Ben Stokes hits out at The Sun

[Bosscat]

I don't know what the contractual obligation is between the ECB and the Sun or Woakes and the Sun but I'd issue an outright ban on any Sun reporter attending press conferences or official functions.
Absolute bastards.

Agreed but it was Stokes m8 not Woakes

[evensteadiereddie]

Sorry ! just got in, complete brainfart there.
I'd actually seen the article at lunch in the building site canteen. It is as horrible as it sounds.

[willsclarets]

So nobody on here would read an article on the front page of a newspaper with a circulation of 1.3m? Or read it online? I think the daft thing here is you.

I do wonder though, given Stokes' current status whether the Sun might have misjudged this one in terms of how people (specifically their regular readers) will react to it.

You're kidding right? They'll be delighted at this reaction privately at least. Imagine how many clicks that article got today alone.

[Greenmile]

I’m surprised we’ve got to page 2 of this thread without Rowls coming on the defend the Sun on the basis that it sells a lot of copies and is therefore intrinsically good.

[Spijed]

I do wonder though, given Stokes' current status whether the Sun might have misjudged this one in terms of how people (specifically their regular readers) will react to it.

Many of their regular readers probably buy the newspaper for those type of stories anyway.

[jrgbfc]

I don't know what the contractual obligation is between the ECB and the Sun or Woakes and the Sun but I'd issue an outright ban on any Sun reporter attending press conferences or official functions.
Absolute bastards.

I've always wondered why the FA don't grow a pair and ban the Sun from having anything to do with the England national team. The way they've treated previous managers and in recent times players such as Sterling has been a disgrace.

[evensteadiereddie]

Agreed, the "brand" is strong enough to be able to cope without the Sun's support - support that will last only until the next string of ordinary results.

[willsclarets]

I've always wondered why the FA don't grow a pair and ban the Sun from having anything to do with the England national team. The way they've treated previous managers and in recent times players such as Sterling has been a disgrace.

I'm not sure how you could do that legally?

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I'm not sure how you could do that legally?

Ask Everton and Liverpool, they've managed to ban the Sun...

[jrgbfc]

I'm not sure how you could do that legally?

Pretty sure the FA will have control over who attends official press conferences.

[evensteadiereddie]

I'm sure access passes or official invitations can be withdrawn quite easily.

[willsclarets]

Plenty of commercially run clubs ban journalists, but the FA is a public sector organisation and as such would struggle to independently decide to ban a newspaper based on essentially personal opinion on their content.

[willsclarets]

That is not a defense of the Sun by the way, which I think is an abhorrent piece of trash

[evensteadiereddie]

I think that a ban would be relatively simple to justify if the board members of the FA believed the brand or its reputation were being damaged.

[willsclarets]

Hard to prove that, and they know what sort of a backlash they'd get from The Sun and their loyal readership who would no doubt say they backed the English boys to the hilt. It would be nowhere near worth the hassle. And I'm pretty sure the FA will have strict guidelines on making decisions like that. Red tape all over the gaff.

[CrosspoolClarets]

The Sun, well, it has all been said.

But I never cease to be amazed at the incredible ability of humans to experience (not in his case, but you know what I mean) something truly awful and then in later years they perform a superhuman feat.

Very similar to Andy Murray, even though it wasn’t first hand in his case (I’ll keep the details off the thread, I’m sure that’s the policy).

[Cirrus_Minor]

Never look into the Sun.

[RMutt]

Never look into the Sun.

Or, indeed, set the controls for the heart of it.

[Foulthrow]

I don't know what the contractual obligation is between the ECB and the Sun or Stokes and the Sun but I'd issue an outright ban on any Sun reporter attending press conferences or official functions.
Absolute bastards.

If I was a Sun journo I'd be resigning. Imagine having the gall to tip up at an ECB press conference and expect Stokes or any of his teammates to answer their questions.