View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
October 29, 2008

Journalists v Scottish politicans football match ends in a brawl

By Rachael

A charity football match between Scottish politicians and sports journalists has to be cut short after it ended in a punch up between the players, reports The Times.

The game, which took place on Sunday morning in Glasgow, first showed signs of trouble when Labour MSP John Park was sent of for a challenge on BBC football pundit Chick Young.

After half time the foul play continued, and the referee called an early end to the game after just 55 minutes when a Glasgow Labour councillor ran the length of the field and brought down a journalist.

Young branded the politicians ‘thugs’and said that their behaviour was a disgrace. He said: ‘It was really quite scandalous. I am still limping and I have stud marks on my leg. Their tackles were completely out of order. One guy playing at the back for them was a nutcase of the first order and their language to the ref was scandalous. They totally lost the plot.”

One politician tried to calm the situation post-match by going into the opposition dressing room was shown the door, and only one journalist showed up for the post-match lunch for the two sides.

Labour’s Ken Macintosh said: ‘Normally it’s our football that embarrasses, not our behaviour. But in this case, it wasn’t a terrific display. We’re looking for a chance to redeem ourselves in the near future.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network