Lee Blease

This guy seems to have thrown his toys out of his pram with the club.  As I understand it, he used to take a lot of photos of Town games and let the club have use of them.  However, he has done it for free - though presumably he has got into games for free and been allowed pitch side to pursue his hobby.  In fact the club started paying his travel expenses too.  Seems like he then asked the club to pay him a wage and the club said they didn’t have budget for an extra photographer.  They also said his social media profile wasn’t suitable.  He’s now having a pop at the club and saying he won’t go to another game.

He’s a great photographer but basically he has asked the club to pay him so that he can pursue his hobby.  Why should the club pay him?  He’s creating a stir and in my view has no reason to be unhappy.

The bigger issue is Lee is citing being called "undesirable" due to his social media presence (he's a bit shouty n sweary that's all really) plus he retaliated at some supporters when he was verbally and physically abused.
In any role an employer will check your socials, even who I work for told me this, what you put online has consequences and Lee's finding out the consequences for himself

Hobby or not, the club have profited from his previously unpaid work either directly through selling programmes, calendars, kits etc. or indirectly through using his photos across their social media platforms for years. Out of order that he wasn’t getting paid for that in the first place - nobody should ever work for free.

Looks like there’ll be a different photographer and the reasons for that decision are for the club, but you can’t deny the club have benefited from the work of a talented photographer and not paid the going rate.

Saw this last night. Not sure what the full story is but it will be a real shame if he feels he can't even support the club anymore. He's a great photographer and I've always appreciated the moments that he's captured.

Quite a few on Twitter are saying that the new owners are pushing people away. I've always felt that the club needed to be dragged into a competitive shape on and off the field and I accepted there'd be casualties, but perhaps they've been too ruthless for some.

Whatever has happened in this instance, I hope Lee looks after himself and can return to BP in the future.

Always thought he comes across as a bit of a tool. That said, i dont blame him for one second for asking to be paid for his work

Quoted from Hagrid

Always thought he comes across as a bit of a tool. That said, i dont blame him for one second for asking to be paid for his work

I also don't blame the club for deciding to take their business elsewhere if that's what they want to do should they pay for it. Lee's photos are good but so are Jon Corken's. I also don't believe that they told him that he's "undesireable" personally.

Not sure what all the fuss is about to be honest. He’s asked to be paid for what he does and the club have said we can’t pay you. There’s already someone in a paid position and another volunteer photographer. Maybe the club could help to sell some of his prints out of goodwill but they’re not going to create a job that isn’t part of the business plan. As with all things these days the response is to take to social media to create a drama and have all your mates jump in to support you.

Seems he's asked to be paid, that's fair enough. The club have said no thanks and he's packed it in. Also fair enough. Disappointing for him and the fine work he has done but what's the issue beyond that?

Some loony tune replies on Twitter about the club having a "dangerous agenda" and being like a cult. WTF? The club needed change, anyone feeling threatened by the progress the club has made in the past 18 months needs to take a look at themselves.

Lee is a great lad. He’s in the armed services and travels to Town games from away to cover games with high quality photography.

There are three or four decent photographers at BP and at also at away games. Jon, Paul, Anne and Lee. And also another guy called Dave who lives in the East Mids, that also gets involved sometimes. Haven’t seen Paul around for a while though

I’m not entirely sure what the financial arrangements are for these people, and don’t know who is paid and who is voluntary. But it would appear that Lee has now reached the stage where he feels that should be remunerated for his services in addition to his travel expenses.

He’s also implied that he’s been told by someone at the club that he’s an undesirable character. And he’s been quite specific in the words that he’s chosen. But, I guess that the club should be allowed to clarify if they have actually used that term to describe him, or whether that’s the interpretation that he’s applied to their communication with him. But, he’s clearly upset about things in order to have taken to social network in his angst. Wouldn’t surprise me if the club provides some clarification on this from their point of view.

Lee and the other photographers were all very supportive of the womens team, during my spell there, and I know that they all gave up sone of their own time voluntarily at some stage. And I was very grateful for that.

A real shame he’s not going to be snapping any longer though, because the quality of his work was superb and I really enjoyed his work.

So he got to pursue his hobby on club expenses then decided he wanted a wage too, got told no and spat his dummy out. See ya later pal.

Plenty of good photographers in the area that would love to have had the opportunities that the club has given Lee.

This has got the makings of blowing up into a bit of a row on a few levels.

Allowing Lee to take and use photographs for years without paying him? That is Fentyesque. I understand its his hobby but even so.

Lee says he retaliated when subject to abuse/being spat at/had objects thrown whilst doing his work and the club therefore deem him "unsuitable " which seems harsh. It is obvious they want a certain type of person they want to be associated with (rules me out) but the GTFC family is a very broad one with I would suggest a minority of Guardian readers so they need to tread a fine line.

So far we only have Lee's side of the story so we will have to see if the club respond.

Quoted from pizzzza

So he got to pursue his hobby on club expenses then decided he wanted a wage too, got told no and spat his dummy out. See ya later pal.

Plenty of good photographers in the area that would love to have had the opportunities that the club has given Lee.

Maybe the club chef enjoys cooking - should he do it for free and be grateful for the opportunity?

Quoted from ska face

Maybe the club chef enjoys cooking - should he do it for free and be grateful for the opportunity?

Maybe the club would let a chef work for free if the chef wanted to and agreed to do that, just like Lee wanted to and agreed to work for free up until the point when he decided he wanted a wage.

This is going to split the fans straight down the middle!

For me, from the information we have, looking from the outside in no-one is in the wrong (except maybe the comment towards Lee from the club).
He did it for free (I assume he offered to do it as its his passion) he then got travel expenses paid for him. Result. Get to follow the mighty mariners free of charge and get to be pitch side. He then asks to be paid (no harm in it, don't ask, don't get) the club say no and give a reason why (slightly sensitive I guess). He walks away.
It is a shame as, although I don't know Lee personally he clearly is a massive fan and you see that when town score. Hopefully in time the club will reach out and make him feel more at ease and understand the situation so he can continue to follow Grimsby home and away (if/when he can and wants to)

These things happen in all employment/volunteer services. There is a fine line between the two. It’s a club decision not to pay him and it’s his decision to walk , without a middle ground agreement then that’s the end of the matter . Move on

Not sure I can comment on how/why this has happened and who said what as we’ve only heard one side of the story and clearly there’s a couple of strands to it, remuneration, retaliation, social media behaviours etc…

Inevitability things come to an end but it’s just a shame that it looks like this has happened with some real ill feeling on Lee’s part. Those suggesting the club are generally behaving badly towards people who have departed also need to understand both sides. Bringing Town up to a proper professional level was always going to be a bit painful for some.

However it’s the clubs choice who they get to take the pictures as much as it’s the photographers choice who they give their work to. Yes it helps a club make money with merchandise sales but also it does raise the snappers profile by getting it published, it’s generally an equitable arrangement.

I think Lee should be commended for the quality of his work but I just wonder if the club wanted someone who could make every game and clearly Lee’s work commitments with the Navy (something else he should be commended for BTW) may mean that won’t always be possible.

One observation is that Lee posting his views on Twitter might just illustrate one of the reasons the club aren’t completely comfortable with him as a representative, only the club can answer that and so far they’ve not chosen to comment, personally I wouldn’t expect them to.

Any particular reasons he’s now started to ask for pay for his work? One might argue he fell foul of the old regimes ability to get people to work for free. More fool him. He’s clearly assumed this lot will hand out cash for work and they haven’t.

There’s obviously been an issue to which he’s obviously retaliated like a goon and reflective or not, they’ve decided that it’s not acceptable. I know some have said his social media is ‘shouty’, interesting phrase, I can think of others.

Those morons calling it a cult clearly don’t see the irony. Of course his mates will rally around, that’s expected. I’ve said all along, when the take over happened, I’d have gotten rid of the lot. Too
To bottom.

He’ll live and learn…

I’ll tell you why I feel I should be paid.

Firstly it’s not a hobby, I am a full time professional photographer this is how I earn a living and pay my bills.

It costs me money to photograph games for the club. The club uses my imagery commercially, on the website, social media, matchday programmes etc.

Some of the types of cost incurred by me are as follows:

Camera Equipment
Equipment Insurance
Computer Equipment
Public Liability Insurance
Software Subscriptions
Data Charges
Online Storage
Travel

All of this is expensive, and equipment regularly needs updating.

Prior to a match I spend time creating captions, squad lists and managing digital asset management software to enable me to caption each image with correct metadata to full press standards. This allows for the images to be correctly archived and managed correctly.

On a matchday, all of the above is rechecked and updated to avoid any mistakes. During the game I am capturing, editing, captioning and transmitting images to the club to be used live on the club’s social media accounts. Speed is essential here and I’m sure that you can imagine during a fast-paced game where we are scoring goals and winning its very intense and a hard work. Their seems to be a misconception that we are sat there watching and enjoying the match, this is not the case, its very busy.

After the match, I will collate all of my imagery, check that all the metadata is correct and complete any editing corrections that need to be made. All of the imagery is then uploaded to my website and a link is sent to the club for access. All of this can take a number of hours.

I asked to be fairly compensated for this. The response was that theirs only a budget for one person and it won’t be me, because the club don’t want to be associated with my social media behaviour and the fact I retaliated after being spat on, which was nothing more than me shouting at the people who did it. Not sure what I’ve allegedly done on social media, and they wouldn’t give me an answer. Ok I take the urine and sometimes it’s a bit close to the bone for todays easily offended society but I genuinely don’t believe I’ve done anything bad. I never comment on the club or criticise  them publicly.

We must be the only Matchday staff that have to spend our own money to provide a service/product for the club (that they profit from) who don’t get compensated for it, it’s not right considering the costs and efforts it takes to deliver it.

So rightly so I’m a bit annoyed about it and I have decided that I will no longer be doing it.

Im not the only Club Photographer that has decided to walk away from it.

Lee

UTM

If Fenty did this he’d get slaughtered. Just like he did over Mighty when he found out he got paid.
But hey, it’s the new owners so therefore it’s absolutely fine.
I like the new regime far far more than Fenty. But believe it or not they don’t get everything right you know !  
UTM

I also know a lad who did very much what Lee did in the early 90s is back in town, and I’ve seen him around BP on match days…left town, lived in Turin, was Juventus’ official photographer for a significant amount of time…could he be joining the ranks?

Quoted from Civvy at last

If Fenty did this he’d get slaughtered. Just like he did over Mighty when he found out he got paid.
But hey, it’s the new owners so therefore it’s absolutely fine.
I like the new regime far far more than Fenty. But believe it or not they don’t get everything right you know !  
UTM

Fenty did do this, on more than one occasion, but why didn’t the person that’s been released ask Fenty for money?

Let’s face it, this has nothing to do with money really…

Two sides to every story, one has chosen to air theirs, that’s their choice, the other hasn’t.

Not even sure it’s a big issue, only for those involved.

Works both ways imho, yes he’s good at what he does - and giving up his time and expense over the years, particularly now - he may feel he wants to be remunerated more ‘fairly’ - fair enough. But you have to counteract that with he’s willingly pursued what he’s done over the years, his choice of words and the way this has come out borne of frustration/emotion perhaps - and you could pick holes in his ‘argument’ - all well and good speaking bad of club and new broom - and there isn’t any ‘evidence’ as yet of what has supposedly been said - if it has been said I’d hope it’s been put together better  than the account given thus far - but also as much as the individual has issues with the club gaining from his work - he himself has been able to raise his profile, sell photos/frames via his website with Town pretty much the focal point. Cuts both ways.

Think emotionally things have come out, understand he’s emotional/gutted/distraught ..rightly so..who wouldn’t be after all the years and time? But maybe could’ve been handled better ?

Hopefully he’ll find a resolution one way or another, or go continue his forces work,RN photography, do some more sport stuff elsewhere and put it down to experience. And maybe in the future there’ll be an Avenue back when he leaves forces/sets up on his own, and he feels he can support/return.

Either way - good luck.

Quoted from MarinerRN

I’ll tell you why I feel I should be paid.

Firstly it’s not a hobby, I am a full time professional photographer this is how I earn a living and pay my bills.

It costs me money to photograph games for the club. The club uses my imagery commercially, on the website, social media, matchday programmes etc.

Some of the types of cost incurred by me are as follows:

Camera Equipment
Equipment Insurance
Computer Equipment
Public Liability Insurance
Software Subscriptions
Data Charges
Online Storage
Travel

All of this is expensive, and equipment regularly needs updating.

Prior to a match I spend time creating captions, squad lists and managing digital asset management software to enable me to caption each image with correct metadata to full press standards. This allows for the images to be correctly archived and managed correctly.

On a matchday, all of the above is rechecked and updated to avoid any mistakes. During the game I am capturing, editing, captioning and transmitting images to the club to be used live on the club’s social media accounts. Speed is essential here and I’m sure that you can imagine during a fast-paced game where we are scoring goals and winning its very intense and a hard work. Their seems to be a misconception that we are sat there watching and enjoying the match, this is not the case, its very busy.

After the match, I will collate all of my imagery, check that all the metadata is correct and complete any editing corrections that need to be made. All of the imagery is then uploaded to my website and a link is sent to the club for access. All of this can take a number of hours.

I asked to be fairly compensated for this. The response was that theirs only a budget for one person and it won’t be me, because the club don’t want to be associated with my social media behaviour and the fact I retaliated after being spat on, which was nothing more than me shouting at the people who did it. Not sure what I’ve allegedly done on social media, and they wouldn’t give me an answer. Ok I take the urine and sometimes it’s a bit close to the bone for todays easily offended society but I genuinely don’t believe I’ve done anything bad. I never comment on the club or criticise  them publicly.

We must be the only Matchday staff that have to spend our own money to provide a service/product for the club (that they profit from) who don’t get compensated for it, it’s not right considering the costs and efforts it takes to deliver it.

So rightly so I’m a bit annoyed about it and I have decided that I will no longer be doing it.

Im not the only Club Photographer that has decided to walk away from it.

Lee

UTM

The thing is though, you did all of that for years for free (and fair play to you) but now you’ve asked to be paid the club can’t do it. The question is, why didn’t you ask sooner if it was such a big issue?

Granted the club should’ve covered the subject sooner, but if they’d told you last year to stop showing up for free you’d have no doubt been on here kicking off about that too, they can’t win.

The work you’ve done is brilliant, no doubt about that, but not sure how the club is as in the wrong as you’ve painted them to be.

Anyone doing anything for the club or business represents that business. Just because the individual sees no wrong in their social media posts doesn’t mean the club won’t.

I had an active Twitter for years and went after the club, Fenty et al regularly, I changed my job and respectfully quietened down then removed it altogether.

We’ve a girl at work who does ring girl work for boxing, she realised her social media is a vehicle for promoting herself but also recognised it not sensible given her job, the solution? Create two accounts using both her stage name and actual name.

That’s the world we live in. This would be no different at any other club. It’s neither a dig at the individual or the club in this case, it’s simply what happens.


People will pick holes in either sides story, that always happens…

Ultimately he took on a voluntary role. I doubt the club approached him about it when he started, I imagine he approached them to see if he could do it on a voluntary basis, so he knew full well what he was signing up for.

I've done something similar in the past to build up experience in a career path I wanted to go down and if I had asked for money I'm certain I would have got the same response.

The part about being undesirable is obviously the main talking point, but it's one side's version of the story.

Lee, you seem like a good bloke. It always makes me smile seeing you and knowing of your link to the town and club. You are an excellent photographer and sadly I will miss seeing your photos associated with GTFC.

I can’t get on board with the way you’ve gone about expressing yourself online. You’re a professional photographer and get paid for it - if you choose to do freelance work on the side that’s up to you. The fact you’ve chosen to do such a great job for free for so many years is commendable. You have now asked to be paid though which is fine, and the club have said no, which is also fine. That should be the end of the matter really.

This has just led to the usual know-it-alls claiming it “isn’t very B-Corp”, it’s “Fenty-esque” and “not a good look” etc. I don’t think being a B-Corp company is any way linked to creating paid jobs that don’t exist.

The club really haven’t done anything wrong here. I hope you can heal from this quickly and get back to BP as a supporter ASAP, I’m sure you will be more than welcome by everyone.

UTM.

Quoted from quebec38

Lee, you seem like a good bloke. It always makes me smile seeing you and knowing of your link to the town and club. You are an excellent photographer and sadly I will miss seeing your photos associated with GTFC.

I can’t get on board with the way you’ve gone about expressing yourself online. You’re a professional photographer and get paid for it - if you choose to do freelance work on the side that’s up to you. The fact you’ve chosen to do such a great job for free for so many years is commendable. You have now asked to be paid though which is fine, and the club have said no, which is also fine. That should be the end of the matter really.

This has just led to the usual know-it-alls claiming it “isn’t very B-Corp”, it’s “Fenty-sequel” and “not a good look” etc. I don’t think being a B-Corp company is any way linked to creating paid jobs that don’t exist.

The club really haven’t done anything wrong here. I hope you can heal from this quickly and get back to BP as a supporter ASAP, I’m sure you will be more than welcome by everyone.

UTM.

The irony of those saying it’s ‘not very B Corp’ is that it’s exactly that…B corp, as you say, isn’t about just creating a job because a volunteer now wants remuneration for their role but it is about people being professional and having non political social media etc. the way people behave and the likes but also how the organisation responds…

Quoted from pontoonlew

The thing is though, you did all of that for years for free (and fair play to you) but now you’ve asked to be paid the club can’t do it. The question is, why didn’t you ask sooner if it was such a big issue?

Granted the club should’ve covered the subject sooner, but if they’d told you last year to stop showing up for free you’d have no doubt been on here kicking off about that too, they can’t win.

The work you’ve done is brilliant, no doubt about that, but not sure how the club is as in the wrong as you’ve painted them to be.

That is a very fair point

Quoted from aldi_01

The irony of those saying it’s ‘not very B Corp’ is that it’s exactly that…B corp, as you say, isn’t about just creating a job because a volunteer now wants remuneration for their role but it is about people being professional and having non political social media etc. the way people behave and the likes but also how the organisation responds…

But it’s  absolutely fine for the owner to write articles in the Guardian proclaiming his views.
If the club don’t want to pay Lea for budget reasons that is absolutely fine. Their choice.
To not do it because of his social media absolutely stinks.
They didn’t have a problem with his social media when he was doing it for free !!!
If you don’t lean to the left you ain’t coming in ???
Bring on the red crosses guys

Quoted from aldi_01

The irony of those saying it’s ‘not very B Corp’ is that it’s exactly that…B corp, as you say, isn’t about just creating a job because a volunteer now wants remuneration for their role but it is about people being professional and having non political social media etc. the way people behave and the likes but also how the organisation responds…

What's not very B-Corp is banging on about mental health and then telling people they are undesirable.

Quoted from aldi_01

I also know a lad who did very much what Lee did in the early 90s is back in town, and I’ve seen him around BP on match days…left town, lived in Turin, was Juventus’ official photographer for a significant amount of time…could he be joining the ranks?

He’ll be used to the club colours, that’s probably where the comparison ends TBH.

Quoted from MarinerRN

I’ll tell you why I feel I should be paid.

Firstly it’s not a hobby, I am a full time professional photographer this is how I earn a living and pay my bills.

It costs me money to photograph games for the club. The club uses my imagery commercially, on the website, social media, matchday programmes etc.

Some of the types of cost incurred by me are as follows:

Camera Equipment
Equipment Insurance
Computer Equipment
Public Liability Insurance
Software Subscriptions
Data Charges
Online Storage
Travel

All of this is expensive, and equipment regularly needs updating.

Prior to a match I spend time creating captions, squad lists and managing digital asset management software to enable me to caption each image with correct metadata to full press standards. This allows for the images to be correctly archived and managed correctly.

On a matchday, all of the above is rechecked and updated to avoid any mistakes. During the game I am capturing, editing, captioning and transmitting images to the club to be used live on the club’s social media accounts. Speed is essential here and I’m sure that you can imagine during a fast-paced game where we are scoring goals and winning its very intense and a hard work. Their seems to be a misconception that we are sat there watching and enjoying the match, this is not the case, its very busy.

After the match, I will collate all of my imagery, check that all the metadata is correct and complete any editing corrections that need to be made. All of the imagery is then uploaded to my website and a link is sent to the club for access. All of this can take a number of hours.

I asked to be fairly compensated for this. The response was that theirs only a budget for one person and it won’t be me, because the club don’t want to be associated with my social media behaviour and the fact I retaliated after being spat on, which was nothing more than me shouting at the people who did it. Not sure what I’ve allegedly done on social media, and they wouldn’t give me an answer. Ok I take the urine and sometimes it’s a bit close to the bone for todays easily offended society but I genuinely don’t believe I’ve done anything bad. I never comment on the club or criticise  them publicly.

We must be the only Matchday staff that have to spend our own money to provide a service/product for the club (that they profit from) who don’t get compensated for it, it’s not right considering the costs and efforts it takes to deliver it.

So rightly so I’m a bit annoyed about it and I have decided that I will no longer be doing it.

Im not the only Club Photographer that has decided to walk away from it.

Lee

UTM

Not very impressed with this lad’s behaviour.

No-one is doubting it’s a skill and you’ve been very helpful to the club I’m sure given your voluntary/expense based work.

It’s your right to stop volunteering your services, which I presume have also worked in your favour in getting to see games for free and having had your travel expenses paid?

It seems the club have been very good over the years in allowing you to have privileged access to do something that you enjoy. But it’s also the right of the club not to want to decide to employ you for a service they’re already getting anyway from club staff that they employ.

Clearly your wobbler on social media shows it’s hurt your ego, there was no need to publicly kick off in the way you have and shows the club are probably right in their conclusions.

Your also now on twitter slagging off those on the fishy who dont agree with you…. Maybe best to just keep your mouth shut

Quoted from jamesgtfc

What's not very B-Corp is banging on about mental health and then telling people they are undesirable.

Undesirable in the context of the role and the clubs vision is a very different thing to saying someone is an undesirable…

Quoted from Hagrid

Your also now on twitter slagging off those on the fishy who dont agree with you…. Maybe best to just keep your mouth shut

Proving the clubs point somewhat…

Quoted from davmariner

Not very impressed with this lad’s behaviour.

No-one is doubting it’s a skill and you’ve been very helpful to the club I’m sure given your voluntary/expense based work.

It’s your right to stop volunteering your services, which I presume have also worked in your favour in getting to see games for free and having had your travel expenses paid?

It seems the club have been very good over the years in allowing you to have privileged access to do something that you enjoy. But it’s also the right of the club not to want to decide to employ you for a service they’re already getting anyway from club staff that they employ.

Clearly your wobbler on social media shows it’s hurt your ego, there was no need to publicly kick off in the way you have and shows the club are probably right in their conclusions.

Entirely Lee’s choice to go public or otherwise. There’s others who have left the club who have chosen to keep their powder dry.

Firstly Lee is clearly very good at what he does, and he does deserve respect for that, and I see no evidence that the club have not respected that, and ironically as stated above maybe the fact that Lee has chosen to go public with this on social media is the reason why the club has made the decision not to employ him on a permanent basis.

The way I see it, if I was good at gardening, and I enjoyed it, my local church has quite a nice lawn and garden, so if I offered to spend a few hours a week doing some gardening for them and making sure it all looks nice, they paid me petrol money but I paid for the chemicals and other things needed, and I was happy with that arrangement, and it happened for a long time, if I all of a sudden decided that I wanted paying for it on a permanent basis, would I expect the church to do that?

I don't think Lee was told he wouldn't be paid for budget reasons; I believe I read earlier in this post that there was only one position for a photographer in the plan and that position was already filled.

Look at it this way; you volunteer your time to build up your experience in the football industry in the same line of work as your 9-5. You do this for years and it's fine because the club doesn't have any money to hire people.

I'm not saying the roles we've created in the last 18 months are unnecessary but I can see why that might make people think they should have some money for what they previously done for nothing.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Look at it this way; you volunteer your time to build up your experience in the football industry in the same line of work as your 9-5. You do this for years and it's fine because the club doesn't have any money to hire people.

I'm not saying the roles we've created in the last 18 months are unnecessary but I can see why that might make people think they should have some money for what they previously done for nothing.

We’ve got a paid photographer though? Why do we need another? If they guy wants to do it because he enjoys it and he’s helping the club he loves fine, but don’t try and create a pile on/throw a wobbler when it’s clear the reasons why he isn’t being employed.

Quoted from davmariner

We’ve got a paid photographer though? Why do we need another? If they guy wants to do it because he enjoys it and he’s helping the club he loves fine, but don’t try and create a pile on/throw a wobbler when it’s clear the reasons why he isn’t being employed.

Loads of reasons why you need multiple. The pitch is large and different angles show different things. One photographer can't capture everything.

I'm balanced enough to see it from both sides and if you knew how much his equipment cost, you might have a different view as to why he retaliated at fans running over his stuff.

He's a good bloke and a passionate Town.

I'm bowled over that he wasn't on the club's books in some kind of official capacity. His photography is great and deserves to be paid for.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Loads of reasons why you need multiple. The pitch is large and different angles show different things. One photographer can't capture everything.

I'm balanced enough to see it from both sides and if you knew how much his equipment cost, you might have a different view as to why he retaliated at fans running over his stuff.

Do we really need to capture absolutely everything though? Just some key photos of the team in action is good enough. A photographer can move around the outskirts of the pitch to capture different angles as well.

We’re Grimsby Town in League 2, we don’t need to be paying multiple photographers for taking photos, largely those photos are for club use, we’re not exactly populating photos on the sports page of national newspapers.

I don’t know anything about the incident your talking about, but looking at the guy’s social media page, the public bad language is enough to put any normal employer off at due diligence stage.

To be completely fair though you can't pick and choose when a moral objection kicks in, it should be binary.

Either said persons social media is unacceptable or not. It can't be acceptable whilst you benefit from it for free then suddenly become unacceptable were it to cost you something.

I did it for years for free because I wasn’t a professional photographer, I didn’t have professional equipment that costs me a lot of money, It didn’t at the time cost me much to do it. Times change and now it does cost me money to do it, and I do it properly. I didn’t ask for a lot of money, after tax it would only cover my costs, I wouldn’t be making any profit from it. It’s not about making money, it’s about being fairly compensated for providing a service that the club benefits from at my personal expense.

I had hoped with the positive changes the club have made in this new era that the situation would change. Sadly it hasn’t worked out for me.

I’ve not asked for or done anything unreasonable or shown any malice. Just made a statement that I think it’s unfair and I won’t be doing it anymore.

I asked to be paid, they said no, I’m not happy with the reasoning behind it and now I’ve made a personal decision to not do it anymore.

Doesn’t really warrant me getting any abuse for it.

Let me get this straight…

1. Lee is a full-time professional photographer so the majority of his expenditure is sunk costs. The actual outlay is Lee’s time (but he would have been going to the matches anyway), travel and tickets - some of these have been paid for by the Club in the past.

2. Under Fenty, Lee provided his services for free

3. Lee has now asked the Club for payment.

4. Club say they can’t afford it and conscious of Lee’s social media presence.

5. Lee then goes all snowflake bokeh effect on social media and proves the Club right.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Loads of reasons why you need multiple. The pitch is large and different angles show different things. One photographer can't capture everything.

I'm balanced enough to see it from both sides and if you knew how much his equipment cost, you might have a different view as to why he retaliated at fans running over his stuff.

You don’t have to know anything about photography to know the gear is expensive…and I don’t think anyone is disagreeing necessarily with the reaction but gear is insured and there are better ways to react to stuff…

It's all a bit petty and boring. Social media being used to blow up a person's grievance. Nothing to do with anyone else so why use social media to promote it ?

Quoted from Son of Cod

I'm bowled over that he wasn't on the club's books in some kind of official capacity. His photography is great and deserves to be paid for.

You know about the old regime don’t you?

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Let me get this straight…

1. Lee is a full-time professional photographer so the majority of his expenditure is sunk costs. The actual outlay is Lee’s time (but he would have been going to the matches anyway), travel and tickets - some of these have been paid for by the Club in the past.

2. Under Fenty, Lee provided his services for free

3. Lee has now asked the Club for payment.

4. Club say they can’t afford it and conscious of Lee’s social media presence.

5. Lee then goes all snowflake bokeh effect on social media and proves the Club right.

Probably not the best phrase give who Lee works for.

Quoted from aldi_01

You know about the old regime don’t you?

Bit of a pointless comment. We all know what we’ve lost/gained by the change of regime and we’re now 18 months on. This just smacks of poor communication/management of a situation and someone having the balls to call it out.

The fact it’s now out on social media escalates matters and I’m sure Lee knew it would.

Quoted from aldi_01

You don’t have to know anything about photography to know the gear is expensive…and I don’t think anyone is disagreeing necessarily with the reaction but gear is insured and there are better ways to react to stuff…

Your house and car are insured, maybe someone should come and cause some damage to those?

The thing that interests me is the wording he has used in his Tweet, whereby he has said that some of his actions "makes me undesirable and the club don't want to be associated with me"
. I wonder if that is actually the words used by someone at the club? Is this something implied about him to the cliub? Or is this merely the impression he has formed of the club's impression of him? If it isn't something that has actually been said to him, then he is very wrong to suggest it has been said.

That's the bit for me that is probably the most important bit that needs clarity, given that he has said this on social network. Because if the club haven't said this or implied this, then its maybe unfair to suggest they have.

If the club don't want to pay another photographer because they don't deem that cost an appropriate use  of revenue, then fair enough, that's a business decision. In which case we will just have to enjoy the photo's taken by the other photographers including the one retained with payment. I believe Paul Burgess has also stopped doing photography for the club too this season. Hope he is okay as he is a smashing guy too.

Quoted from Hagrid

Your also now on twitter slagging off those on the fishy who dont agree with you…. Maybe best to just keep your mouth shut

You did start off calling the bloke a tool out of nowhere, fair’s fair.

Anyway, maybe best if this thread got locked now everyone’s got the Sunday morning boredom out of our systems.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Bit of a pointless comment. We all know what we’ve lost/gained by the change of regime and we’re now 18 months on. This just smacks of poor communication/management of a situation and someone having the balls to call it out.

The fact it’s now out on social media escalates matters and I’m sure Lee knew it would.

I’m not sure what it smacks of as like us all we’ve not heard from the club.

It’s a shame as Lee’s a good lad and Town through & through but it’s the clubs choice who they want to pay to do things. It’s never nice to be on the receiving end of a knock back but it happens.

Quoted from ska face

You did start off calling the bloke a tool out of nowhere, fair’s fair.

Anyway, maybe best if this thread got locked now everyone’s got the Sunday morning boredom out of our systems.

I think his social media posts come across like that though admittedly i dont know the bloke

Quoted from Hagrid

I think his social media posts come across like that though admittedly i dont know the bloke

Not sure it’s wise to judge someone by their social media posts without knowing them in person.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Not sure it’s wise to judge someone by their social media posts without knowing them in person.

I’d agree with this, on Twitter I’m an even bigger 🔔🔚 than I am in here. I’m sure this post will get plenty of ticks in agreement 😂

Quoted from Civvy at last

But it’s  absolutely fine for the owner to write articles in the Guardian proclaiming his views.
If the club don’t want to pay Lea for budget reasons that is absolutely fine. Their choice.
To not do it because of his social media absolutely stinks.
They didn’t have a problem with his social media when he was doing it for free !!!
If you don’t lean to the left you ain’t coming in ???
Bring on the red crosses guys

I don’t find the content of Stockwood’s copy in The Guardian ‘left’. If you read the comments below the articles, he usually gets accused of being Tory scum.

Add in a few words randomly in CAPITAL LETTERS and a couple of references to Diana and Jason’s pieces could be transplanted to the pages of The Mail, without stirring their comment trolls.

Quoted from pizzzza

So he got to pursue his hobby on club expenses then decided he wanted a wage too, got told no and spat his dummy out. See ya later pal.

Plenty of good photographers in the area that would love to have had the opportunities that the club has given Lee.

I think you will find if he was being paid expenses then it was only a recent offer, he has been doing it for a few seasons without expenses. Plus I don't think it could be classed as a real hobby if the club were profiting from it.

Surely being a volunteer for so many years is the point that, now he has decided he wants it changing. The club have said they can’t pay him, fair enough. He states now he’s profyhis gear and costs are more expensive but that’s not the clubs fault. His choice. Also I guess that Lee was lucky enough to go to every playoff game last season unlike thousands of us who couldn’t get a ticket. He certainly got some great perks volunteering in my eyes.

"Just a bit of casual abuse and total lack of understanding of the situation. Standard stuff."

People do not agree with the way you have handled the situation, so that means they lack of understanding of the situation does it?

No one has criticised you for asking to be paid. You've been criticised for your response i.e. the stirring on social media, effectively proving the club's point.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

I don’t find the content of Stockwood’s copy in The Guardian ‘left’. If you read the comments below the articles, he usually gets accused of being Tory scum.

Add in a few words randomly in CAPITAL LETTERS and a couple of references to Diana and Jason’s pieces could be transplanted to the pages of The Mail, without stirring their comment trolls.

Another classic example of people not really understanding politics but airing their views. That’s their right but you’d think folk would try and actually find out definitions etc before shouting their mouth off.

Seems these days that if you’re not right wing/conservative then you must be a left wing loon…all he’s ever done in the Guardian is state facts and offer his informed opinion…

As the old adage goes there's two sides to every story. In simple terms for me I far more trust our current custodian's to make a considered judgement than the last one. I do not know Lee personally but I have always thought of him as a great photographer and anyone who serves will get respect from me.
However I do hope the club don't feel the need to make a "statement" based on his twitter post. He made his point now lets move on.

Quoted from ska face

Hobby or not, the club have profited from his previously unpaid work either directly through selling programmes, calendars, kits etc. or indirectly through using his photos across their social media platforms for years. Out of order that he wasn’t getting paid for that in the first place - nobody should ever work for free.

Looks like there’ll be a different photographer and the reasons for that decision are for the club, but you can’t deny the club have benefited from the work of a talented photographer and not paid the going rate.

His choice to take photos of games and his hobby.

Stockwood's soft left at best. Very much of the Lisa Nandy 'capitalism is good actually' mould ([url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/200330/nandy_lisa.htm]which checks out given his £35k in donations towards her unsuccessful Labour leadership campaign[/url]). He's far closer to the centre than the left, but that doesn't stop some knuckle draggers implying he's the second coming of Corbyn simply because he writes a few columns for the Guardian.

Anyway don't think the club have done anything wrong here, nor has LB received anything like the sort of 'abuse' from posters on here that's he's now implying is the case. It's mild criticism at most and his toys out the pram reaction of not wanting to step foot in Blundell Park or give the current owners any money because they've declined to create a paid role for him proves their point.

Lee asked to be paid for his photography services, and the club have said no - fair enough on both sides in my eyes. Lee can now choose to continue taking pictures or can step back entirely - he appears to have chosen the latter.

Definitely could have been handled better by both sides though. Lee shouldn't have thrown his toys out the pram on twitter, as he's sort of proved the club's point.

The club probably shouldn't have even mentioned the social media factor, and focused on the position/budget aspect (which I imagine was the more important consideration), as all it has done is given the knuckledraggers an excuse to whinge about the "woke conspiracy" and "cancel culture".

Well I never! A thread on the fishy that started off as somewhat football/club related and should’ve lasted lasted about 2 pages, has now turned into a political battle and damning condemnation.

Anyone that knows Lee will know how passionate he is about the club and how much he loves it. Why shouldn’t he get paid for his services? After all, am sure photography kit isn’t the cheapest and it’s not like he turns up with a wedding table disposable camera.

If he’s not doing photography at games anymore, am sure he’ll be back supporting the club from the stands.

Quoted from AJ2019

Why’s everyone getting all worked up over a photographer, “the club this, the club that”, arrogant bloke anyway.

Congratulations on your first post. And welcome, to the investors centre.

Rod , Jane and Freddie starting to show their true colours

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

Well I never! A thread on the fishy that started off as somewhat football/club related and should’ve lasted lasted about 2 pages, has now turned into a political battle and damning condemnation.

Anyone that knows Lee will know how passionate he is about the club and how much he loves it. Why shouldn’t he get paid for his services? After all, am sure photography kit isn’t the cheapest and it’s not like he turns up with a wedding table disposable camera.

If he’s not doing photography at games anymore, am sure he’ll be back supporting the club from the stands.

Spot on

We don’t even know the club mentioned his social media or said he was ‘undesirable’ or whatever. And given his over reaction to some mild criticism at worst on here I wouldn’t necessarily trust his side of the argument and certainly not before the other side is heard.

I think some of our recent loan signings are pursuing a hobby and shouldn’t be on the payroll.

No winners in an disagreement like this, probably best to let the dust settle for a few days before venting on social media

Quoted from male private Nale

Rod , Jane and Freddie starting to show their true colours

Ok Bungle

Quoted from male private Nale

Rod , Jane and Freddie starting to show their true colours

Hi John.

Quoted from male private Nale

Rod , Jane and Freddie starting to show their true colours

Been on the Merlot this afternoon have we John?

Quoted from rancido

His choice to take photos of games and his hobby.

That's not quite correct. Whilst he can make the decision to go to a game or not, at football at this level especially in the EFL you have to have full accreditation to attend matches and enter as someone as part of the media and as someone operating on behalf of the club such requests are mainly made by the club itself.

If the club didn't want you to film or photograph at matches they wouldn't make the necessary requests. You just can't turn up at a game and say hello I'm a photographer please let me in.    

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Loads of reasons why you need multiple. The pitch is large and different angles show different things. One photographer can't capture everything.

I'm balanced enough to see it from both sides and if you knew how much his equipment cost, you might have a different view as to why he retaliated at fans running over his stuff.

Christ, with skills like that, maybe you should be the club’s next photographer!

Quoted from DaleH

The thing that interests me is the wording he has used in his Tweet, whereby he has said that some of his actions "makes me undesirable and the club don't want to be associated with me"
. I wonder if that is actually the words used by someone at the club? Is this something implied about him to the cliub? Or is this merely the impression he has formed of the club's impression of him?

That's the bit for me that is probably the most important bit that needs clarity, given that he has said this on social network. Because if the club haven't said this or implied this, then its maybe unfair to suggest they have.

If the club don't want to pay another photographer because they don't deem that cost an appropriate use  of revenue, then fair enough, that's a business decision. In which case we will just have to enjoy the photo's taken by the other photographers including the one retained with payment. I believe Paul Sturgess has also stopped doing photography for the club too this season. Hope he is okay as he is a smashing guy too.

Paul Burgess

Quoted from The Yard Dog

Paul Burgess

Indeed - typo

Honestly, I think this is one of the most balanced, mature threads in the history of the Fishy. Somehow hasn’t descended into absolute bile and nonsense.

Don’t think anyone has particularly abused him, just disagreed with his stance/actions from the info given. It’s the clubs prerogative on who they choose to employ - and i don’t think we need to know every detail about everything including their HR inner workings.

Personally, I think the post on social media was wrong and possibly done to try and stir things up, but I hope the guy is alright.

People saying stuff like, “they claim to want to help mental health then do something like this” - you do realise the club can support mental health issues but also not choose to employ someone? Sure they’d offer to help people post their association with the club.

At the end of the day, both Les and the club have benefited.

Les has been able to have access to prime positions to take his photographs, as an amateur, enabling him to become a more proficient and professional photographer. He has also been lucky that the club helped him with expenses.

The club have benefited by using some of the photos Les produced. A win, win situation. I think this is where the matter should have rested.

However, if Les, as suggested in this thread, has become a Professional photographer then it is a different ball game as he loses his amateur status. Like any other professional tradesman, the club can accept or reject any offer for proposed work.

I'd be keen to see what the club actually said on this, are Lee's version of events actually verbatim?  

Not keen on this getting used against the mental health agenda.   Unless I'm missing something, this is completely irrelevant to the club wanting to support mental health awareness and support.  Poor choice of retaliation in my eyes.

Bit that sits most uncomfortably with me is if the club have said Lee's social media goes against him when he's requested payment, yet they've been happy to have his content for free when his social media posts are the same.  Can't have it both ways.

Either way, no-one is coming out of his spat particularly well.

Not sure if it's just a storm in a tea-cup but the rumblings against the club leadership and management seem to have increased of late.  This definitely seems to represent the first road bump under 1878.  Change is very rarely easy.

Lee has added something on Twitter last night saying he's taken down his initial post and want to move on.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I'd be keen to see what the club actually said on this, are Lee's version of events actually verbatim?  

Luckily, some of Fenty’s ‘bugs’, leftover from recording ‘The Entrapment of Michael Jolley (Season 2)’, are still concealed in the Blundell Park boardroom, so we do have a verbatim version of events…



Lee Blease: We managed to rectify it, though, because it now says, by adapting it, ‘Cöck’’ where it once said ‘Cook’, and it says ‘Passes’ now where it once said ‘Pïsses’, so it’s slightly less rude…I loved your article in the Guardian, by the way.
 
Jason Stockwood:       Really?
 
Lee:        I loved that phrase you used, it was very clever – ‘Hardcore not B-corp’
 
Jason:       No, it was the opposite. ‘B-corp not hardcore’.
 
Lee:        Well whatever. Because that is me. I’m B-corp, but I watch…. I suppose what you’re trying to say is, you don’t want another Siriki Dembélé on your hands.
 
Jason:       No, that is what we want.
 
Lee:        I’m your man.
 
Jason:       That’s what I wanted to talk about, Lee. Your career. I can see a lot of very exciting opportunities ahead for you, really I can.
 
Lee:        Oh, can I just say this is music to my ears, Here’s to our future relationship at Blundell Park.
 
Jason:       You know, I don’t think you should see your future just at Grimsby Town, Lee. I just think it’s time for you to consider moving on to new pastures.
 
Lee:        Have I got the Mrs Mighty Mariner topless shoot?
 
Jason:       There’s so many opportunities for a man –
 
Lee:        [Interrupting] Let, let, let me rephrase that. Can I… no, in fact I’ll just repeat the question. Have I got the Mrs Mighty Mariner topless shoot?
 
Jason:       No.
 
Lee:        [Quietly] Thank you. That’s all I wanted to know.
 
Jason:       Look, Lee, I don’t want you feel that the… I don’t want you to feel that the doors have all closed here at the Club. If you come up with anything else, then please, I don’t want you to hesitate to call…
 
Lee:        Tony, I’ve, look I’ve just bought a new mirrorless camera. It’s got an auto-bokeh function. One press and its blurrier than Japanese pörn.
 
Jason:       We don’t owe you a living.
 
Lee:        That’s – that’s – that’s bollöcks, but carry on.
 
[Lee is now nervously playing with his lower lip. He looks to be in great pain]
 
Jason:       It’s not…
 
Lee:        [Interrupting in child-like imitation] Ooo…let me tweet that. B-corp, B-corp, B-corp
 
Jason:       Lee you’re making a fool of yourself.
 
Lee:        [Beginning with a painful, high-pitched whine] Who-oo…who-oo… who do you think you are?
 
Jason:       Well unfortunately for you, I am the Chairman of Grimsby Town Football Club.
 
[The two men stare at each other for a second.]
 
Lee:        [Forcing a smile] Oh, let’s forget about all this!
 
[Lee takes his fork and stabs it deep into a large block of cheese. He holds it aloft in his right hand.]
 
Lee:        Do you want some cheese?
 
Jason:       [Sitting back, slightly worried] No thanks.
 
Lee:        [Sniffs it] Mmm. Quite nice. Smells. Do you want to smell it? [Lee offers the cheese, still on the end of his fork, to Jason.]
 
Jason:       No thanks.
 
Lee:        Smell my Blease cheese.
 
Jason:       No I don’t want to.
 
Lee:        [More forcefully] Smell my Blease cheese!
 
Jason:       Lee, please.
 
[Lee gets up from his seat and thrusts the cheese into Jason’s face]
 
Lee:        [Shouting] It’s Lee Blease, you mother! I’ve got cheese! This is cheese! Do you know who I am? I’m Lee Blease!
 

I have no words.

I think KAFV needs to get out more!  

Andy Cooking in Prison.

Quoted from DaleH

Indeed - typo

When we going for that coffee?