Fair play to Matt Scott: he replied to my email...

Took a surprisingly friendly tone, and maintained the Grauniad's finest traditions of poor syntax too! I don't think he quite got it, though...

Mr Lawson,

Thank you indeed for your message. I am sorry that you feeled compelled to write it. Your criticism is, though, noted. Although I must honestly confess that I was not as happy with my much report on Sunday as I might have been — we all have off days at work! - I feel that I should explain to you what motivated it.

As you mention in your e-mail it is necessary for Monday match reports to develop issues that have not been explored in any depth by the Sunday newspapers. Certainly I feel that the issue of Roman Abramovich's return to Stamford Bridge after a five-week justified further examination. I would also refute that Norwich's 4-0 defeat would have justified too much more detailed analysis than I gave it.

I work on the principle that after a fan has watched the match live, or listened to it on the radio, then seen it on a highlights programme and read the Sunday match report, there is very little value in providing them
with regurgitated details on a Monday morning. I hope you understand the reasons for my having written what I did. Evidently I have just not carried it off very adroitly!

With kind regards,

Matt Scott

Posted By: thebigfeller, Feb 19, 21:29:02