McGinlay’s media privileges withdrawn for WBA

It has this afternoon been announced that Bolton legend John McGinlay’s media privileges for Monday’s game vs West Bromwich Albion have been withdrawn.

This comes after John agreed to join fans in the pre-match organised protests which was acknowledged by Ken Anderson in his chairman’s notes earlier this week. It’s since been decided that John will not be able to take up his usual role in the commentary team for BBC Radio Manchester and has been declined all access to press duties.

John regularly joins the likes of Jack Dearden for the full match coverage of home games and will be without his broadcasting partner for this upcoming game after the club highlighted his ‘recent comments about the manager and the team’ along side his anticipated participation in the protests as their reasons for his enforced absence in the press box.

Following their fans forum on Wednesday evening for which he was on the panel, BBC RM have stated that they are ‘very disappointed to hear John McGinlay’s accreditation request to cover Monday’s game has been denied’ and that they ‘do not feel it is right for the club to decide who is able to be part of our commentary team and who is not’.

Whilst they ‘have a duty to be fair and impartial’ they also ‘hear the concerns of fans...raising their questions, in addition to giving the club’s viewpoint’. They add that ‘this isn't something we should shy away from covering on behalf of faithful fans’.

It’s unclear as to whether John’s privileges will be re-instated following Monday’s game and will presumably be announced in due course.