2018/19
2018/19 Programme of the Season Award
1st Place: Fulham
2nd Place: Arsenal
3rd Place: Brighton & Hove Albion
Programme Reviews
Key
PP = Total Pages
Net = Total Pages Less Adverts
P = Perfect Bound
S = Stapled
Arsenal (v Watford 29/09/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)
Arsenal’s programmes for the 2018/19 season feature retro style covers, with the cover for the fixture against Watford replicating those used in the 1982/83 season. This cover links in with an extensive section inside the programme that marks Arsenal’s 100th consecutive season in the top flight.
Like the rest of the issue, this historical section is well designed, making use of gold colouring to distinguish it from other sections of the programme. There are several articles included, starting with ‘On This Day’, which features a two-page report and images from an Arsenal fixture in their double-winning season of 2001/02. ‘100 Reasons to Love Arsenal’ selects notable items and memories from the club’s past and present, including in this issue the audio version of the matchday programme produced by the club. ‘Tales of the Century’ recalls defining seasons from Arsenal’s history – here looking at 1937/38, when Arsenal became champions with the joint-lowest points total (52) ever achieved in the old Division One.
‘Stat of the Century’ identifies an iconic stat from Arsenal’s 100 years in the top flight and the detail behind it, while ‘Quote of the Century’ features words from former manager Arsene Wenger who, in September 2002, foresaw the possibility of the undefeated league campaign that the club achieved in 2003/04. ‘The Page Remastered’ recalls the 1982/83 season, looking at the matchday programme from the time and recalling the corresponding fixture against the day’s opponents.
All of this provides a great deal of quality original content for Arsenal supporters and, indeed, anyone who is interested in learning more about the wider history of the game. In addition to the historical content, there are a couple of interviews with current players that cover nine pages in all. There is also a ‘Chalkboard’ feature that provides analysis of a recent fixture; three pages on the club’s community work; and a ‘Junior Gunners’ pull-out section.
Coverage of the visiting club is spread over six pages, opening with a page of news and stats. There are notes on key players and the club’s manager, as well as various miscellaneous snippets of information about Watford. ‘Scouting Report’ provides a detailed analysis of Watford’s recent results and tactical approach, together with key stats from the season to date.
Another very impressive element of the programme is the level of detail that is provided about the club’s various teams. ‘Arsenal Academy’ is an in-depth eight-page section looking at the club’s youth and development squads, including a two-page profile of one young Gunners player; comprehensive reports on recent matches; and news on Arsenal players out on loan at other clubs. ‘The Academy Alumni’ profiles the career of one Arsenal youth product since they left the club. Arsenal Women are also given two pages, covering news, results, and tables.
The programme includes columns from the manager and captain, each of which is spread over three pages. In addition to the type of content that is standard for such articles, the Arsenal issue adds in biographical details alongside the man features. Match reports are allocated three pages each, including reports, full match stats, and a page of images from the game. The stats section at the back of the programme is called ‘The Breakdown’ and features results and tables for the club’s various teams, alongside a host of other stats. This is another section that demonstrates quality design work, utilising the mint colour of the club’s third kit to mark it out from the rest of the programme.
This is an outstanding issue from Arsenal, up there with the many quality programmes the club has produced over the years. The Gunners issue provides some excellent content, which is matched by the quality of the design work throughout.
Score 19/20 – high quality content, in-depth club coverage, and first-class design make the Arsenal issue a pleasure to read.
Bournemouth (v Leicester City 15/09/18)
£3.50 (100 pp / 79.5 net / P)
Last year’s runner-up in our ‘Programme of the Year’ awards returns with another 100-page ‘Matchday’ issue. This is another quality issue from Bournemouth, which successfully delivers all the key components of a good programme.
‘Matchday’ contains plenty of original content, with a good mix of historical and contemporary features. The former are collected in an eight-page section called ‘Dean Court Days’, in reference to the traditional name of Bournemouth’s stadium. ‘One Hundred and Twenty’ sees the club looking ahead to its 120th anniversary in 2019 by featuring 20 memorable moments from the club’s first 100 years and another 20 from the last 20 years, with a full-page article for each. ‘Frozen in Time’ takes as its starting point a match between Bournemouth and Leicester from 2003, and references key moments and players from the day, as well as looking at the next time the clubs played, some ten years later.
‘Picking the Cherries’ is a detailed two-page feature that chronicles the club’s managers, which here profiles Frank Richards, Bournemouth’s boss in the late 1920s and early 1930s. ‘Fan’s Top 5’ sees one Cherries supporter recalling their five favourite away games.
Contemporary content takes the form of a ten-page player feature, with striker Josh King recalling growing up in Norway and his career since moving to England. There is a six-page article on club icon Steve Fletcher, who has spent 25 years with the club in various roles. Fletcher is very open about the key moments in his career and the steps into coaching he has taken since retirement. The programme also includes a six-page interview with Chris Wise, reporter and commentator for various media outlets, and ‘Countdown to Kick-Off’, which collects various snippets of information about the day’s fixture. For younger supporters, ‘Matchday’ includes a pull-out supplement called ‘Extra Time’.
The visitors’ section on opponents Leicester covers 10 pages, including an introductory feature; a column on the visiting manager with details of his career history; and four pages of squad pen-pics. ‘Match of My Day’ has a visiting supporter recalling their favourite game from their time supporting the club. ‘Leicester City in Stickers’ collects images of players and places that have made their mark on the club’s history. The section is well laid out in Leicester’s colours and includes a background image of the club’s stadium.
‘Matchday’ also features plenty of news and information. There are two pages each for columns from the manager, chairman, and captain, as well as the latest club news. Coverage of previous matches is very well presented across three pages, with a match report, stats, images, and quotes from key figures in the team. Coverage of the Bournemouth’s other sides is handled a little differently from many clubs, with a focus on interviews with members of the respective squads, alongside their season results to date. The first-team season record sits across two pages, with a separate page of Premier League stats including the league table, top scorers, and other player-related charts.
Over the last few seasons the Bournemouth programme has established itself as one of the best issues in the Premier League and this year’s effort from the Cherries continues that trend.
Score 17/20 – ‘Matchday’ is a programme that does everything well, providing plenty of content for home and away supporters alike.
Brighton & Hove Albion (v Fulham 01/09/18)
£3.50 (100 pp / 79 net / P)
The Brighton issue achieved third place in our 2017/18 awards and the team behind this excellent programme have delivered again for the new season. The sheer amount of content provided is outstanding. In addition to the regular columns and club news, there are more than a dozen other features, including interviews with players, coaches, and backroom staff, as well as several historical articles.
Among the contemporary features are an interview with Brighton’s head of recruitment, which provides an insightful look at the process the club goes through when identifying and targeting new players. There are multiple player features spread throughout the programme, as well as interviews with two former Albion players who recently retired and are now working as coaches with the club’s youth teams. The programme also includes three pages on Albion in the Community, highlighting some of the off the field work undertaken by the club.
The historical features include ‘Tales from the Museum’ – a two-page article looking at objects from Albion’s archive – here featuring the ‘headboard’ that sat on the ‘Seagulls Special’ trains that took supporters to away games in the late 70s and early 80s. ‘Unseen Albion’ showcases a photo from the archives with accompanying text telling the story of the players featured.
The visitors’ section is also very impressive. A good opening article is accompanied by tactical notes on the opposition. There are profiles of each squad member with more detailed pen-pics of four key players. ‘All in a Name’ has two pages on various facts about Fulham, including links to Albion, with a further article featuring one opposition player.
There are a further four pages on connections between the clubs, including an excellent feature that looks back to a meeting of the clubs in 1996, when both Brighton and Fulham were in the bottom division of the league and Albion’s future was bleak. ‘Read, White and Blue’ then features the matchday programme from that 1996 fixture, reproducing several pages from that day’s issue. There is also a two-page interview with a player who turned out for both clubs.
The programme includes a good amount of information about the club, with two pages devoted to the Academy and women’s teams. There are several articles included in each section, plus ‘In the Spotlight’, which is a full-page interview with one member of these teams. Coverage of previous matches is spread across three pages, with several pictures and a brief write-up of the match accompanied by an interview with one Albion player looking back at the game.
There are three pages of club news and columns from the Manager and Chief Executive, the latter of which refers to a separate article detailing security measures at the AMEX stadium. These give the impression of a club that is committed to regular communication with supporters and sees the matchday programme as an effective way of achieving this. The first-team statistics section covers all the basics and is well presented.
This is a programme full of high-quality original content that will no doubt take its place among the best in the division again this season.
Score 18/20 – a programme that provides readers with an unparalleled understanding of all aspects of the club.
Burnley (v Bournemouth 22/09/18)
£3.00 (68 pp / 48 net / P)
Our ‘Programme of the Year’ awards for last season returns with a slimmed-down issue, reduced from 88 pages to 68. However, the team behind ‘Turf’ have still produced an impressive programme. The issue retains the design touches that impressed last year, with the whole programme being very well laid out and utilising a good mix of text and images.
The strength of the programme’s design is well illustrated by the section on Burnley’s visitors, which makes excellent use of the club colours of opponents Bournemouth. The section is spread over seven pages, with an introduction and manager profile followed by squad pen-pics, including one more detailed profile on the visitors’ key player. ‘One of Their Own’ features a key player from the visiting club’s history – here looking at Ted MacDougall, Bournemouth striker from the early 1970s. ‘Played for Both’ meanwhile features former Clarets and Cherries goalkeeper Gerry Peyton.
The amount of original content is reduced from last year because of the drop in the number of pages in the programme. However, there are still several good articles present. ‘On This Day’ is a well-presented piece that features six games from Burnley’s past, laid out in a newspaper style format. Also pleasing on the eye is a six-page player interview that makes good use of full-page action shots. There is also a four-page feature on former Clarets legend Michael Duff, who had recently left his role with Burnley’s academy to take charge of Cheltenham Town.
‘Talking Football’ features an interview with retiring club historian Ray Simpson, who was stepping down from his role after 30 years with the club. The article refers to the importance of the club historian having research materials available other than the internet to ensure the details of a club’s past are recorded accurately. This is something all clubs would do well to remember in an age when resources like matchday programmes are being seen by some as superfluous given the prevalence of the internet and digital media.
In terms of club information, the programme dedicates two pages to each of the under-18s and under 23s teams, as well as a page on Burnley’s women’s team. There are columns from manager, captain, and chairman, two pages of club news, and two pages on Burnley’s community work. The first team stats page retains the design features familiar from last season, with a landscape layout and use of opposing club colours. There is also an ‘infobar’ feature that highlights player achievements, including recent international appearances.
Despite the reduction in page numbers from last season, ‘Turf’ is still a fine programme. The excellent design and layout make the whole issue a pleasure to read through. The reduction in content is a shame given how good the programme was last season but, with a retained cover price of £3, ‘Turf’ still provides Burnley fans with good value for money.
Score 16/20 – another fine programme from Burnley with the design work being among the best in the league.
Cardiff City (v Burnley 30/09/18)
£3.00 (72 pp / 46.5 net / S)
Cardiff mark their return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2013/14 season with a 72-page, A5 programme. This is one of the smaller issues in the division but does contain some noteworthy content.
Perhaps the best section of the programme is that devoted to the visiting club. This section is spread across six pages and feels notably different to the usual content delivered in many programmes. The coverage is well laid-out with a full-page picture to kick things off, together with an introductory article that covers recent form and information on summer signings. There are profiles of key players, as well as notes on injuries within the squad.
Worthy of particular mention is a squad ‘depth chart’ for visitors Burnley, of the type common in US sports such as the NFL. This provides a list of players available to the visitors in each position, with the most likely starter in each position listed first. The depth chart also contains brief notes on certain players. ‘All You Need to Know About’ includes club basics, information on the club’s rivals, a profile of the town of Burnley, and details of the club’s colours, crest, and nickname. Those behind the Cardiff programme should be praised for finding a different style of opposition coverage to most programmes, with an impressive depth of content provided.
Related to the issue’s coverage of the visitors, ‘Get Shirty’ takes a squad number and profiles players from Cardiff and Burnley who have worn that shirt in recent times. ‘Shared Pasts’ contains stories about various players that have represented both clubs, while ‘The Terry Philips Column’ profiles former Bluebirds and Clarets striker Steven Thompson. In terms of other original content, the programme also provides interviews with two of Cardiff’s squad and a two-page Junior Bluebirds section.
The programme includes two pages on the club’s Academy teams and a page on Cardiff’s Women’s team. Match reports are provided across two pages with a match summary as well as stats and line-ups. The issue is completed by the usual season record spread and a page of player stats that also includes the league table.
With only 72 pages available, and 25.5 of these given over to adverts, the Cardiff issue feels somewhat thin in terms of original content. The lack of historical features feels like a notable omission, but what is provided is certainly worth reading.
Score 12/20 – some impressive opposition coverage aside, this is one of the more lightweight issues in the Premier League.
Chelsea (v Everton 11/11/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 67 net / P)
The Chelsea programme has undergone an overhaul for the 2018/19 season, introducing a new perfect-bound issue with a page size that is slightly longer than usual. The programme benefits from a clean, consistent design throughout. Although the font size used is smaller than in many issues it is still perfectly clear, allowing for some in-depth features to be complemented by pictures and artwork without compromising the reading experience.
The best reading in the Chelsea programme comes in a 15-page section called ‘CFC Heritage’, which contains several interesting historical articles. ‘Blue Days’ has one former player recalling memorable moments from their career at Stamford Bridge and beyond. ‘How Chelsea Changed the World of Football’ is a series of articles from club historian Rick Glanvill that considers the impact of the club within the wider game. The subject for the Everton programme, played on the 100th anniversary of the First World War armistice, is football during the war years. This includes reproductions of various wartime covers of ‘The Chelsea FC Chronicle’ – the club’s programme from its early years.
‘Goal Machines’ is another ongoing series, which profiles the leading goalscorers in Chelsea’s history – here focusing on Scotland’s Hughie Gallacher, who featured for the Blues between 1930 and 1934. ‘Lasting Impressions’ examines the career of Chelsea’s former player and manager Ken Shellito, who helped to popularise the role of the overlapping full-back under manager Tommy Docherty in the 1960s. ‘Archives’ then features extracts from the match programme for Shellito’s testimonial match in 1968.
Other original content consists of a seven-page player feature with defender David Luiz, with two and a half pages of text accompanied by various images of the player in action. ‘Access All Areas’ is a compilation of behind the scenes photos from training, including the club’s men’s and women’s teams. ‘Tunnel Vision’ sees one Chelsea player looking at their typical matchday, including memorable moments from their career over three pages. ‘Stole the Show’ looks at a notable performance from a former Chelsea player, whilst there is also a column from former Blue, and now journalist, Pat Nevin.
Coverage of matchday opponents Everton is spread across eight pages, the first of which contains basic details about the club and a picture of a first-team player. The section is quite heavily stats-based, including details of previous meetings and a form guide. There are four pages on the current Everton squad, with pictures and biographical details of all the players and write-ups on key members of the team and the club’s manager. ‘Icon’ is a brief profile of legendary club manager Howard Kendall, next to a timeline of key moments’ from Everton’s history. There are also pictures of two classic programme covers from previous meetings of the two clubs. Some additional content, such as tactical analysis or greater content on the club’s players, would improve this section.
Club information features strongly within the Chelsea issue. The programme features a column from manager Maurizio Sarri, followed by four pages of club news. Coverage of previous matches is excellent, with two pages allocated to each game, including a full-page photograph and a detailed report, as well as line-ups and match stats. There are full-page write-ups from the club’s development squad, under-18s, and women’s teams, including details of recent matches on a sidebar. These articles are complemented by a page of stats for the three teams, with results, appearances, scorers, and tables. This page is a good example of the quality of the design work in the Chelsea programme, with full use made of the page size without the page looking too busy. A ‘Stats Centre’ has extensive information on the first-team, with a well-presented two-page season spread another example of the impressive use of space within this issue.
The changes to the Chelsea programme this season have further improved what was already a very strong issue. The quality of the design and layout work is commendable and there is plenty of reading for Blues supporters, with a clear focus on the club’s history.
Score 17/20 – an impressive issue from Chelsea, with plenty of interesting reading and extensive information about the club’s various teams.
Crystal Palace (v Wolverhampton Wanderers 06/10/18)
£3.50 (88 pp / 73 net / P)
Palace have opted for smaller pages in their programme for 2018/19, moving to an 88-page A5 issue. The issue nevertheless retains many of the smart design features from last season, such as the football-sticker style pictures used throughout the programme. There are a few places within the issue where the text appears quite small, as a consequence of packing the content into the reduced page format, but the quality of the layouts and the colours used tends to prevent this being a problem.
There are a couple of standout features in the Palace issue. ‘100 Years of the Crystal Palace Programme’ celebrates 100 years of matchday programmes from the club in a series tracing their development, which here examines the programmes from the seasons between 1934 and 1939. This is a terrific article, showing programme cover designs season by season with a narrative detailing the contents. This feature will build over the season into a valuable record for Palace fans, particularly those with an interest in collecting their club’s issues.
‘The Glory Years’ is a historical section that looks back at the club’s promotion campaigns of 1968/69, 1978/79, and 1988/89. This makes use of season reviews, interviews, and match reports to tell the story of those campaigns. This eight-page feature is very well designed, using sepia tones printed on more of a matt paper than the gloss stock used in the rest of the programme. This feature is complemented by a fold-out postcard within the back cover of the programme, which depicts an action shot from one of the promotion seasons.
There are various other original features within the issue, including an eight-page interview with one current Palace player; ‘Legends in Lego’, which recreates a notable moment from the club’s history using Lego figures; ‘In Focus’ which features a three-page profile of, and interview with, Palace Ladies player Leesa Haydock, where she offers an insight into the ongoing development and improvement of the Ladies Team; and ‘Behind the Headlines’ – a column from Guardian London Football Correspondent Dominic Fifield – which is a welcome addition marked out by the quality of the writing. There is also a three-page section for ‘Junior Eagles’.
The section on visitors Wolves is kicked off with an excellent full-page graphic, including an image of hone Wolves players and the club’s crest prominently displayed. There are two pages looking at key figures past and present, together with images of trophies won and pictures of the club’s current kits, followed by four pages of basic pen-pics with more detail provided on various key players. ‘7 Things You Didn’t Know’ is a nice addition to this section, identifying obscure facts from the visiting club’s history. In addition, there are two further pages on players who played for both in ‘A Foot in Both Camps’. This section demonstrates well the quality of the design work in the Palace programme, making particularly notable use of Wolves’ distinctive gold and black colours.
In respect of club information, the programme has two-page columns from manager, captain, and chairman, each with a full-page photo and sticker-type picture above the column. There are two pages of club news, including a newspaper-style ‘News in Brief’ column, which is another nice design touch. Recent match coverage is allocated two pages per match with a mix of images, match stats, and a brief report. There is a similar layout for Palace’s other teams, with the under-23s, under-18s, and ladies team given a page each, with match reports given prominence and results and tables to the side of the page. There is a detailed stats section, with two pages of seasonal stats, followed by one of the better laid out fixtures and results spreads in the league – using predominantly white text and a dark navy background – and a further page of Premier League information, including the league table and fixtures for the week.
The Palace programme has adjusted well to the new page size, retaining the quality design work from last season and making excellent use of club colours throughout. The programme provides plenty of reading, with some excellent historical features being the highlight, helping to make this another quality effort from Palace.
Score 17/20 – an issue that ticks all the right boxes, offering some fine content across well-designed pages.
Everton (v Crystal Palace 21/10/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 63 net / P)
Everton’s programme for 2018/19 is another solid issue from the Toffees. The programme is well laid out, opting for a simple design scheme throughout and using the club’s colours to good effect.
Much of the content provided is made up of interviews with players past and present. The main feature is ‘The Big Interview’, which here profiles Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson. The feature is spread over eight pages with five pages worth of text. There is a shorter interview, over four pages, with defender Mason Holgate, recalling his development at Barnsley and his move to Goodison Park. One article that provides an interesting read is an interview with the club’s Director of Medical about maintaining players’ fitness and dealing with injuries. This provides a worthwhile insight into factors such as the medical that a player must go through ahead of any transfer.
‘My Golden Years’ profiles former Evertonian Dave Jones who, over five pages, recalls his career as a player and manager, accompanied by several retro pictures. A page from the Everton Heritage Society looks at a former meeting of Everton and matchday opponents Crystal Palace, when the clubs met in the final of the Zenith Data Systems Cup in 1991. There are also a couple of two-page photographs recalling previous meetings of the two sides, which are accompanied by a basic commentary in each instance.
Particularly worthy of note is a pair of articles that look at Everton’s work supporting mental health initiatives in their community. The first feature looks forward to the development of ‘The People’s Place’ – a facility currently being set up by the club to provide advice and signposting for users – whilst the second examines Everton’s work to mark World Mental Health Day in October, with awareness training for senior officials of the club. The articles reflect a much needed, and growing, awareness within the game of issues related to mental health provision.
Coverage of visitors Crystal Palace starts with a page of introductory notes, followed by football-sticker style profiles of the squad, with larger pictures for key players. Unfortunately, each player is given only basic biographical details, rather than any notes. There is, however, a two-page interview with former Palace player and now TV pundit, John Salako, in which he assesses the club’s form and tactics ahead of the match.
Information about Everton’s various teams is well handled, with a two-page feature on the under-23 team, and one page each for the under-18s and the club’s ladies team, followed by a further page of fixtures, results, and tables covering all three teams. In terms of the first-team, there are two-page columns from manager and captain, while coverage of previous fixtures is limited to a two-page photo. Other information is made up of a page of basic statistics and the familiar season results and fixtures spread.
The Everton programme shows some improvements from last season, although this remains an issue that feels somewhat limited in terms of original content.
Score 14/20 – a solid programme from Everton, but one which lacks the depth of the league’s best issues.
Fulham (v Arsenal 07/10/18)
£3.50 (100 pp / 83 net / P)
Fulham mark their return to the Premier League with a high-quality 100-page A5 programme. The Fulham issue was one of the well-regarded programmes in the Championship last season and this is another very impressive issue from the Cottagers.
The programme benefits from a simple, clean layout and design that makes good use of the club’s colours of white, black, and red, making the issue a pleasure to browse through. The strength of this design work complements the extensive content provided. There are more than 20 original features in the programme, making this issue one of the best reads in the Premier League.
Among the best features is ‘From the Vaults’, which looks at matchday programmes from previous fixtures against Arsenal, including cover reproductions and details from the various matches featured. ‘This is the Cottage’ sees club historian Alex White charting the history of the ground – a fascinating feature that in this issue examines the redevelopment of Craven Cottage in the early 20th century and the nearby development of Stamford Bridge, which Fulham were offered the chance to rent prior to the establishment of Chelsea FC.
‘One Moment in Time’ reproduces a photograph from a past meeting of Fulham and Arsenal, with a brief commentary, and two pages on the teams that day and what happened to them. ‘Seasons in the Sun’ is a series that profiles one of Fulham’s 25 previous seasons in the top flight of English football – here looking at the 2001/02 campaign when, under manager Jean Tigana, the club reached the FA Cup semi-finals. ‘The Ex Files’ is a four-page features that carries an interview with one former Fulham player who has a link to the day’s opponents.
‘Back Pass’ examines now defunct stadia, at which Fulham had played. In this issue, the stadium profiled is Arsenal’s former home at Highbury. This is another quality feature, full of detail about the ground’s history and Fulham’s record there. ‘Legendary Tales’ profiles former Fulham player and coach Frank Penn, who served the club for 50 years. ‘The Way I See It’ features a photograph from the archives with the story behind it told by the subject, while ‘Last Gasp Goals’ looks at memorable late winning goals from Fulham’s history.
The programme includes also includes extensive club coverage. There are two-page columns from the manager and captain and ‘White Bites’ – providing two pages of club news. Match reports are on two pages, with an image from the game making up most of the spread, alongside match details, line-ups, and an image of the programme cover from the fixture. Coverage of the club’s youth teams include a two-page interview with one prospect and a page of match reports for each of the under-18s and under-23s. There are four pages of club stats, including results for the Academy teams and the double-page first team record.
Coverage of the visiting team is also well laid out, with strong use of the opposing club’s colours. There are nine pages in all devoted to Arsenal, including a good introductory article and a fact-file of key stats. ‘Classic Campaign’ looks at a memorable season for the visitors, while ‘Terrace Idol’ features one legendary players from the opposition club’s ranks. ‘The Gaffer’ is a profile of the club’s manager, with similar profiles afforded to their captain and star man, as well as ‘The Spine’ of the team. Other members of the squad are afforded more basic pen-pics, alongside a profile of one ‘hot prospect’. Finally, ‘Press Box Analysis’ is a column on the visitors penned by the Daily Mirror’s Chief Football Writer, John Cross.
A first-class effort then from Fulham, packed with quality readable content. The sheer amount of reading provided is hugely impressive, with the quality of the features being of a very high standard. This is matched by the neat and tidy design work, which serves as an example of the benefits of keeping things simple. The Fulham programme is a real credit to the club.
Score 19/20 – the pick of this season’s Premier League issues, the Fulham programme excels across the board.
Huddersfield Town (v Cardiff City 25/08/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 62 net / P)
Huddersfield Town have retained the 84 page, perfect-bound edition that impressed last season. As with last year’s programme, this season’s effort from the Terriers contains plenty of impressive content.
There are several historical features, including ‘Top Flight Town’, which examines key figures from the 1923/24 season, the first of Huddersfield’s three successive championships, including legendary manager Herbert Chapman. One fact worthy of note is that the Terriers had only five goalscorers in that championship season! There is also an interesting two-page article about ‘The Jubilee Fund Matches’, which recalls the efforts of the Football League to commemorate their 50th anniversary in 1938 by playing friendly matches between local rivals to raise funds for players that had left the game through injury.
More recent club history is included too. ‘From the Outside In’ relates developments from the 2003/04 season, when Huddersfield spent the year in the bottom division of the league, ultimately being promoted through the play-offs. Former Town striker Andy Booth’s column looks at former Terriers boss Neil Warnock, manager of the club’s matchday opponents Cardiff. This is followed with a further two pages on Warnock’s time in charge at Huddersfield and the promotion campaign of 1994/95. These articles provide a reminder of how far the club has come in achieving Premier League status.
Contemporary content is made up of a four-page player interview and ‘Past, Future, Present’ – a series of questions and answers with one Town player. In terms of other club content, there are numerous columns from members of the club’s staff, including manager, captain, chairman, and programme editor. The issue includes a couple of articles about Huddersfield’s youngsters at under-17 level and efforts to improve the development of the current crop of juniors. There is also a full page of fixtures for the club’s Academy teams. The season stats page is well presented, with a separate page showing the league table and player season stats.
The programme also has a strong section on visitors Cardiff City, with eight pages of dedicated content. A detailed introduction is followed by two pages on the opposition manager and pen-pics of eight key players. ‘Memory Lane’ highlights key moments and figures from Cardiff’s history, and provides a club honours list. A further two pages called ‘Action from the Archives’ is a mix of pictures and text on previous meetings between the clubs. There is also a ‘Pundits Preview’ feature, which is a two-page look ahead to what Huddersfield could expect from their opponents, offering an insight into the tactics and key players the Terriers will face.
This is another solid programme from the Terriers team, maintaining the high standard of last season’s effort. The range of features, taking in both pre-war successes and more recent history, helps to make the issue a very worthwhile read.
Score 15/20 – another impressive programme from Huddersfield, with the original content offering plenty of interesting reading.
Leicester City (v West Ham United 27/10/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 56.5 net / P)
Some high-quality features are contained within the Leicester City programme, as we have come to expect from the Foxes’ issues down the years. These are contained within a 12-page section called ‘City Heritage’ that provides some of the best original content in any programme in the division.
The section kicks off with a five-page feature on former player Andy Impey, who turned out for both Leicester and opponents West Ham during his career. This is an excellent interview with revealing insights into some of the issues faced by footballers during their careers. ‘How We Managed’ continues a series of articles on the 47 permanent managers that have taken charge of Leicester City (and Leicester Fosse before them) – here profiling Ian Holloway, who was in charge of the Foxes when they suffered relegation to the third tier of English football for the first and only time in 2008.
’25 Days That Built Leicester City’ commemorates the forthcoming centenary of Leicester gaining city status and reforming the club as Leicester City, by featuring key days in the club’s history. The article included here looks at the decision taken on 3rd June 1908 to upgrade the facilities at Filbert Street, the club’s then home. This article offers a fascinating insight into the work undertaken to improve the ground, with the club having recently gained top-flight status. The ‘Game Changers’ column is a product of the club’s partnership with the local De Montfort University and this season profiles some of the players featured in the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame. In this issue, the player featured is Wilf Mannion of Middlesbrough.
‘Programme Vault’ is a two-page feature that reproduces the programme covers for the last 11 fixtures between Leicester and West Ham, together with a brief write-up of each match. ‘Picture This’ reproduces an image of Leicester players from the 1929/30 season, in which the club participated in several benefit cup competitions to raise funds for hospitals.
The heritage section of the Leicester programme provides a level of detail rarely seen in matchday programmes and has been put together by contributors with a clear passion for the club and its historic role within the local community. More contemporary original content is provided in the form of a seven-page interview with one Foxes first-team player, including various pictures and biographical information. There is also a column from club ambassador Alan Birchenall, previewing the day’s fixture.
The programme includes nine pages on visitors West Ham United, opening with an impressive two-page spread that features a striking background photograph and various pieces of club information and records. ‘No Place Like Home’ looks at the Hammers’ new home at the London Stadium, while ‘In The Know’ is an article from former Leicester and West Ham striker Tony Cottee, who recalls his time with the visitors and analyses their season to date.
There is a full-page profile of visiting manager Manuel Pellegrini, including his coaching history and honours won, as well as profiles of four key members of the West Ham squad. A head-to-head records page has various stats about past meetings between the clubs, before ‘Golden Goal’ completes the section, examining a stand-out strike scored by West Ham in their recent history. The visitors’ pages are well presented, making good use of West Ham’s traditional claret and blue colours. One further touch that is worthy of mention is brief player profiles for the visitors included on the squad line-ups on the back cover of the programme.
The Leicester issue is also strong on club information, with notes from the manager and vice-chairman, three pages of club news, and notes on the club’s community work. There are three pages on the club’s academy teams, including season results and fixtures on a sidebar, with a further page given over to Leicester’s Women’s team. Previous match coverage is spread over three or four pages for each fixture, with a focus on photographs of the game alongside match stats and line-ups. There are also three pages of first-team stats, including a well-presented season spread.
The 2018/19 Leicester programme continues the club’s tradition of quality matchday issues. The only notable downside to an otherwise excellent programme is the high proportion of advertisements, with nearly one-third of the page count given over to advertising content. Nevertheless, the quality of the original features shines through, ensuring that the Foxes programme continues to take a deserved place among the better issues in the Premier League.
Score 17/20 – some of the best writing of any programme in the division contributes to another impressive Leicester issue.
Liverpool (v Brighton & Hove Albion 25/08/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 63 net / P)
Liverpool’s programme benefits from some strong original content, the highlight of which is ‘The Big Read’. An excellent feature, retained from last season, this well-written article covers six pages and here focuses on former midfielder Jan Molby. The text goes in to some depth on the player’s career with the Reds, with the article also providing context by referring to the club and the city at the time Molby was signed. The feature is therefore able to provide the kind of insight that many programme articles often lack.
The programme also contains several features on current players, including four pages each for an interview with one player and a Q&A with another. ‘Hot Shots’ meanwhile gathers together ten pictures that tell the story of one Liverpool players’ career to date. The ‘Anfield Extra’ section covers ten pages, including ‘Classic Kits’, ‘A History of Liverpool FC in 100 Objects’, and a two page ‘Kop Kids’ section. ‘Countdown to Kick Off’ previews the match ahead with reference to each club’s recent form, accompanied by ‘Head to Head’ that highlights key stats from fixtures between the two clubs.
The section on Liverpool’s matchday opponents is unfortunately rather limited, featuring some introductory text and notes on the visiting club’s manager and three key players. Other players have only pictures and basic detail. ‘Back Story’ features an action shot from a previous meeting of the clubs, but some of the features that were included in last year’s opposition coverage have been cut. The section is at least well presented in the visiting club’s colours.
The programme is strong on club information. As well as manager and captain columns there is a two-page photo-spread showcasing a key moment in the club’s last game; write-ups and results from Liverpool’s Academy and women’s teams; match reports including line-ups, stats, action shots, and brief notes; and the usual stats section, including players’ current season and club career records and the familiar two-page season results and fixtures spread.
Overall, a solid programme from Liverpool, with ‘The Big Read’ being one of the best features of any programme in the league.
Score 13/20 – strong on content and club information, Liverpool’s mark suffers because of the limited opposition content.
Manchester City (v Southampton 04/11/18)
£3.00 (84 pp / 58 net / P)
City’s programme has a familiar feel this season, with the A5-sized, perfect-bound issue utilising a similar design and layout to last year’s issue. The programme has a heavy reliance on photographic content, with a limited number of articles that often contain only basic text.
Among the better features is ‘City Folklore’, which sees Gary Jones looking at stories relating to the club’s history, here analysing the various nicknames associated with City down the years. ’20 / 10 / 5 Years Ago’ recalls matches from the 1998/99, 2008/09, and 2013/14 seasons, each of which has a significance in the recent history of the club. ‘We’re Not Really Here’ is the best of the photo sections, comprising a four-page spread focused on City’s final game at Maine Road, which took place in 2003 against matchday opponents Southampton.
Other original content is made up of a six-page player feature, most of which is taken up with pictures and ‘Access All Areas – On Location’, which is a collection of photos of City players – here featuring three members of City’s Women’s team. There are also columns from club ambassador Mike Summerbee and BBC 6 Music DJ, and City fan, Mark Riley, as well as two pages on City’s community work, which again is heavily image based.
There is a six-page section on visitors Southampton. This includes an introductory article on Saints’ recent history, followed by basic notes on the club’s players and a ‘Roll Call’ with key info on the visiting squad. There is a statistical section on the visiting club’s manager and a look at Southampton’s recent form.
In terms of club information, the programme includes a two-page column from City manager Pep Guardiola; two pages on City’s Women’s team and two-page interviews with members of City’s Development and Academy teams. A seven-page stats section concludes the programme, with results and tables for the club’s Development, Academy, and Women’s teams. A ‘Match Diary’ provides full match stats, including line-ups, for the club’s recent fixtures, and there is a club ‘Roll Call’, league table, and match details spread.
As with last season’s effort, the City issue feels rather lightweight, with only a minimum of original content and a reliance on photographs to fill the programme’s 84 pages. Given the resources at the club’s disposal, the City issue is a disappointment, which pales in comparison with most other programmes in the division.
Score 11/20 – an over-reliance on pictures and a lack of any significant original content mean the City issue is among the weakest programmes in the Premier League.
Manchester United (v Tottenham Hotspur 27/08/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 60 net / S)
United Review has undergone some design changes for the 2018/19 season, the most noticeable of which is the use of ‘feature numbers’ displayed prominently throughout the programme. These appear at the start of each new section and are used in addition to regular page numbering in an effort to make navigation easier.
The United programme scores well for original content, with a range of interesting features. Among the articles in this issue is ‘Reds in Pink’ which looks back to various features from Manchester’s former Saturday evening sports newspaper, to tie in with the launch of United’s new pink third shirt. A series of front cover reproductions are included, together with explanatory text. The programme also has a wrap-around cover that provides further information about the Pink newspaper.
A memorabilia page showcases items from United’s museum, here showing pictures of the manager’s contract signed by Matt Busby in 1946. ‘Past Programme’ features an old edition of United Review, from a match in 1954 against the day’s opponents Tottenham Hotspur. The article reproduces the programme cover and a couple of features showing United’s youth team, including Duncan Edwards, just a few years before the Munich disaster. Another historical feature ‘In His Prime’ features the goalscoring exploits of Denis Law in the 1963/64 season, while ‘Treble Tales’ looks back to the successes of United’s 1998/99 campaign.
There are also several contemporary articles, including ‘Talking Points’ that features four brief topics of discussion ahead of the day’s match. There is an article showing the newly remodelled dressing rooms at Old Trafford, and two player interviews that both include full-page pictures of the subjects. ‘Big Picture’ makes good use of the programme’s shape with an image from a recent match that covers most of a two-page spread, accompanied by a basic commentary.
The visitor’s section starts with ‘Snap of the Season’ – an action shot showing the visitors’ last match. There are two pages of stats and preview notes; two pages about the opposition’s players, including four key men highlighted with pen-pics; and a single page interview with a former Spurs player. A separate feature – United v Spurs memories – contains five short articles related to the history of the fixture.
Club information is well presented, including the manager’s column; one page each on United’s Under-23s and Under-18s, including match results, line-ups, and the respective league tables; and the first-team’s stats pages, including commentary on several players and recent achievements, which serves as an interesting addition to what could otherwise by dry data. There are two pages given over to United’s new women’s team, with plenty of pictures from their first competitive fixture. ‘Need to Know’ is a well-designed two-page spread previewing upcoming dates of significance, including matches for each of United’s teams. These club features are complemented by a page on the Premier League, including previews of the weekend’s fixtures, a league table, and a full results grid.
This is once again a high-quality United programme, containing many interesting features and often eye-catching design. The issue would benefit from stronger coverage of United’s matchday opponents, with the information included feeling more insubstantial than last season’s programme. Nevertheless, a strong issue from the team at United Review with the programme, as ever, being a pleasure to read.
Score 15/20 – good quality content supported by a design that makes full use of the square page layouts.
Newcastle United (v Chelsea 26/08/18)
£3.00 (84 pp / 61.5 net / P)
‘United’ retains the A5 sized perfect-bound issue from last season and makes full use of the space available with some quality design work. The layouts used are simple and avoid anything overly fussy. Whilst the text can appear a little small in places, the clear page designs keep the type perfectly readable.
Newcastle’s programme has also increased the amount of content provided, with less space allocated to adverts than last year’s issue. ‘United’ includes a couple of lengthy features on players past and present. The current player interview covers eight pages and includes several good quality match photos. Meanwhile, an interview with former player Gavin Peacock delves into key moments from his career and his activities since hanging up his boots.
There are several well put together historical features. ‘The Black ‘N’ White Club’ looks at notable United players from down the years while ‘Serving Club & Country’ reports on the wartime 1914/15 season and matches between United and matchday opponents Chelsea, as well as providing information on United players who gave their lives during the war. ‘Programmeabilia’ meanwhile is a four-page section that features Newcastle related memorabilia from past fixtures against Chelsea, with programme cover images and information on selected matches. The section also includes a page on both clubs’ European exploits against the same overseas opposition.
Coverage of Newcastle’s matchday opponents is also improved on last season, with six pages given over to Chelsea. These include a well written introductory article; a full-page image from a recent fixture; and four pages of pen-pics. As with the rest of the programme, the section is well presented, with nice graphical touches, such as the national flag of each visiting player.
‘United’ also delivers in terms of club information. As well as the standard manager and captain columns (both of which are accompanied by full-page photos) there is strong coverage of recent matches with three pages per fixture that include match stats, line-ups, key highlights, and two pages of photos. Four pages on Newcastle’s Academy teams include a detailed two-page interview with one young player. The first-team stats section is simply presented and includes fixtures and results, as well as a squad stats table.
This is an issue that has certainly made improvements since last season. Having retained the £3 cover price, fans are benefiting from increasingly better value for money from their club. The design and layout make the programme a pleasure to browse through and this is supported by some highly readable content.
Score 15/20 – a clear improvement from Newcastle, this well-designed issue contains plenty of interesting reading.
Southampton (v Newcastle United 27/10/18)
£4.00 (84 pp / 66 net / P)
The Southampton programme remains the only issue in the league to be charged at £4. However, this year’s effort shows some significant improvements on last year’s issue, with an expanded collection of original content being particularly impressive.
The historical features are contained in an 11-page section called ‘Dell Diaries’. ‘Thanks for the Memory’ looks at a local press cartoon from 1953, recalling the stories related to it and Saints’ fortunes from the time. ‘Flying Foreign Flags’ highlights players from one nation who have represented Southampton, here featuring four Senegalese players – ranging from the successful Sadio Mane to the less celebrated Aly Dia.
‘That Reminds Me’ sees David Bull recalling the life of Saints player Bert Shelley, who served his country during the First World War, before making 465 appearances for the club. ‘The Life of O’Brien’ is a recollection of George O’Brien, who played for Southampton in the 1960s, helping the club to promotion in 1966. ‘Where Are They Now?’ looks back to a 1986 victory against the day’s opponents, Newcastle United, and examines what happened to the Saints players who turned out that day. The piece is accompanied by pictures from the game and the Southampton team group photo from the 1986/87 season.
In other original content, the programme contains an extensive junior section, offering younger Saints fans plenty of material over nine pages. There is an interview with current Southampton defender Jack Stephens, which is spread over nine pages. This recalls his early playing career and move to the south coast club. There is also a column from former Saints defender Francis Benali.
The section on opponents Newcastle features an introductory page of stats and key club records. There are basic pen-pics for the likely starting eleven, with expanded notes on a key player and the manager. ‘Scouting Report’ is a nicely presented graphic showing the visitors’ line-up and formation with brief notes on certain players. ‘Head to Head’ provides some further analysis of the visitors’ team. The section also includes an in-depth two-page interview with a reporter who covers the visiting team, looking at their season to date and other issues around the club. ‘Take A Trip Down Memory Lane’ is an excellent two-page reproduction of an image from the Southampton archives, here showing a goal from a Saints v Magpies cup tie from 1898.
Club information includes columns from manager and captain, followed by a page of club news. ‘Inside Staplewood’ looks at news around the club’s academy, with fixtures and results for the under-23s and under 18s. The usual two-page first-team results spread is well presented and accompanied by two pages of player stats for the first team squad. The programme also features a page on Southampton’s women’s team.
The programme benefits from a tidy design and some intelligent design touches. An example of this is the contents page, which contains images relevant to various features within the programme. The pages are generally well laid-out, although the occasional use of white text on a red background can be wearing on the eyes.
The Southampton programme is one of the most improved issues in the Premier League, offering some excellent content across its 84 pages. Although it is the most expensive issue in the division, the quality of the features is such that the programme still offers value for money.
Score 16/20 – a much improved programme, the amount of original historical content provided makes the Saints issue a rewarding read.
Tottenham Hotspur (v Liverpool 15/09/18)
£3.50 (100 pp / 73.5 net / P)
As we have come to expect from Spurs this is another very well put together issue, featuring plenty of reading material and supported by strong design. The page layouts show some creativity. For example, the manager’s notes page has design notes that mirror some of the features of Tottenham’s current kit. The contents page is also livened up with pictures of covers from various past fixtures against the day’s opponents.
Perhaps the most impressive feature is ‘A Century of Seasons’, which marks Tottenham’s 100th season of league football. Covering four pages, with each page devoted to one season, the section looks chronologically at each of Spurs’ previous 99 campaigns. This includes a write-up of key developments from each season, together with stats and league tables. The feature includes some quality archive images of players, matches, and supporters, and over the season will build into a fine record of the club’s history.
The programme includes plenty of other original content. ‘Breaking New Ground’ marks Tottenham’s forthcoming return to their new White Hart Lane stadium by looking at other new grounds that have opened since the start of the Premier League in 1992. The article in this issue looks at Hull City’s stadium, examining Spurs’ record there. The programme also includes a seven-page interview with one first-team player and ‘Freeze Frame’ – an action shot from a recent fixture, well presented across two pages.
Several of the features relate to the day’s fixture, including ‘Here and There’, which reproduces images from past fixtures between Spurs and their opponents – one home and one away match. These articles tell the stories behind the images and the wider season from which they are drawn. ‘Golden Goal’ recalls a memorable goal from a past Tottenham v Liverpool fixture, while ‘Spurs Association’ connects an opposition player with a Tottenham player through profiles of former team-mates, clubs, and matches. ‘Spurs Illustrated’ meanwhile is a two-page action shot from the archives. There is also an interview with former Spurs and Liverpool player Ronny Rosenthal.
The section specifically devoted to visitors Liverpool covers seven pages and includes basic club information, a manager profile, and form guide, as well as recent results, and a ten-year record. There is also good coverage of the visitors’ squad, with a decent level of detail about the players. An extra article or two about the visitors, such as club history or a tactical analysis, would further enhance the section as it feels somewhat skewed towards data as it stands.
One of the most noticeable elements of the programme is the depth of information about all parts of the club, from the first-team to Tottenham’s Academy and Women’s teams. There are two pages given to each of the Under-23s and Under-18s, with news, results, and reports, as well as a separate stats page for the Academy squads. The Tottenham Ladies team is afforded similar coverage, including detailed coverage of recent fixtures. Coverage of previous first-team matches is well laid out with several pictures as well as match information and line-ups, and there are three pages of stats and records.
This is a programme that provides plenty of content across its 100 pages. Thoroughly professional and well-polished, the Spurs issue demonstrates how programmes can still serve as a source of record in the digital age.
Score 16/20 – finds a nice balance of contemporary and historical content alongside extensive club information.
Watford (v Manchester United 15/09/18)
£3.50 (84 pp / 66.5 net / S)
Watford’s programme, simply called ‘Hornet’, has a reduced page count this season, down from 100 pages last season to 84 this time around. This is a logical move given the amount of unused space that was so noticeable last season. This has helped to provide a better overall ‘feel’ to the programme, with some good use of design and layout throughout the issue. ‘Hornet’ is particularly strong on photographic content with most features accompanied by quality images. Most importantly, the quality of the content provided in this season’s issue is markedly improved compared with last year’s issue.
The programme opens with a ‘Gameday’ graphic that sets the scene for the day’s fixture. This includes head-to-head records and other information about the match-up, with team news and notes from both the home and away camps. Columns from manager and captain are followed by two pages of club news and a player interview that is spread across eight pages.
Coverage of previous matches is provided across two pages, with photos of key events from the fixture pulled out from a timeline and accompanied by stats and line-ups from the match. The programme also includes interviews with members of the club’s ladies’ team and academy squads, as well as full-page season records for the Under-23s and Under-18s. In terms of the first team squad, there are two pages of basic pen-pics, one page of player stats, and a two-page season record spread. A ‘Junior Hornets’ pull-out section is included, which contains a poster, quiz, and stats sheet for younger Watford supporters.
The visitors’ section is well presented with an introductory page of club details and an honours board, which also features a partial cut-out of the opposing club’s crest. Brief notes on the manager and three key players are provided, followed by biographical details on the rest of the squad. These included a ‘did you know’ snippet on each player, which is a welcome variation on the usual basic information that many programmes settle for.
The real centrepiece of the programme is a 16-page historical section called ‘Golden Memories’. This runs through the middle of the programme and is presented in landscape format, printed black and white on sepia-toned pages. The quality of the design work is worthy of note and is matched by the content. The section included six features, which are concentrated on Watford’s successful promotion campaigns of 1968/69 and 1998/99.
‘Fifty Years Ago’ looks at what was happening the world as Watford were promoted to the second level of English football for the first time. The article includes news, sport, and music of the time, before looking back at the Home Internationals played at the end of that season. ‘Testimonials’ features Watford figures from the past who were granted testimonial fixtures, including pictures of the match programme and other memorabilia.
‘Forgotten Memories’ examines overlooked victories from Watford’s last 25 years, including pictures from the time and a detailed scene-setter and match report. ‘The 1998/99 Interview’ features former Watford striker Allan Smart, looking at his key role in helping the Hornets to promotion that season under Graham Taylor. ‘20/20 Vision’ has further reflections on that season, as does a column from Daily Mirror sportswriter Mike Walters. Overall, this is a very well put together section that reflects the passion of its writers for the club and its history.
The improvement from last season’s programme is significant, displaying originality in both design and content, and providing an impressive issue that is a pleasure to read through.
Score 16/20 – With the range of historical content a notable highlight, the Watford programme can, in many respects, stand comparison with the best in the division.
West Ham United (v Manchester City 24/11/18)
£3.50 (100 pp / 70.5 net / P)
The West Ham programme for 2018/19 benefits from some very impressive design and layout work throughout its 100 pages. Excellent use is made of the club’s traditional claret and blue colours, on predominantly white backgrounds. The programme uses the same font size and type across its articles, which helps to provide a consistent feel to the issue. Although quite small, the text size allows for a level of detail in many features that is refreshing to see. This helps the programme to overcome one of the highest levels of advertising content in the division.
There are six pages devoted specifically to visitors Manchester City. The section includes a write-up of City’s recent history and a brief biography of manager Pep Guardiola. Pen-pics of the City squad are provided, with brief notes on each player sitting alongside their pictures. ‘Seven Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Manchester City’ gathers together various snippets of information about the club and its history, while ‘Opposition View’ has one City season-ticket holder offering their views on the team and its prospects.
The Hammers issue has a particularly high number of other features related to links with the visitors and the day’s match, with more articles of this type than in many other programmes. One of the best of these features is a three-page article on current Hammers boss, and former City manager, Manuel Pellegrini. This is an excellent profile, providing analysis of Pellegrini’s impact at City and some of the players who helped the club to win the league in 2014. ‘For the Record’ looks at some of the 107 matches that West Ham have played against City. An opinion column from Ken Dyer recalls another West Ham / City link in the shape of Trevor Morley, striker for both teams in the late 80s and early 90s. ‘What to Look Out For in Today’s Game’ identifies various points of interest for the fixture ahead; while Tony Cottee’s column also previews the City fixture, as well as picking out other talking points.
There is less in the way of historical features than in many other programmes in the division. ‘My West Ham Scrapbook’ has the recollections of former defender Kevin Lock, who looks back at key moments from his career with the club, including the FA Cup triumph of 1975. ‘Chris Scull’s Cult Hammers Collection’ sees the West Ham TV presented looking at Hammers history and the career of Jimmy Greaves, who spent a year with the club in the early 1970s. Other original content includes a five-page interview with first-team player Felipe Anderson, and ‘My Heroes’, which has one young Hammers player selecting the individuals who have helped to shape his career.
Coverage of the club’s various teams is also impressive, with eight pages of content relating to West Ham’s Academy. This includes two pages on each of the under-23s and under-18s, alongside a feature on the Hammers’ Coaching Association. There is also an interview with one recent Academy graduate. There are three pages afforded to West Ham’s Women’s team, with match analysis, pictures, league table, and an interview with one member of the team. Three pages of first-team statistics are provided, with player records, league table, and a well-presented season spread that serves as an example of the way the club’s colours are used to good effect throughout the programme. There are also quite lengthy columns from manager and captain, as well as nine pages of club news, and information about West Ham’s charitable and community work, again providing more detailed information than many issues.
The West Ham programme shows some improvements on last season’s issue, with the design work being among the best in the league. There is plenty of reading included, which leans quite heavily to articles related to the day’s fixture, with less content of a historical nature. This makes for a slightly different reading experience with this programme than with many other club’s efforts, but one which is rewarding, nonetheless.
Score 17/20 – a quality production from the Hammers that is successful despite the high proportion of advertising content, thanks to excellent design and detailed features.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (v Huddersfield Town 25/11/18)
£3.50 (108 pp / 85.5 net / P)
One of the first points worthy of special note with the 2018/19 Wolves programme is the cover artwork, which in each issue features original watercolour designs by artist Louise Cobbold. These images, which are being auctioned during the season to raise funds for charity, are of high quality and continue Wolves’ recent approach of using original artwork on their programme covers.
The issue itself runs to 108 perfect-bound pages, with a separate junior supporters’ pull-out (called ‘The Wolf Pack’) and a page of stickers for a collectable album that builds up over the season. The programme design has a consistent feel throughout, making sparing use of the club’s familiar gold colour alongside black text on usually white backgrounds.
The programme provides plenty of readable content. The most notable is contained within a history section that runs to 17 pages, including eight pages given over to a full reproduction of a programme from a past meeting between Wolves and Huddersfield, from the 1954/55 season. The reproduction is printed on a different paper stock to differentiate it from the rest of the programme. The match chosen is featured in ‘Foz’s Favourites’, which is an ongoing series that recalls Wolves’ greatest games. An extensive report on the 6-4 victory against Huddersfield in provided, which perfectly complements the reproduced programme.
‘In Focus’ is the recollections of a former Wolves star – in this case Andy Thompson, who spent 11 and a half years with the club. ‘Pack Numbers’ recalls three players who have worn the number nine shirt since the introduction of squad numbers across the Football League in 1999. ‘Before Wolves’ analyses the career development of one first-team member, including notes on the earliest steps in their career.
Other original content includes an interview with a current player, which is spread across seven pages with two and a half pages of text. ‘Pack Picks’ features one Wolves supporter selecting their favourite memories of following the club. ‘Last Word’ meanwhile sees write David Instone comparing the media attention given to the club in the Premier League with the darker days of lower-league football in the 1980s.
There are seven pages dedicated to visitors Huddersfield Town, with a further two on connections between the clubs and their head-to-head record. The section features short introductory notes alongside a form guide and a profile of the visiting club’s manager. Huddersfield’s players are profiled across two pages, although there only a few (unlabelled) pictures. ‘Expert View’ is a welcome inclusion, featuring the views of a journalist covering the visiting club, with analysis of the season to date and prospects for the game ahead.
The programme also includes in-depth information about the club and its various teams. There are five pages devoted to the club’s academy teams, with a good level of detail on the latest developments with these sides and some of the coaching and development work that takes place with the younger players. There is also two pages of in-depth coverage of recent matches for Wolves’ women’s team. Coverage of previous matches is provided across two pages each, with a brief report, line-ups, formation graphic, and several pictures. Three pages are given over to the club’s community work, and there are columns from the manager, captain, managing director, and sporting director, followed by two pages of club news and a Wolves-related quiz. There is also a useful two-page preview of a forthcoming away trip for travelling Wolves supporters. A statistics section includes fixtures and results for the Academy and women’s teams, alongside first team player stats and a two-page season spread.
This is a hefty programme from Wolves, which has clearly had a great deal of effort put into it. There is plenty of reading to keep supporters occupied, and the reproduced classic programme is a welcome inclusion.
Score 17/20 – featuring a striking cover, clean design and layout, and thorough coverage of the club’s teams, the Wolves issue hits all the right notes.