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New editor named for ‘Hillsborough slur’ weekly

A former Mail on Sunday journalist has been handed the top job at a weekly newspaper whose previous editor was forced to quit after appearing to link the Hillsborough disaster to football hooliganism.

Maurice O’Brien left the Reading Chronicle in April in the fallout from a front page story which looked at crowd trouble at Reading FC.

It contained a line which read: “Football hooliganism may be thought of as a relic from a previous age when gangs of denim-clad skinheads held the game to ransom and names like Hillsborough and Heysel were symbols of its ills.”

Now a new editor has been appointed to lead the Berkshire Media Group-owned title in the shape of Lesley Potter, who moves down the M4 from the Henley Standard.

Lesley was features editor at the Chronicle from 1997 until 2000 when she left join the MoS as assistant to the features editor.

After a spell as a freelance, she joined the Standard in 2012 as chief sub, features editor and effective number two to editor Simon Bradshaw.

BMG managing director Keith McIntyre said:  “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Lesley Potter as Editor of the Reading Chronicle, Woodley & Earley Chronicle, Reading Midweek and Newbury & Thatcham Chronicle.

“Lesley has a wealth of experience in local, regional and national press and previously worked at the Chronicle as chief reporter and features editor as well as a stint on the Mail on Sunday.

“Lesley lives in Reading just five minutes from the new offices we are moving to later this year – she could not be more local!

“Lesley’s appointment and the move to a new town centre office points towards an exciting future for the Chronicle as THE local paper in Reading

Keith also paid tribute to the “fantastic job” done by news editor Tessa Watkins who has been looking after the paper since Maurice’s departure.

Lesley takes up her post on 14 July.  Her old job at the Henley Standard is now being advertised on HoldtheFrontPage.