A regional publisher has made cuts to its coverage of professional football.

Reach plc has reduced or suspended freelance photographer commissions for a number of football clubs it covers, meaning there could be no pictures from matches published in some of its titles.

HTFP understands the policy, which affects the Midlands and some other regions, will be revisited in the new year.

Clubs affected include Burton Albion, Lincoln City, Notts County and Port Vale, who are covered by the Burton Mail, Lincolnshire Echo, Nottingham Post and Stoke-on-Trent daily The Sentinel respectively.

Albion, City and Vale play in League One, English football’s third tier, while County, the world’s oldest professional football club, are currently top of the fifth-tier National League.

HTFP has approached the clubs known to be affected to ask whether they will now be supplying photos for use in Reach titles.

Notts County’s press office has confirmed it is due to meet with Natalie Fahy, editor of the Post, early next month, but has declined to comment further on the issue, while an Albion spokesman added there had been “no conversations with anyone at Reach at all” regarding photographic coverage of his club.

A Lincoln City spokesman said: “The Echo have contracted Chris and Andrew Vaughan to provide their match images for many years.

“Chris and Andrew are also our club photographers and are at every first-team match on behalf of ourselves and any other customers, including the Echo/Lincolnshire Live.

“The images we provide to Reach would be alongside press releases as we would share with any media, such as when we announce a signing or are promoting an offer/event.”

Vale are yet to respond to HTFP’s request, while Reach has also declined to comment.

HTFP has also approached Chris Vaughan Photography for a comment.