Martin O'Neill - The Missing Years

Friday, 17 August 2012.   Page 55 - Inside Football

In today's "Inside Football" article, Rob Tanner reviews former Leicester City manager Martin O'Neill's 25 years in football management.

However, according to Mr Tanner ," O'Neill moved on in 2005 to manage Celtic"... but most records indicate that he left Leicester City on 1st June 2000 to go to Celtic where he remained until the end of the 2004/05 season.

Was he only on loan at Celtic or has the Mercury's football expert got it wrong again? - You decide!

(Thanks to Sam for spotting this clanger.)

Barmby is Gerrard lookalike.

Wednesday 8 August, 2012 -  page 54

An article about Leicester City's failure to sign Anthony Gerrard, the accompanying photograph clearly shows a delighted Nick Barmby celebrating with Matt Fryatt.

Still they are both footballers so that's near enough for the Mercury!

Metallica at Download Festival

Monday 11 June 2012 - page 5

Under a photo' of James Hetfield at the weekend's Download festival, the Mercury report that Metallica played "The Black Album" in reverse order.

They then attempted, unsuccessfully, to do the same with the band's name in the photo' caption
"Mteallica on stage"

Who is Red Helmut?

Another caption clanger on Monday 30 April. This time with Speedway on page 41.

Presumably, Lasse Bjerre is known as "red helmut".

(Thanks to Bobby George for spotting this typo.)



Question: When does 4 = 44?

Answer: When the Mercury write the captions.

Monday 30 April 2012, page 45.

In a photograph accompanying the report on Leicester City's win at Leeds United on Saturday, " Ben Marshall gets away from Alex Bruce " . However, the picture shows Leeds United's Ross McCormack who wears No.44. Bruce is No.4.

Near enough for the Mercury!

It doesn't add up!

9 March 2012 - letters page.

In a letter from M G Freeman about the proposed Mansions Tax the figures he suggests are the same are, in fact, £99,000 apart.

Is this another case of  "The Mercury" simply cutting and pasting text, not proof reading anything or simply not being capable of primary school mathematics? There could be another answer that in transcription they simply left out "00" from each set of savings which would have made the comparisons correct.

Answers on a postcard to the editor.

Where is Mott ?

Monday 27 February 2012 - page 27

In an attempt to relocate local rivals Nottingham F****t the Mercury produced a league table featuring a team called Mott Forest. Assuming the same shortening of names has been applied then it must refer to Mottingham in Greater London.

Thanks to George for spotting this error.

Jack!... Jack!..... Why doesn't he answer?

Friday 27 January 2012 - backpage "City News" by Rob Tanner.

Apparently City have been linked to "Hull City's Jack Chester" . This is interesting - he must be the unknown brother of Hull City's James Chester who was signed by Nigel Pearson for Hull City in January 2011.

See Hull City website for further details of James...
http://www.hullcityafc.net/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10338~46270,00.html

Electric trains and mothballs

In the Mercury's "Business Monthly" supplement on 23 January, there was an article relating to the electrification of the Midland Mainline and the perceived benefits of bringing Leicester within an hour of London by train.

Inset within the article was a piece about the testing of Virgin's Pendolino tilting trains in the county. However, in true Mercury research style, this states that the last time electric trains were seen in Leicestershire was in 2005 and that the track was mothballed once the testing was completed.

Clearly, this is not true as the new London Underground stock being built by Bombardier in Derby is currently being tested on the test track. If I am not mistaken these are "electric trains" and a section of track has been electrified to replicate the London Underground system.

One of the new London Underground trains returning from the test track is seen above at Bagworth, Leicestershire on 11 January 2012. The train has two locomotives and a barrier wagon at each end.