Archived News from January 2007
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MTFC BAN `HASLAM OUT` ROW PHOTOGRAPHER
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Stags ban 'Haslam Out' row photographer
CHAD website, 28 January 2007 The photographer thrown out of Field Mill for displaying a photograph of a 'Haslam Out' protest sign on his laptop has been banned from Field Mill. Dan Westwell returned home tonight (Sunday) - after a weekend of further trouble trying to cover Mansfield Town FC's game at Chester (see separate story) - to find a recorded delivery letter at his home. It said the club was withdrawing its invitation of access to Field Mill until further notice. The letter, signed by club secretary Sharon Roberts, read: 'Pending ongoing investigations into the alleged offence on Saturday 20th January 2007, we withdraw our invitation of access to the Field Mill Ground with immediate effect and until further notice. 'I would further ask that you do not cause embarrassment to either yourself or our staff by attempting to gain access as a paying customer to any areas of the football ground until any further notice is provided to yourself to the contray' Dan was thrown out of Field Mill last Saturday during the match against Walsall when stewards and police swooped after a photograph of a 'Haslam Out' protest road sign was spotted on his laptop. The road signs had been erected as fans stepped up their protests calling for Stags' owner Keith Haslam to quit the club. Dan was arrested outside the ground over an alleged public order offence as he was being escorted from Field Mill. A subsequent court case was adjourned by Mansfield magistrates on Friday. Earlier in the week new Mansfield Town FC chairman James Derry said that no decision would be taken on banning the freelance photographer before Friday's court hearing. On Friday, after the case was adjourned, Dan was told that he could still cover the Stags match at Chester 24 hours later. But on Saturday Chester officials, saying that they were acting on the advice of Mansfield Town FC and Mansfield police, initially refused him access to the ground - before eventually allowing him to sit alone in a deserted area of a stand. (see separate story) ---------- Football club ' no comment' on treatment of photographer CHAD website, 29 January 2007 CHESTER City FC has this morning refused to comment on its treatment of freelance photographer Dan Westwell on Saturday. Dan is at the centre of a row with Mansfield Town FC over his ejection from Field Mill for showing a 'Haslam Out' protest sign photograph on his laptop. On Friday he appeared before Mansfield magistrates yesterday accused of a public order offence - relating to a separate incident as he was escorted from the ground - and had his case adjourned. Later in the day Chester said he would be welcome at the ground for Saturday's match with the Stags. But on Saturday he was initially refused entry to the Saunders Honda Stadium and when eventually admitted, forced to sit on his own in a deserted section of a stand watched over closely by stewards and police. (See separate story) This morning when contacted by Chad, a spokesman at Chester City FC, before putting the phone down, would only say: "We have absolutely no comment to make on this at all." Chester had said on Saturday it would refuse the photographer a press pass on the advice of the Stags and Mansfield police, who Chester claimed would have 'inflamed the situation'. |
Latest | January 2007