Sir Alex dominates the front pages

It's rare that a sports story makes it on to every national front page … the tabloids and the qualities. But Sir Alex Ferguson deserves it. The best manager English football has ever seen. I say it through gritted teeth of course. He out-psyched Kevin Keegan and probably robbed me of ever seeing Newcastle United being league champions. More recently he referred to Newcastle as a 'wee club in the North-East'. Ouch. But there is no disputing his record. He was simply the best.

The Manchester Evening News, as expected, pulled out all of the stops with a special late edition yesterday afternoon - real evening paper stuff. It carried a dignified, respectful photograph of Sir Alex with a breaking news banner, 'Sir Alex quits'.

This morning it carries a bumper edition with a 32-page souvenir tribute. It should certainly sell out - at least in one half of the city. The MEN, like many newspapers, goes for a play on Fergie Time - a neat and pointed reference to Sir Alex's successor, David Moyes.

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Fergie Time is everywhere today so credit to The Daily Telegraph, which first speculated that the Glaswegian's reign was over, for being first with the headline as well as the story. This was the front page of its sports section yesterday morning. 

The Evening Standard, like the MEN, went for a breaking-news headline as the speculation became reality. It was a classic evening newspaper story. The Standard simply used 'Fergie Quits' with a great picture of the man in triumphant pose. Even in London, the Manchester manager was massive news.

Of today's front pages, The Sun has the most original image … a Red Devils' hairdryer hung-up in the Old Trafford dressing room for the very last time. No blurb, no second story … respect indeed. It's bold and nicely done. What the non-footballing readers will make of it is anyone's guess - but a classy page nonetheless.  

The Daily Star also went for the Fergie Time line … but it is really selling on something else altogether. Football and a naked Kate Moss - almost the perfect Star front.

The other angle, perhaps a more subtle one than the Fergie Time pun, is that Sir Alex is quitting for the sake of his wife. The Daily Mirror and Daily Express don't feel the story is worthy of the lead … there was after all the Tia Sharp murder trial and the Queen's speech to deal with ... but both give Lady Ferguson a deserved front page moment. 

It is no surprise that the Daily Mail chooses not to lead on Sir Alex ... you would be hard pushed to find many football splashes in the paper's history. It gives the story main picture prominence though. The Mail also goes for the female touch - Cathy by her man's side - and suggests he might be elevated to the peerage.

The Guardian uses a strong, vertically cropped and beaming picture of Sir Alex with a lively blurb promising a 20-page supplement. 

The Daily Telegraph also uses a blurb promising a 16-page pullout - labelled simply The Greatest, with contributions by Henry Winter, Paul Hayward and Alan Hansen. Sounds like a must-buy. It uses a dignified photo, on the left rather than the right, to give it more depth and put it squarely in the page's entry point. There's a nice quote too: 'He could have been a great leader in any field he chose. Manchester United were lucky he chose football.'

The icing on the cake in the Telegraph comes with Matt - as dry as ever.

The Times, perhaps surprisingly, limits the story to the blurb. I was half-expecting a wraparound.

Still, there's a quality 12-page pullout to look forward to.

  

The i also relegates Fergie to the blurb. There is, let's not forget, the small matter of the Queen's speech.

Football of course is also a big business story - a point not missed by The Independent: '£80m wiped off shares by the end of Fergie Time.'

Sir Alex also makes it on to the front pages of the Financial Times and the International Herald Tribune. A rare occasion indeed.

In the sports sections there is only one story. Well done again the Telegraph, which has been ahead of the story throughout. The Chosen One is a good headline, used by others on the back pages, but it is the picture that makes it. Perfect choice.

The Telegraph goes big on pictures inside too, including this season-by-season spread on Sir Alex's record. Nice.

They are as committed to Premier League football over the water, as we are in England ... so no surprise that the Irish titles went to town too. Here's a strong cover from the Irish Independent's 12-page tribute supplement. Using the stats on Page 1 is a nice touch: '104 players bought' and '14 Manchester City managers seen off'.

There are some cracking pages today, marking the end of a 26-year era and the beginning of another. Hopefully, it will be one that sees other teams finally having a crack at Premier League domination. Newcastle United perhaps ...

Hat tip to #tomorrowspaperstoday, @suttonnick 

Fundraising in memory of Mel

Many of us are still reeling from the fact that Mel Cook, editor of the Nottingham Post, is no longer with us. Mel died more than a month ago and his funeral was packed to the rafters with the great and the good of regional newspapers. If you missed the tribute to him, it is here. Now his partner Helen (pictured with Mel) is working hard to ensure his memory burns brightly. Helen and Mel's paper are marking his birthday, November 8, by sponsoring a day at Maggie's, a cancer support centre in the grounds of Nottingham City Hospital. Friends, family and colleagues are trying to raise at least £2,400, the amount it costs a day to support patients at the centre. Some of the Post's staff have already organised a cake sale, others are competing in the Ikano Robin Hood half-marathon and there will be a vintage tea party. If you knew Mel, and even if you didn't, here are a couple of dates for the diary - a fundraising barbecue on the August 24 and a charity ball on April 1 next year, the anniversary of Mel's death. 

A friend of Mel's jumped out of a plane on Sunday and one of his nieces is running the Race For Life in his memory. Helen's reasons for the campaign are clear: 'Even during his own adversity and distress he wanted more than anything to help others suffering this terrible disease, emotionally and physically. By marking this event in honour of Mel to raise much needed funds his legacy and spirit lives on to help others.'

If you have any ideas on how to support Helen, please let me know and I will pass them on. And if you want to make a donation to the Post's fundraising page, you can do so here.   

Tabloid headlines of the month

Those subs who believe their headlines should sing were out in force in April. Here are a couple of crackers that caught the eye.

The Sun has a long track record of song title headlines, of course, but I can't imagine the Ulster Gazette uses many. When it does, it certainly does so in style.

Meanwhile the New York Post refuses to shy away from being overtly tabloid - and shocking. Here is a headline to add to the growing collection to make you smile or, perhaps, wince.

This though was perhaps the most astonishing front page headline of the month. Who could have predicted The Sun (or anybody else for that matter) would come up with such a bizarre collection of words following the death of Margaret Thatcher.

And if you are looking for headlines that 'build a picture in the reader's mind', this one from Mail Online takes some beating.

Treasure of a story buried in the small print

This cracking story from the North Devon Journal, that grew like topsy yesterday, is an excellent example of how important it is for journalists to constantly monitor the community correspondents' section. Over the years I have uncovered some gems - the man who scored two goals on his debut even though he had a wooden leg, the player who scored 14 goals and his team lost, the waitress whose life was saved by a tin of pineapple chunks.

Yesterday's story began as a simple, and very funny, paragraph in the village news section which was Tweeted by head of content Owen Jones. Owen claimed it was the 'best local newspaper WI report ever' ... and who could argue? 

He, and the Journal team, quickly realised the potential of the story and ran the follow-up, along with a picture and some lovely quotes on the thisisnorthdevon website. 

Captain Darch took it all in his stride:  “Of course I didn’t take offence or mind. It was more like the Pirates of Penzance." And the WI treasurer, whose idea it was that the ladies should dress up as pirates, said: “I don’t know who was scarier for Captain Darch - us dressed up as pirates or the real Somali pirates."

Never mind Stuart Hall, the elections, Europa League semi-finals or even the burglar's body found in a chimney in a solicitor's office in Derby. This was the story of the day.

It appeared on every national newspaper website and made its way across the globe within hours. 

The BBC even ran a video.

And of course such a great story was also bound to make it into print in most of today's papers ... a picture lead in The Times no less.

My only disappointment is that it wasn't raised on BBC Question Time last night although, as NDJ production editor Pat Keenor Tweeted today, it did make the Chris Evans Breakfast Show and got a mention on Have I Got News For You.

Great fun, a smart recovery by the NDJ newsroom and a fine example of the importance of scouring the village correspondents, the parish newsletters and classified for stories. 

Stunning cover by Boston Magazine

Here is a stunning front cover by Boston Magazine. The shoes all really belong to runners in the marathon. The story behind the cover is as amazing as the design itself. Read about it here.

Chewy Luis and the News

There were plenty of gags doing the rounds after Luis Suarez bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic on Sunday … most of them on Twitter within an hour. Of the newspapers, my favourite headline has to be this one on the front of The Guardian Sport yesterday. 

Monday's Sun, in best tabloid tradition, went with Gnash of the day and today with I've let down the fangs.

Metro went with Bite club and today's Independent had a strapline that said The morning after the bite before. Very tabloid.

The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror decided Suarez was not just a crazy footballer who bit out in the heat of the moment ... but, in fact, a cannibal.

Most, if not all, of these, were lines suggested on Twitter soon after the incident on Sunday. Newspaper subs really do need to have their Tweetdecks running as a constant source of headline inspiration these days. You will have seen most of the jokes by now. This is one of the better ones, so worth a further groan: BREAKING NEWS Luis Suarez is being sold to German club Borrusia Munchoncentreback.

The Photoshop artists were also in force. Here are a few visuals that caught my eye.

Meanwhile The Guardian should really take a bow for its foresight. This headline was written last month.

And The Daily Telegraph's Matt was his usual waspish self today.

The good news in all of this is that I am going to see Newcastle v Liverpool on Saturday and, with Suarez banned, we won't have to play in our new emergency kit (below). 

It is of course a serious incident that has implications for the player, the club and the sport - but it is also a cracking story and a headline writer's dream. Finally you might enjoy the way the whole thing was reported on SBS in South Korea.

There are more Suarez visuals on The Guardian and The Mail websites.

Hat tip to #tomorrowspaperstoday, @suttonnick and @SimonNRicketts

Mrs Thatcher's funeral - take your pick

Covering the Margaret Thatcher funeral was always going to be tricky for some newspapers. So, full marks to The Northern Echo for this brilliant piece of creativity. The paper is publishing two front pages, one on each side of the paper. Editor Peter Barron says: "A letter is being sent to newsagents in the North-East and North Yorkshire explaining that there are two front pages on opposites sides of tomorrow's paper: one which captures the respectful tribute paid by political leaders in London; and one which shows former County Durham miners unfurling a banner condemning her economic record.
"Newsagents are free to choose which of the pages they wish to display on their shelves. I dare say, it will be the version showing the miners' protest in places such as Easington, County Durham, and the more respectful front page in the likes of Richmond, North Yorkshire." 

Brilliant stuff. Read about it here.

Elsewhere there were plenty of photos to choose from so, perhaps, surprisingly no two papers use the same one on the front page … and few use a picture of Mrs Thatcher herself.

The Daily Mail chooses the human touch with a really powerful page. Instead of the fairly safe option of the coffin, it goes for a picture that reminds us all that, amid the divisions and politics, she was still someone's mother. I imagine those who are in the anti-Thatcher camp will cringe but it is a stunning image and headline. Politics aside, this demonstrates the power of simple layout. Good design is about telling a story - which is why this works.   

The Sun goes for a wraparound - and a reverential serif headline. In the best Sun tradition though, the headline rhymes. The cutout of Mrs Thatcher rising from the bottom of the page looks a bit peculiar to me - but a strong page nonetheless.

The Times has become the master of the wraparound, although sometimes the design dictates the picture instead of the other way round. This is a case in point. The front page is strong but I'm not sure the back page adds much - plenty of steps and the backs of head.

This framed picture, on the inside supplement, is very effective though. It is a great shot - and there can be no doubt that it is of a very British occasion.

The broadsheet format lends itself to occasions such as this ... all that front page space to play with. The Daily Telegraph does it well, setting the context with an aerial shot. A great photograph and the kind of picture-use that the Independent pioneered back in the mid-80s. The Telegraph is the only paper that carries an advert on its front. I hope it charged a premium.

The Guardian goes for strong head-on shot of the coffin. The faces of the military pall-bearers capture the solemnity and, perhaps, pride of the occasion.  A Jonathan Freedland colour piece also graces Page 1.

The Independent also goes for a head-on coffin photograph, showing the expressions of the pall-bearers. A solemn and dignified picture - although perhaps overshadowed a little by the yellow titlepiece. The Indie decides that the Boston bombing is also worth Page 1.

If I expected one paper take a less than reverential approach it would have been the Daily Mirror. But the paper plays it fairly straight - taking the angle that the Queen and Prince Philip were there to pay their respects. If there is a hint of disapproval it comes in the form of the headline - Thatcher rather than Mrs Thatcher - and the fact the Mirror decides there was a more important lead.

The i goes for an aerial shot - an innovation that was used by newspapers covering the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965. It also opts for Thatcher rather than Mrs Thatcher.

The FT goes for an aerial shot too. I like the crop here - the pattern and engraving of the floor contrasting with the colour of the coffin.

In line with its policy of using young women on its front page, the Daily Star skips a generation and focuses on granddaughter Amanda. To be fair, she is a good angle. She is only 19 and spoke with composure and dignity. Interestingly, the BBC found itself leading on her late last night too.

The Daily Express chooses a picture of the coffin on the gun-carriage and trails a dispatch from inside St Paul's by author Frederick Forsyth.

Finally, even at funerals there can be moments of humour, so here is a picture which, whatever your view of Mrs Thatcher, should make you smile.

To see all of the pages and those I have missed out visit the excellent #tomorrowspaperstoday and @hendopolis