EXCLUSIVE: McGeady story sparks tension at crisis-hit Herald

EXCLUSIVE

Only one winner between old guard and ‘Young Turd’

It was the story every sports journalist had been waiting for. Known only to an elite few who browsed the internet from around 9pm on Saturday, The Herald’s Monday edition exclusively revealed that an incident had taken place shortly after Celtic’s draw with Hearts (originally described as a defeat in the newspaper story).

Having caught the rest of the recycled paper part of the industry on the hop, Herald Chief Sportswriter Hugh “Scoop” MacDonald seemed to have scored a coup for his team-mates.

However, we can exclusively reveal that the result has been internecine tension at the crisis-hit Herald.

An impeccable source, speaking on condition of anonymity said: “Darryl is fizzing. I mean how else can you describe the bubbles from his mouth and nose. He feels let down by Hugh.
“He always thought of Hugh as a kindly uncle who would offer professional guidance, try to teach him a bit of punctuation now and then and make constructive suggestions, such as what he should write and how he should write it.
“Then Hugh goes and breaks the only news story The Herald has turned up in the last three years and doesn’t even let Darryl share a byline. You’d have to ask if there’s an agenda.”

Emotions are running high at the troubled title, which has announced that almost all of its editorial staff are at risk of redundancy, prompting some to fear for their jobs.

Our source said: “We all expected Hugh to walk but now it seems that he has notions of breaking news stories before he goes. That can only undermine the rest of the sports desk staff.”

However, we can also reveal that Chief Football Writer Broadfoot, known as “Bombscare” due to his tendency to lose concentration at the most crucial times, is unbelievably one of the highest-paid members of staff at the paper. Said our mole: “He kept getting pay rises to ‘keep him happy’. He even got a rise in return for turning down a transfer to Record PM. It was all very Bobo Balde.”

Now the battle lines have been drawn and it seems that a parting of the ways is imminent but our source revealed that Broadfoot has good reason to worry:

“The trouble is that Darryl has burned a lot of bridges. It all started when he started dating pop stars like Michelle McManus. She seemed to have gone to his head.”

Now, however, having fallen out with predecessor Jim Traynor, the man who once tried to sign him for the PM, Broadfoot’s options are limited. He could theoretically remain at the Herald on reduced terms and conditions or try his luck elsewhere. However, it is thought that his lack of proficiency in English may be a handicap. A move to the internet has not been ruled out.

Both camps seemed to have passed the point of no return last night, with a reconciliation unlikely.

A source close to Broadfoot was recently heard to say: “MacDonald’s values are from the last century. [Darryl] has revolutionised sports journalism with his unique big-page-red-top style. [Darryl] can get exclusives any time I want. No less than a Knight of the Realm has assured [him] that I can have as many stories as I want.”

Friends of MacDonald said he was upset by developments.

“Hugh is adamant he has done no wrong. He was given the story by a guy – we’ll call him Mr M – on strict conditions: ‘Don’t let that wee turd Broadfoot anywhere near it.’ What else could he do?”

It now appears that Broadfoot is having his tantrum in public, ruining the story with clumsy prose. Ultimately, whoever wins, The Herald will be the loser from this undignified spat.

The Herald declined to comment officially.





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