Programme Reviews

Key

PP = Total Pages

Net = Total Pages Less Adverts

P = Perfect Bound

S = Stapled

 

Arsenal (v Luton Town 16/12/89)

£1.00 (32 pp / 25 net / S)

 

Aston Villa (v Tottenham Hotspur 09/09/89)

£1.00 (40 pp / 27.5 net / S)

 

Charlton Athletic (v Wimbledon 17/04/90)

£1.00 (32 pp / 22.5 net / S)

 

Chelsea (v Charlton Athletic 20/01/90)

£1.00 (32 pp / 25 net / S)

 

Coventry City (v Arsenal 09/12/89)

£1.00 (32 pp / 21 net / S)

 

Crystal Palace (v Derby County 20/03/90)

£1.00 (36 pp / 22 net / S)

 

Derby County (v Everton 26/12/89)

£1.00 (32 pp / 23.5 net / S)

 

Everton (v Southampton 26/08/89)

£1.00 (32 pp / 27 net / S)

 

Liverpool (v Queen’s Park Rangers 28/04/90)

£1.00 (36 pp / 30.5 net / S)

 

Luton Town (v Manchester United 18/11/89)

£1.20 (40 pp / 25.5 net / S)

 

Manchester City (v Crystal Palace 04/11/89)

£1.00 (32 pp / 24 net / S)

 

Manchester United (v Norwich City 30/08/89)

£0.70 (32 pp / 24.5 net / S)

 

Millwall (v Liverpool 19/11/89)

£1.00 (32 pp / 19.5 net / S)

Millwall’s ‘The Lions’ programme was a rather advert-heavy issue, with only the Wimbledon and Nottingham Forest programmes offering fewer pages of content. Nevertheless, there was plenty to like within the Millwall issue.

Manager John Docherty penned a column – ‘The Doc’s Verdict’ – in which he bemoaned the sloppy goals that Millwall were leaking and the club’s run of six top-flight games without a win. ‘Personal View’ featured the thoughts of Alan McLeary, while ‘Terrace Talk’ provided news updates from around the club, including a couple of items about Millwall’s women’s team – the Lionesses – who were the first women’s team to affiliate to a professional men’s club. One update noted the Lionesses’ 18-0 win in a recent FA Cup tie, with Maureen Jacobson scoring six to take her tally for the season to 34, and future England manager Hope Powell also among the scorers.

‘Pride of the Lions’ was a two-page spread featuring an interview with one Millwall player. Midfielder Terry Hurlock was the subject in this issue, in which he reflected on having made his debut for the England ‘B’ team. ‘Goal-Den Memories’ covered several retro features. These included ‘Flashback’, which recalled Millwall’s fortunes on the corresponding weekend in years gone by; ‘Season By Season’ which contained results and stats from a particular year in the club’s history; and a commentary on the previous season’s meetings with matchday opponents Liverpool.

The centre pages of the programme were given over to coverage of a recent fixture – with several photos and commentary relating to Millwall’s recent 4-0 defeat at Chelsea. There was also a preview of Millwall’s next home game, against a high-scoring Southampton side that had recently defeated Liverpool 4-1, and a ‘Junior Lions’ page. ‘Reserve & Youth Report’ was an impressive two-page section on Millwall’s other teams, with match write-ups and detailed stats for the respective teams. The first-team’s stats section was equally well presented.

‘Into the Lions Den’ covered visitors Liverpool, with a team group picture, roll-call, and a write-up of manager Kenny Dalglish. The column noted that Dalglish had won a trophy during each season since taking over as Liverpool boss in 1985. The section also provided details of Liverpool’s season to date and their efforts to recapture the league title having missed out on goal difference to Arsenal the previous season. The only player to receive a write-up in the visitor’s section was John Barnes – described as a “fine ambassador for football”.

Despite the high proportion of advertising in the issue, the Millwall programme included several readable features. The issue offered impressively detailed coverage of each of the club’s sides, including the women’s team, which was something of a rarity for the time.

 

Norwich City (v Millwall 17/03/90)

£1.00 (36 pp / 27.5 net / S)

 

Nottingham Forest (v Sheffield Wednesday 04/11/89)

£0.80 (24 pp / 17.5 net / S)

 

Queen’s Park Rangers (v Aston Villa 20/03/90)

£1.00 (36 pp / 27.5 net / S)

 

Sheffield Wednesday (v Manchester City 01/01/90)

£1.00 (32 pp / 20 net / S)

 

Southampton (v Chelsea 03/03/90)

£1.00 (36 pp / 23.5 net / S)

 

Tottenham Hotspur (v Coventry City 14/04/90)

£1.00 (32 pp / 26.5 net / S)

 

Wimbledon (v Nottingham Forest 21/10/89)

£1.00 (24 pp / 18.5 net / S)