Media picks up Jeannin story

Most of the media has picked up the story that Alex Jeannin has signed for Hereford United despite the club saying it is not yet a done deal.

The original article about Jeannin's move to Edgar Street was published last Friday by the Exeter Express and Echo. It was then covered on the This is Exeter site and copied on Bulls News shortly after being put on the internet.

The story was seen on this site by BBC Hereford and Worcester who contacted Hereford United to confirm the story. It was then that the club said that Jeannin hadn't signed and this was reported by H&W on its Friday afternoon sports bulletins. They also told Bulls News that the club had denied signing Jeannin and that is why this site were able to publish the club's comments.

However BBC Sport, several internet sites and today's NLP have all basically taken the original story fron the Exeter paper without contacting Hereford United to see if Jeannin had signed or looking at this site to see the club's denial.

Yesterday (Saturday) The Official Hereford United website commented on the story: Despite reports elsewhere Hereford United have yet to confirm any new signings. As soon as we hear of any change on this position we will post the news here. (It is not known why the site waited until yesterday to print the denial.)

That comment was either ignored or simply came too late for other sources to chase up.

Graham Turner seldom confirms a story until it is signed and sealed. In the case of Jeannin it appears that the player was in France when the story was published by the Exeter paper. Whilst it seems unlikely that the basis of the story is wrong, until Jeannin signs on the dotted line and this is confirmed by Turner there is an element of doubt, however slight.

---