Grimsby Telegraph football writer Stuart Rowson has been banned from the Blundell Park press box.
Here’s what the paper’s leader column had to say.

It was with great amazement that the Telegraph learned of the action which the board of Grimsby Town has taken against what we feel is one of the club’s greatest assets.

While writing for the Telegraph for the last three seasons, Stuart Rowson has also simultaneously acted as an unpaid campaign manager for GTFC, generating news and raising awareness of the football club in the community.

From the youngest school of excellence side right through to the first team, Stuart has worked tirelessly to ensure the Mariners have always been in the public eye.

He has a great relationship with the manager, assistant manager, youth coach, physio, ground staff, all the players, the commercial and office staff.

No plea for help in projecting the club has been ignored.

From the Up The Mariners campaign, which helped ensure the club’s survival in the 2001-2 season through to the current share issue appeal which poured £76,000 into the club’s coffers (initiated with a £1,000 cheque from the Telegraph), Stuart has always been there for Grimsby Town and its fans.

But GTFC does not pay his wages. He is employed by the Telegraph as a journalist and as such has a duty to inform.

There will be occasions when, in defending the public’s right to information and in the quest for truth, he and other reporters put together articles which the board of GTFC, or any other organisation, might find unpalatable.

Which brings us to the case in point. Last Friday’s revelation that GTFC have withdrawn ambulance cover at Blundell Park was something which the supporters had a right to know.

If ever there was a story that was in the public interest then that was it, and to ban someone for reporting this fact strikes at the very heart of our democracy.

We felt obliged to bring you this news, but one disturbing question remains.

If we had not done so, just when was the board going to tell you?