BBC World Service - Manchester Football Sat 17th

[gary james]

I'll be interviewed tomorrow at 6.30pm (UK time) on the BBC World Service as part of a sports programme (I think it's called Sportsworld Have Your Say). This will be a phone in about Manchester football and it'd be good for people on the forum to listen in and perhaps make a call.

I've been asked to say the same sort of stuff that I said on Radio 5live the other morning, so it'll be factual stuff on both clubs focusing on the current position and whether Manchester football will dominate this year.

(There's a link to the radio 5 interview and to some of the other stuff I've done on my facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/GaryJames4 )

[Beefymcfc]

Cheers Gary, I'll try and have a listen out but if we miss it I'll give that face-thingy a click.

Out of interest, I know you do a lot of interviews but do they compensate you in any way?

[Wonderwall]

Cheers Gary, I'll try and have a listen out but if we miss it I'll give that face-thingy a click.

Out of interest, I know you do a lot of interviews but do they compensate you in any way?

I would guess that the chance to promote himself and the books is a form of compensation for time spent.

[Beefymcfc]

Cheers Gary, I'll try and have a listen out but if we miss it I'll give that face-thingy a click.

Out of interest, I know you do a lot of interviews but do they compensate you in any way?

I would guess that the chance to promote himself and the books is a form of compensation for time spent.

I suppose mate, but if I'd put so much time and effort into it, I'd want something back as well. I also suppose that by diversifying into the Manchester element rather than just Manchester City makes him quite a few more notes as well.

[BobbyJ1956]

Out of interest, I know you do a lot of interviews but do they compensate you in any way?[/quote]

I would guess that the chance to promote himself and the books is a form of compensation for time spent.[/quote]

I suppose mate, but if I'd put so much time and effort into it, I'd want something back as well. I also suppose that by diversifying into the Manchester element rather than just Manchester City makes him quite a few more notes as well.[/quote]

Agreed, though if it were me I'd have to hold my nose a bit while doing the stuff from the dark side. Not sure we get World Service radio in the U.S. any more, used to be the only way to follow games before satellite TV, but I'll try to find it and listen.

[Wonderwall]

Cheers Gary, I'll try and have a listen out but if we miss it I'll give that face-thingy a click.

Out of interest, I know you do a lot of interviews but do they compensate you in any way?

I would guess that the chance to promote himself and the books is a form of compensation for time spent.

I suppose mate, but if I'd put so much time and effort into it, I'd want something back as well. I also suppose that by diversifying into the Manchester element rather than just Manchester City makes him quite a few more notes as well.

Especially from Asia :-)

[Patrick]

Out of interest, I know you do a lot of interviews but do they compensate you in any way?[/quote

I would guess that the chance to promote himself and the books is a form of compensation for time spent.[/quote

I suppose mate, but if I'd put so much time and effort into it, I'd want something back as well. I also suppose that by diversifying into the Manchester element rather than just Manchester City makes him quite a few more notes as well.[/quote

Agreed, though if it were me I'd have to hold my nose a bit while doing the stuff from the dark side. Not sure we get World Service radio in the U.S. any more, used to be the only way to follow games before satellite TV, but I'll try to find it and listen.

How much effort did it take to mess up quoting this well?

It's one of the things I love about this site, now matter how Neanderthal I am, especially with technology........

[ant london]

It's a good programme that Sportsworld Have Your Say thing. Don't know whether the non-UK folk know this but BBC World now has quite a lot of good footie content on it. There's a Football Focus, Final Score and this programme that Gary refers to.

They had the guy who runs the Mad Hatter in NYC on a phone in on that the other week actually

[gary james]

Firstly, thanks for the comments.

I'm going to suggest they get me on again to talk specifically about City's development - that should be an interesting one. Funnily enough they were the only radio show/media outlet that has talked to me with a genuine interest in hearing a balanced view point so far. So that was good.

Now... pay! No. I've never been paid a penny for appearing on any radio/TV show. In 1993 I was paid my travel expenses (2nd class rail) to go down to London to do a 5 minute interview with John Inverdale about my biography of Joe Mercer "Football With A Smile", but apart from that I've never received any payment for these type of interviews, calls etc.

There are 2 reasons I do them - 1 is to get a small amount of publicity for my books (though loooking at sales figures and orders I've never seen a direct correlation between radio and book sales). The other reason is to ensure City's position in football is given the attention it deserves. I have actually been asked on to shows to give a negative slant on City and have always refused to do this (it usually happens when a manager like Mark Hughes is sacked or a CEO is caught out or similar), which is probably why I've not been asked on too many shows!

The BBC World Service show can still be listened to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003wx92

It's the one for the 17th - I'm on during the first ten minutes. They also have a facebook page for comments.

Thanks to anyone who listened. Incidentally, I'm now invited on as a Manchester expert and I think that's great news for City as this does allow a balanced viewpoint - I've been researching and writing about all Manchester clubs for over 20 years as I reckon it's the only way to truly get to grips with the history of one particular club. Hopefully anyone who has read "Manchester A Football History" will have gained something about City and Manchester in general that cannot be gained from reading a pure City book.

Thanks again.