THE National Union of Journalists (NUJ hit out at football clubs for banning journalists from press conferences and matches yesterday and called on the Football Association to halt this “worrying trend.”

A letter was sent to FA chairman Greg Dyke from NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet after the Blackpool Gazette was barred from attending a friendly between Blackpool and Morecambe on Tuesday evening.

At first it was believed that the away side were due to play trialists and didn’t want any information leaked out but sports journalist for the Morecambe Visitor Adam Lord was allowed entry and Blackpool live-tweeted details of the match including team news.