Archived News from March 2007
|
PHOTOGRAPHER IN NEW ROW WITH FOOTBALL CLUB
|
 |
|
Photographer in new row with football club
CHAD website, 18 March 2007 FREELANCE photographer Dan Westwell is at the centre of more controversy with Mansfield Town Football Club. Mr Westwell, banned from the Stags earlier this year for displaying a 'Haslam Out' protest photograph on his laptop, was initially refused admission to Field Mill again this weekend - and prevented from supplying his photographs for use on websites. The photographer, who thought his differences with the club had been resolved after he was allowed back into the ground by new chairman James Derry, was confronted by stewards before the game against Boston. He was told that he would not be allowed into Field Mill unless he agreed not to take photographs of stewards, security people and club officials. Mr Westwell said: "I was accused of putting photographs of stewards on my website. I told them they were wrong and that my own website is not even upto-date. But in the end I had to agree to their demands just to get into the ground to do my job." Mr Westwell was denied access to Field Mill for over half an hour. He was eventually allowed into the game after kick-off providing that he did not take photographs of stewards, security people and club officials - and that none of his photographs of the match appeared on any website. He added: "I was watched closely by the stewards throughout the match and felt intimidated. I was told that if any of my photographs appeared on a website I would be banned again. "I am just trying to do my job, a lot of people look forward to seeing action shots on the Chad website, http://www.mansfieldtoday.co.uk, and the supporters' website http://www.stagsnet.net." Mr Westwell was originally banned from the football ground after being ejected during the January match against Walsall for showing a photograph on his laptop of a protest road sign, 'Haslam Out'. The sign related to an ongoing supporters' campaign against chief executive Keith Haslam, who many fans want to quit the Stags. Chairman James Derry, whose first match was ironically the Walsall game, lifted the ban two weeks later. |
Latest | March 2007