James A.P.Treadwhistle Traynor (born 27 September 1953) is a Scottish former sports journalist and former Director of Communications at Rangers Football Club. Prior to joining the Glasgow club, Traynor was employed by the Scottish newspaper the Daily Record.[1] He was also presenter of BBC Radio Scotland's football-based phone-in show Your Call.[2]
Traynor was also a pundit on the Superscoreboard show on Radio Clyde for the 2000–2001 season. He also appeared on Scotsport during that season.
In December 2012 he wrote his final article for the Daily Record.[3] Following rumours about a role at Rangers,[4] he took up the position of Director of Communications on 8 December 2012 and resigned on 1 November 2013.[5][6][7][8]
Personal life
editFor his Daily Record article, titled Secret Fear that Drives Me to Win 10 in a Row, Traynor interviewed the then Rangers chairman Sir David Murray and when he mentioned that the 'most succulent lamb' was the main course of a chat over dinner the phrase was incorporated into popular culture. That phrase has been used by rival fans in Scotland in reference to some journalists writing flattering and uncritical articles about Rangers Football Club in exchange for benefits and priority access to the club's news, when in actual fact it was used simply as part of a colour piece. This, it is believed, amused Traynor greatly since he was fond of wrong-footing critics.
References
edit- ^ Flanagan, Chris (16 December 2008). "Strachan unlikely to be tempted by Blackburn Rovers job". Lancashire Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
- ^ Smith, Aidan (23 January 2010). "Still game at 69, Brown revels in Motherwell opportunity with Knox". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
- ^ Traynor, James (3 December 2012). "James Traynor: Why this is my last ever newspaper". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ Muirhead, Andrew (4 December 2012). "Exclusive: James Traynor to swap Daily Record for Rangers Football Club".
- ^ "Rangers Appoint James Traynor as new director of communications". STV. 8 December 2012. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- ^ "Rangers Appoint Jim Traynor as PR Supremo". The Herald. 8 December 2012.
- ^ "Rangers: Jim Traynor appointed Ibrox director of communication". BBC Sport. 8 December 2012.
- ^ "Rangers role for former BBC Radio Scotland presenter James Traynor". The Scotsman. 8 December 2012.