The 'wisdom' of Paul Harrison

[jc]

In Carlisle's largely excellent programme from yesterday's game (including a long write-up about our FA Cup win there all those years ago), there was one sour note - the scribblings of Paul Harrison, who had a 'feature article' in there.

 

Most of it concentrated on our match against them at Stonebridge Road earlier in the season, and given his acknowledged soft spot for Carlisle, the piece's factual errors are perhaps unsurprising.

 

These included, in particular, a claim that Carlisle 'were quite easily the best side Gravesend had played or would play this season or perhaps ever?' (clearly they're a bigger side than Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest then), and his belief that half of the fans present at the game earlier this season were Carlisle fans - a likely story.

 

As Paul admits, his job at the Fleet 'was never going to be a permanent relationship'. Although improvements in the programme were clearly evident while he was here, it makes you wonder why we bothered really.

 

On a lighter note, a great 2nd half display from the lads yesterday, and a screamer from Lovell. However, the nerves were unbearable as they had one disallowed for offside (a decision that could have gone either way in my view) and another shot that Pullen half-spilled and then grabbed on to right at the death.

 

A funny game really - it was scrappy on an understandably boggy pitch after the floods, and it never really looked like a game with four goals in it. Carlisle's two goals really came from nowhere (Pullen hadn't had any real saves to make before that), but the same could be said of ours in the second half, and so overall a draw was fair.

[FleetFanatic]

Paul Harrison is gaining a reputation as a complete knob far quicker than any of us imagined possible.

[Guest]

Throughout this bizzare article he also insisted on calling us Gravesend FC.

Surely at some pont in his short stay with us he noticed the "and Nothfleet" part to the name aswell.

Maybe it's something to do with his soured relationship with Brian, but he still strikes me as being a big northerm knob !

[Charles Webster]

That article in full:

 

Never, when I stood on the various terraces of Brunton Park during my formative years (the late 1960's and early 1970's), from the Boys Pen to the Warwick Road End to the Scratching Shed to the Paddock did I ever consider that Carlisle United, my Carlisle United, the football team I have loved as boy and man would be taking on Gravesend in a first class [ish] non league fixture. All those years ago I have to confess to having never heard of Gravesend as a football club, albeit tales of the FA Cup would rekindle In some quarters all the upsets we have occasionally encountered. You guessed itl Gravesend FC beat us at Brunton Park back In the early 1960's, 1.0 the score line and by all accounts they were lucky.

 

Some forty-one years later, as a football writer living in Essex, I was asked if I would help as programme editor and the Safety Officer at Gravesend FC.To be honest for me, it was never going to be a permanent relationship. I needed a break, the regular journeys to Brunton Park from the South East of England had begun to take their toll, to say the least they were tiring and my poor car, the mileage had seriously escalated! It too needed a break. So it was that I ended up at Gravesend.The first thing on my agenda as programme editor was to check to see when Carlisle United was in town. It was Saturday 6 November 2004 (a day which will long live in my memory) when the Blues came to Stonebridge Road, with today being the reverse fixture.

 

So on a cold damp November day in the deepest South East that The Lads in Blue paid a rare visit to North Kent. I confess to being excited on the day of the game (how sad) and got to the ground early. I made a real effort in writing up the Carlisle programme to ensure It was that extra bit special, all the Blues facts came from memory, having penned the book The Lads In Blue -A Complete History of Carlisle United AFC, it was easy for me to write about one of my greatest loves.The programme was a complete sell out.

 

A big crowd (by Gravesend standards) almost filled the ground, around two thousand in total. More than half of these were United fans. My heart skipped a beat on seeing all the Carlisle fans behaving impeccably and cheering and singing the Blues at their fanatical best. Prior to the kick off, in my official capacity I met with some of the Carlisle club officials and struck up a rapport as we discussed all things Carlisle United. I mixed and met with other United supporters who had travelled to watch the game, it was wonderful stuff. As a Gravesend club official (wearing an official tie too) I had to act accordingly and appropriately when necessary but I found it hard, very hard.

 

Come kick off I took my then customary place at the front of the tunnel, behind me sat the United Directors. Within minutes, the magic that is Karl Hawley fired home the first of three Carlisle goals that afternoon. Instinctively as he did so I leapt forward and screamed 'goal' thrusting my arms into the air Gravesend bravely fought back and fired home ar

equaliser before Peter Murphy headed United back in front just before half time. This time it was too much, as the ball hit the net I turned in joy, and turned looking down the tunnel and in doing so I was inadvertently facing both sets of Directors and yelled out "Yes, two-one, Come on you Blues:" A wonderful second half strike from the foot of Karl Hawley sealed the victory as United coasted to a comfortable 3-I away victory.

 

As the two teams left the pitch, I could not help myself and applauded The Lads In Blue, taking time to pat each of them on the back as they passed me, I was thrilled these were my modern day heroes and they had taken all three points. The message being that I had forgotten that I was working for Gravesend FC. Oops!

 

In the board room I again associated with the Carlisle Directors who were genuinely good people and more importantly, long standing supporters who obviously want the best for the club. I later left the board room and returned pitch side, the stadium was now empty. I recalled the times at Old Trafford, Anfield, Highbury, Stamford Bridge, Goodison Park. all revered stadiums where United have made their mark in the past. Now here I was looking across the miniature Stonebridge Road ground, nonetheless content that my boys had won yet another victory and were quite easily the best side Gravesend had played or would play this season or perhaps ever?

The reality was that despite having a foot in both camps so to speak, my passion for United shone through, It was an impossible and perhaps a foolish thing to try to disguise it. Gravesend FC never really came into the equation for me that day. Gravesend (with all due respect to them) are simply another team I want us to beat (as I want us to beat everyone). That Is the way it will always be for me now. Once a Blue always a Blue, thankfully some things will never change.

 

Paul Harrison

[Guest]

Perhaps he should be running a Carlisle website rather than a Gravesend one?

 

What a prick.

[Stu M]

The programme was a complete sell out.

 

 

 

***The man's clearly on an ego trip and quite happily changes his spots to suit himself.

 

What exactly was his much-trumpeted 'media and journalistic' background? Did it extend to more than a couple of club histories?

[David Holden]

And his comments on his website:

 

Quote:

The new manager at Stonebridge Road was questioned by fans on club forums for his ability and worth but proved his point on Saturday with a good battling draw at high flying Carlisle United.

 

 

At half time with his side all but dead and buried at 2-0 down, Liam Daish, the new Gravesedn and Northfleet boss, must have provided the sort of inspirational half time team talk that he could only dream would be adhered to by his players. As The Fleet put in a spirited performance in the second half to earn a valuable point.

 

A superb strike by Matt Lovell pulled the Kent side back into the game followed by another Jay Saunders goal which sent the handful of Fleet supporters at this game delirious as their side pulled it back to 2-2. A late scare with a Carlisle goal being ruled out for offside could not take the shine of this workmanlike effort by Daishs' team, with Manny Omoyinmi again outstanding.

 

Forget the act that it was the lowest number of visiting supporters to visit Carlisle this season, a crowd of 5,284 witnessed the home side throw away (yet again) another comfortable lead to end up with only a point. Gravesend care little about that, for them, this was the biggest point they have earned all season, ensuring that the faithful and loyal handful who made the journey had a day to remember.

 

(the italics are mine)

[FleetFanatic]

Not being one to beat around the bush, I just used the email the editor / feedback form / whatever you want to call it to ask the immortal question;

 

'Why are you such a ******* twat?'

 

There were some other comments tucked away in there, such as disgust at his continually patronising comments, etc, but you get the idea.....

[Hempstead Gaz]

Perhaps Brian could "ban" the twat from entering the ground next season.

Although on second thoughts, it wouldn't alter the accuracy of his reporting!

[Hempstead Gaz]

Or better still, can someone download the 'mydoom' virus to Fleetmad.

[Hempstead Gaz]

As an aside, I have deleted Fleet Mad from my favourites, as a protest against the thick twat (PH) that runs it. If we all did it, he would get virtually no hits on the site, and hopefully realise he shot himself in the foot with his ill thought comments.

[Hempstead Gaz]

My parting shot to Mr Harrison was this letter on his fans feedback forum :

"I am appalled at the tone of your article in the Carlisle Utd programme against Gravesend on Saturday. The essence of the article has been produced on a true Fleet forum (but not copied because of copyright regulations) for all to see.

The disparaging remarks you have made leave a sour flavour, few if any true supporters will continue to use this site, as it appears to be run entirely as a commercial enterprise by yourself, and not as a true Fleet Supporter, unlike your rival Whitebucket, who is a true fan.

We will now leave you to continue to operate a site that nobody who cares about Fleet will visit".

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Paul H has indeed gone down in my estimations after reading the article.

 

But we surely have the most sensitive fans in the conference.

 

I will continue to read the Mad site, as I have enjoyed the one eyed write ups in the past, and if Paul continues ( or whoever writes them on his behalf) I am sure I will enjoy them in the future.

 

Its good to be back taking points off the big boys again.

 

 

Up the Fleet - London Branch

[David Holden]

The match reports will continue to be good value, but there again Mr Harrison doesn't do those. (You can't expect someone who runs a Fleet website to go to Fleet matches)

 

The match reports are provided by our very own Mr Webster.

[Guest]

Quote:

But we surely have the most sensitive fans in the conference.I will continue to read the Mad site, as I have enjoyed the one eyed write ups in the past, and if Paul continues ( or whoever writes them on his behalf) I am sure I will enjoy them in the future.

My main beef is that he's getting paid by whoever runs Fleet Mad giving the impression he's passionate about the Fleet and he appears to be anything but. Money for nothing in my opinion!

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Quote:

The match reports are provided by our very own Mr Webster.

 

I knew that , was just trying to point out to people on here that the MAD site does have a useful purpose, regardless of what you think of Paul H.

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Quote:

My main beef is that he's getting paid by whoever runs Fleet Mad giving the impression he's passionate about the Fleet and he appears to be anything but. Money for nothing in my opinion!

 

Not being clued up on these things, how much would someone be getting paid for that. If there is a payment involved, then surely the club have missed another trick.

[WhiteBucket]

Quote:

If there is a payment involved, then surely the club have missed another trick.

And me! Should've got on the gravy train when it went past!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/chat.gif" alt="" />