communications, said: "We believe that the Green Army, our shirt sponsors Ginsters and our kit suppliers Adidas — not to mention our players — would have suffered as a result of Southampton's unpopular restrictions on Press photographers.
"On that basis, we decided to release pictures of our players during Saturday's wonderful triumph at St Mary's, taken by the club's official photographer Dave Rowntree, and put them into the public domain.
"Dave has been taking pictures of Argyle for The Herald for many years and we saw no justifiable reason why that should not continue this weekend.
"Had The Herald been forced by Southampton's ban to run their report of Saturday's victorious game without Dave's fine pictures of Luke Summerfield's winning goal and celebrations that followed, then we would have been letting our supporters down."
Comments
by David Gent, Tadley, Hampshire
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 2:18PM
“Well done to The Herald for thinking outside the box and also to Chris Robinson for excellent cartoons.
I see that there were two published on this site - were any more produced ?”
by Martin, Mutley
Monday, August 09 2010, 10:36PM
“Robo the polymath - unusual for a janner.”
by Doug, Cornwall
Monday, August 09 2010, 9:21PM
“Cracking cartoons, much better than the "real thing". It's ridiculous that SFC aren't allowing pictures. Who's this number 23 scoring our winner though?”
by Snapperonadayoff, Southampton
Monday, August 09 2010, 8:51PM
“Er, typo.......FA Cup”
by Snapperonadayoff, Southampton
Monday, August 09 2010, 8:45PM
“Yes, well done to The Herald and Chris Robinson but can anyone see (terrible pun) the wider picture?
What if more and more clubs did this, not just Southampton FC? Suppose Argyle did it and they were drawn at home against a Premiership side in the FC Cup. I think we'd all want to see press pics then.”
by Paul, Plymouth
Monday, August 09 2010, 8:17PM
“Great to see Chris capture the action which is more than can be said of Disco Dave Rowntree.”
by Malc, Plympton
Monday, August 09 2010, 8:05PM
“Great stuff...does this mean the First Round of the FA Cup will be Melchester Rovers v Plymouth Argyle? Can't wait...never been to Melchester!”
by Malc, Plympton
Monday, August 09 2010, 7:59PM
“Brilliant idea, just what the game needs a bit of old fashioned charm. Maybe it'll be Melchester Rovers v Plymouth Argyle in the First Round of the FA Cup!”
by GOM, Plymouth
Monday, August 09 2010, 7:26PM
“Yes, I did of course mean off not up.”
by GOM, Plymouth
Monday, August 09 2010, 7:24PM
“Well done to: The Herald, Plymouth Argyle and Chris Robinson. Shame on Southampton and their obvious attempt (and failure) to rip people up.”