All Change at the Merc Jordan Blackwell - Out / Josh Holland - In

Lesta Legend · 10 June

I already hate the sound of his voice.

Poor guy, I'm sure he is bright enough and a nice guy but some of the stuff he regurgitates (guess from the club) is ill informed, tiring and naïve.

OnlyOneCity · 12 June

There are an awful lot of stories on the Merc website regarding Russell Martin being the new manager and various players being sold. I do not subscribe to the paper so am unable to find anything which is subscription only. None of these stories have been raised on FT so maybe no one else subscribes or they are not true. If not true, why do they print this stuff. Surely your local paper should be keeping you in the loop of what is actually happening.

tcrofts · 12 June

3 minutes ago, OnlyOneCity said:

There are an awful lot of stories on the Merc website regarding Russell Martin being the new manager and various players being sold. I do not subscribe to the paper so am unable to find anything which is subscription only. None of these stories have been raised on FT so maybe no one else subscribes or they are not true. If not true, why do they print this stuff. Surely your local paper should be keeping you in the loop of what is actually happening.

Unfortunately it's owned by the Mirror now, most local rags are

All the headlines for the articles this new chap has written are all click bait nonsense.

Gazza3 · 12 June

Not worth reading the Mercury anymore. Absolute trash .

OnlyOneCity · 12 June

3 minutes ago, Gazza3 said:

Not worth reading the Mercury anymore. Absolute trash .

The Saturday “Buff” was a must read for City fans and was a great local sports paper.

davieG · 12 June

3 hours ago, tcrofts said:

Unfortunately it's owned by the Mirror now, most local rags are

All the headlines for the articles this new chap has written are all click bait nonsense.

Al part of the Reach Group

our brands

davieG · 12 June

3 hours ago, OnlyOneCity said:

There are an awful lot of stories on the Merc website regarding Russell Martin being the new manager and various players being sold. I do not subscribe to the paper so am unable to find anything which is subscription only. None of these stories have been raised on FT so maybe no one else subscribes or they are not true. If not true, why do they print this stuff. Surely your local paper should be keeping you in the loop of what is actually happening.

It's all surmising and guesswork maybe even wishful thinking

Russell Martin and Leicester City know the two biggest priorities that can't be ignored

Leicester City's big reset will have more pressure on it with the possible appointment of Russell Martin, with squad building and fan relationship key in the success next season

Two things are clear with Russell Martin and Leicester City must decide if the risk is worth it

Russell Martin appears to be the frontrunner to be the next Leicester City manager, tasked with driving the Foxes back out of the third tier after back-to-back relegations

Leicester City receive new manager search update after appointment confirmed

Dave Challinor remains on the market after missing out on the Blackburn Rovers job amid Leicester City's search for clarity over who will lead them next season

Russell Martin concerns, Harry Winks future, transfer plans - Leicester City questions answered

We asked for your burning questions on everything Leicester City, and our Foxes Correspondent Josh Holland provided the answers

inckley fox · 12 June

From what I've read, a few things strike me.

First up, I wonder whether the Mercury feel Jordan had burnt his bridges with the club. Maybe the club have quietly suggested that a more sympathetic writer would get more access. And maybe the paper has memories of the halcyon days of Bill Anderson pandering to the club and, regardless of fans' views of him, having significant stories to break as a consequence.

If these misconceptions and lingering memories were a factor, then I'd expect it to go very wrong for them. They might get a couple of early scoops, but nothing significant, and having a club-friendly voice in the paper would only make it seem like they weren't adequately representing the full range of the fans' views. It'd also make them seem complicit if things continued to go downhill - which they probably will - and Josh Holland will be laughed off as little more than a sycophantic irritant.

The second thing is that I don't think, technically speaking, that he's any good at writing!

The Fosse Way · 12 June

So relegation to League One coincides with two people holding similar job roles and the more senior, experienced staff member leaves while the more junior, newer and presumably lower-paid staff member remains to do the job... can think of another situation where that might be a better idea.

Silebyfox_89 · 12 June

Listened to him on the radio leicester WYS podcast and he sounds a bit dry.

He got various things wrong and then created false situations to create opinions on the club and Russell. Strange.

Shame Jordan has gone no need to read Joshs click bait articles.

Edited 13 June by Silebyfox_89
Auto text

westernpark · 12 June

4 minutes ago, Silebyfox_89 said:

Listened to him on the radio leicester WYS podcast and he sounds like a disabled.

What a nonsense comment.

Silebyfox_89 · 13 June

9 hours ago, westernpark said:

What a nonsense comment.

My apologies, auto correct my text.

Comment updated.

Miquel The Work Geordie · 13 June

"Auto correct"

Stadt · 13 June

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MattFox · 14 June

The constant pro Martin propaganda is a good start

Leicester_Loyal · 14 June

4 hours ago, MattFox said:

The constant pro Martin propaganda is a good start

Another boot licker then.

CrazyKopCorner · 14 June

On 12/06/2026 at 10:58, OnlyOneCity said:

The Saturday “Buff” was a must read for City fans and was a great local sports paper.

Was that the hot off the press paper produced after the game? I remember coming back after an away game and it was a must read

OnlyOneCity · 14 June

10 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

Was that the hot off the press paper produced after the game? I remember coming back after an away game and it was a must read

Yes. My mate used to travel from Kettering and always hoped that the Sports Mercury was on sale at the station before his train went. It usually was.

CrazyKopCorner · 14 June

22 minutes ago, OnlyOneCity said:

Yes. My mate used to travel from Kettering and always hoped that the Sports Mercury was on sale at the station before his train went. It usually was.

Yes such fond memories.

Then we had the sporting green then blue that was great for the ticket tape receptions.

inckley fox · 2026-06-20T16:06:51Z

I remember going with my grandad to get the Sports Mercury after games. Wasn't it printed on orange paper?! I think Graham Melton tended to write the reports more than Anderson, who was the 80s/90s sycophant equivalent of Holland, bless him. In the latter's case, it's beginning to feel as if he's pinning his fledgling career on Martin and KP sorting it all out, which is quite a brave call!

davieG · 2026-06-20T16:17:48Z

9 minutes ago, inckley fox said:

I remember going with my grandad to get the Sports Mercury after games. Wasn't it printed on orange paper?! I think Graham Melton tended to write the reports more than Anderson, who was the 80s/90s sycophant equivalent of Holland, bless him. In the latter's case, it's beginning to feel as if he's pinning his fledgling career on Martin and KP sorting it all out, which is quite a brave call!

My earliest memory is of it being Buff I think it later change Green and ended up as the Sporting Blue.

inckley fox · 2026-06-20T16:42:31Z

23 minutes ago, davieG said:

My earliest memory is of it being Buff I think it later change Green and ended up as the Sporting Blue.

The Sporting Green was the Saturday morning edition, if I recall, starting round about the Little era. The yellow/orange paper one came out after games.

l444ry · 2026-06-20T17:31:41Z

Think that everyone needs to get behind this Josh Holland fella, even if his work thus far might suggest he's been parachuted in by King Power.

inckley fox · 2026-06-20T17:36:55Z

1 minute ago, l444ry said:

Think that everyone needs to get behind this Josh Holland fella, even if his work thus far might suggest he's been parachuted in by King Power.

Hmm. I think that's exactly the reason I can't get behind him!

I feel a bit sorry for him though. He might be a little naive, in that the paper has decided it needs an impressionable, malleable character who can trumpet the KP cause and in doing so gain more access. If things go wrong - and they most probably will - he'll be comprehensively discredited. But he probably can't believe his luck at getting the gig, and just wants to play ball. It's not like that's unheard of in life.

The paper will just sub him for another writer. He'll be ruined.

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