Lyndon Lloyd 08/12/2023 21comments  |  Jump to last

Sanny Rudravajhala, the reporter who caused so much consternation among Evertonians when he appeared to suggest that he and his Sky Sports cameraman were avoiding Goodison Park last night in case of trouble from supporters protesting the Premier League, has offered his apologies and a self-effacing explanation for his comments.

Broadcasting in the build-up to the Blues' home game against Newcastle Utd, Rudravajhala, who works as a freelance reporter, caused outrage among Everton fans when he explained that he was not at the ground and had stationed himself on the Wirral in view of the ongoing protests of the historic 10-point penalty imposed on the club.

Rudravajhala, whose brother-in-law is a Toffee, was barraged with complaints and Photoshopped images of him dressed like a reporter covering a war zone and the size of the reaction prompted him to message Evertonians via Twitter to apologise and set the record straight.

He explains that due to the fact that Amazon, not Sky, had the broadcast rights to the match, he would not have been able to report from the stadium anyway and that the only trouble he was referring to was the possibility of expletives being shouted live on air.

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Rudravajhala's message reads in full:

Evertonians – I can't reply to you all – there's too many. And, as a freelancer I'm writing this as solely me because I know you're wanting me to correct what's out there.

Also, as a football fan who knows exactly what it's like to feel absolutely done over by those in power, I'm just going to say this all this...

First off, I don't think Goodison is unsafe. I was at the game. My brother-in-law is a massive Everton fan and was there too – I wasn't worried for him either!!

To everyone who is p*ssed off with me on that front - I am sorry because that's not what I meant and wasn't what I was talking about.

The only 'trouble' I was meaning was if someone swore on air – that was it – nowt else. We couldn't be at the ground anyway for rights reasons (Amazon game).

I am a Bury fan. For 125 years our club was in the EFL. From 1894 to 2019 we've been friends with Everton in the Football League, even when we were long since no longer in the same division.

I was there though when Andy Johnson was stripped to his underpants on his debut in a friendly and carried around Gigg Lane! I know how Everton fans supported us as we were kicked out of the EFL and that Bill Kenwright wanted to donate £1m+ to save us but wasn't allowed.

I know exactly what it's like when you're completely powerless in the face of what feels like a huge injustice, where the fans are the ones that are truly punished.

Bury are now in Division 9 playing (with all due respect) Charnock Richard and Lower Breck, when before we were getting promoted at Tranmere (twice). I'm not sure we'll ever get back and I wonder if my kids will ever experience derby days in the Football League where it's absolutely rocking – just like at Goodison last night.

Most people who've had a go at me have called me a 'wool', a 'sausage' and a 'g*bshite'. Nothing much worse than that. In an age where all sorts of truly awful stuff gets thrown about on socials, even that is a funny sort of testament to what Everton fans are like.

So, understand that I didn't at all mean to badmouth #EFC – far from it. I think you're one of the few big clubs left that are like how it’s like at my team. 

Goodison, pillars and all, is one of my favourite grounds. I meant what I said too about missing it when it's gone and it was brilliant under the lights.

Once stuff's out there, it's out there – so I can't do much about that.

But for my part, I didn't at all mean to label Everton fans as people who could have caused me harm. I was a science teacher for 10 years – once you've had a room with 30 kids with Bunsen Burners who would delight in burning their school down, you can kind of do alright in most places. 

But I am sorry for the upset I've caused. One person in particular sent me a very heartfelt message on that front.

You're always learning aren't you - so I've read every message and obviously reflected on what I would do differently, if ever reporting again.

You've all got enough to fight for, without anyone making things worse, which honestly is the last thing I'd want but I take all that you've said on the chin.

Cheers,

Sanny 'wool/sausage/g*bshite' Rudravajhala

Also, fair play to the photoshops - my mates haven't stopped taking the piss.

 

Reader Comments (21)

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Si Pulford
1 Posted 09/12/2023 at 00:12:32
Fair play to the guy. We can be a little sensitive at times and god knows we’ve got reason to but that’s as genuine an explanation/apology as you could hope for. He didn’t have to apologise. He could have trotted out some bollocks about ‘doing better’ but he didn’t, he acknowledged it, took it on the chin and diffused it with good humour and grace. Good man. 👏
Kieran Kinsella
2 Posted 09/12/2023 at 00:24:24
Si I agree. Barry Hesketh was one of the first to alert us to this and he’s a pretty sensible chap. But when I saw it after Barry mentioned it I took it the same way he did — seemingly wrongly. It’s a bit of an embarrassing learning lesson for this reporter about choice of words and optics. As you say at least he was man enough to own it. One less person for us to hate lol
Julian Wait
3 Posted 09/12/2023 at 00:29:26
Top reaction to be honest. Seems genuine. Let's all move on. nothing to see here. #SocialMediaGaffes
Rob Hooton
4 Posted 09/12/2023 at 02:18:43
Fair play Sanny, decent riposte.
Mike Gaynes
5 Posted 09/12/2023 at 05:24:02
The guy must be a helluva reporter, because that is an elegant and beautifully written apology.

Well in, Sanny, and best wishes. Can't imagine how rough it must be to cheer for a distinguished League club that now resides two divisions below Marine.

Chris Hockenhull
6 Posted 09/12/2023 at 08:12:08
Great reply from him as others have stated. Sounds like the type of chap I’d be glad to have a pint with- Winslow or Wirral
Colin Glassar
7 Posted 09/12/2023 at 08:22:12
We are all dickheads on occasion so good on him for manning up and acknowledging his dickheadedness.

All is forgiven Sanny, you knobhead wool.

Barry Hesketh
8 Posted 09/12/2023 at 08:50:30
I'm sure this guy is sincere in his apology, however, who decided for him to broadcast from the Wirral?

Why was that particular location chosen? rather than somewhere in the actual city where Everton play? It's akin to having a reporter covering a Manchester United home game from Bury.

Could it be that, as somebody on another Everton-related website reasoned, Sky are loathe to cover the Evertonian protests against the Premier League and it was they who sent the guy to the Wirral? Would his apology have been more appropriate if he had done it live on SSN?

He could have broadcast his original piece from this location:

View of BMD

John Pickles
9 Posted 09/12/2023 at 10:23:19
Maybe Barry, he's looking to the future. BMD is possibly closer to the Wirral than the district of Everton ;)
By the way, I love how he censors 'gobshite'!
Larry O'Hara
10 Posted 09/12/2023 at 11:20:10
Yes this is a top apology:good guy
Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 09/12/2023 at 11:34:25
Sanny,

You could have been like lots of reporters – say your piece and move on. But you took the time to explain your evening's work – good on you, mate.

You've done your job as a freelance reporter. I hope you get loads more work and plenty next season reporting on Everton's games in the Premier League.

You've been through with Bury what we are going through. I hope we have a different outcome. Thanks for your apology and explanation.

Dale Self
13 Posted 09/12/2023 at 11:55:44
Yes, that is how to address a situation. No card. Well done, credibly human.
Peter Mills
14 Posted 09/12/2023 at 12:20:11
Great explanation/apology, Sanny, well done.
Tony Abrahams
15 Posted 09/12/2023 at 13:08:27
I really enjoyed reading that, Sanny. Having the decency to explain yourself with good humour always goes down well, so maybe you can write a few things on ToffeeWeb, now you've explained your Evertonian connections to us all, mate.

Take away the 'wool' and 'gobshite' shouts, and then take away your surname and just call yourself Sanny The Sausage!!

Barry Rathbone
16 Posted 09/12/2023 at 13:18:05
That's how to do it.

Mistakes happen, the best policy is hold your hands up and take it on the chin it's unquestionably the quickest way to move on.

One or two on here take note.

Paul Birmingham
17 Posted 09/12/2023 at 13:58:24
Sanny, fair play you’ve show some backbone, and guts to write your apology.

Well done, and welcome to the Everton Family.

UTFTs!

Eddie Dunn
18 Posted 09/12/2023 at 14:33:27
Fair play to Sanny. I wonder where on the Wirral he was reporting from?
Birkenhead 5.7 miles
New Brighton 7.2 miles
Heswall 13.6
Parkgate 18.2 miles
Jeff Armstrong
20 Posted 09/12/2023 at 17:59:11
Well done sausage, top apology and genuine too.
Peter Moore
21 Posted 10/12/2023 at 11:53:31
Some Serious Sanity from Sanny Sausage. Cheers Sanny and Hats Off.
Black Pudding comes from Bury doesn't it, so what a distinguished Sausage you are.
Billy Roberts
22 Posted 10/12/2023 at 20:05:51
Sanny, as Donnie Brasco would say.
Fuggerrabar it!!!
Jerome Shields
23 Posted 10/12/2023 at 23:41:44
It took guts to apologise.Well done.

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