2022/23 Programme of the Season Award

1st Place: West Ham United

2nd Place: Brentford

3rd Place: Newcastle United

 

Where to Buy

Our blog post on the 2022/23 programmes includes all the details of where you can buy each club’s issues.

 

Programme Reviews

Key

PP = Total Pages

Net = Total Pages Less Adverts

P = Perfect Bound

S = Stapled

 

Arsenal (v Liverpool 09/10/22)

£4.00 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 30/40

 

Aston Villa (v Manchester City 03/09/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 63 net / P)

Score 32/40

 

Bournemouth (v Everton 12/11/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 28/40

 

Brentford (v Brighton & Hove Albion 14/10/22)

£4.00 (100 pp / 82 net / P)

Last season’s Bronze Award winners have expanded their programme for the 22/23 season, producing a 100-page issue – up from 84 last time out. The programme has the same kind of look and feel as last season’s, with the additional page count being put to good use.

Each Brentford issue features the event impressive cover illustration from Dave Flanagan, which helps the programme to stand out from the usual player / action covers most clubs use. Inside, the programme is well designed, with good use of club colours, some double-page photographs, and tidy page layouts.

There are 11 pages dedicated to coverage of Brentford’s matchday visitors – with the club serving up probably the best opposition section in the league. Each issue offers a profile of the visiting club’s manager, a roll call with squad details, profiles of four key players, and details of their last fixture, including the player of the match. In addition, there is a detailed ‘Scout Report’ with a related formation graphic showing how the team are expected to line up, and a two-page Q&A with a member of the press who covers the visiting club.

As you would expect from a 100-page programme there is plenty to read and the writing is of a high standard. ‘Kings of the Castle’ looks back to the period between 1975 and 1993 when the club crest included a castle – something Brentford have returned to for their current second kit. Each issue features an impressively detailed profile of a player from the period in question. ‘From the Archive’ returns to a fixture from the past against the day’s opponents, recalling the occasion across a four-page feature. ‘Programmed’ meanwhile examines the matchday publications issued by Brentford and the opposition during one particular campaign – including details of the matches and images of the programme covers.

In addition to the historical content, each issue carries an extended player interview, over ten pages; a column from comedian and Bees season-ticket holder, Nathan Caton; and a photographic section. There is also a short section for junior Brentford supporters and a match preview from former player Ben Burgess.

Club information includes the usual manager column and a five-page stats section that includes the Premier League table and a double-page season spread. Brentford’s other teams are also covered, with a lengthy interview with one player from the ‘B’ team and a Q&A with a member of the women’s side.

Another excellent issue then from Brentford, and well worthy of a second successive season on our honours board.

Score 36/40

 

Brighton & Hove Albion (v Leicester City 04/09/22)

£3.50 (68 pp / 49 net / S)

Score 30/40

 

Chelsea (v Wolverhampton Wanderers 08/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 30/40

 

Crystal Palace (v Leeds United 09/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 28/40

 

Everton (v Manchester United 09/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 28/40

 

Fulham (v Brentford 20/08/22)

£3.50 (100 pp / 78 net / P)

Score 31/40

 

Leeds United (v Arsenal 16/10/22)

£3.50 (100 pp / 76 net / P)

Score 34/40

 

Leicester City (v Nottingham Forest 03/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 66 net / P)

Score 34/40

 

Liverpool (v Bournemouth 27/08/22)

£4.00 (84 pp / 65 net / P)

Score 26/40

 

Manchester City (v Southampton 08/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 27/40

 

Manchester United (v Tottenham Hotspur 19/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 31/40

 

Newcastle United (v Crystal Palace 03/09/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 66 net / P)

The Magpies’ issue has been of a consistently high standard for several seasons now, without doing quite enough to be represented in our end of season awards. For the 2022/23 season the club has broken into the top three with another terrific issue.

Each 84-page programme is very tidily designed, with intelligent use of colour throughout – with especially good use of yellow to complement the club’s traditional black and white palette. The quality designs help to showcase an impressive collection of original content, with several historical features providing some excellent reading.

‘All Things Black ‘N’ White’ sees club historian Paul Joannou highlight various items of interested related to Newcastle past and present, while the ‘United’s History in 100 Objects’  feature continues, alongside a new ‘Trivia from A-Z’ article. ‘Ex Magpies Covered’ look at old media coverage of one former Toon player, and ‘Gravediggers, Old Ladies, and Smurfs’ profiles clubs in Europe who share the Geordie’s famous shirt colours.

‘Tales from the Archive’ revisits old newspaper reports relating to the club. For example, the Crystal Palace issue featured a report on an air crash that happened at the famous Gallowgate end of the ground in October 1919. It’s fascinating to learn more about such events that even many diehard Newcastle fans may not be aware of. ‘Toon Voyage’ pinpoints some significant locations from United’s past, explaining their significance to the club. ‘Toon Collectables’ meanwhile, is from columnist Stan Gate – showing off various items of club memorabilia, including programmes and tickets. The Palace issue included a look at ticket stubs for the club’s three FA Cup Final appearances in the 1950s.

As well as the retro content, the programme offers up a five-page player interview, a column from Sky Sports presented and Magpies fan Pete Graves, and ‘Toon Tombola’ – a collection of offbeat questions for one member of the first team. ‘United Backstage’ is another worthwhile feature, turning the spotlight on a member of club staff.

Opposition coverage is spread over ten pages, kicked off with a short introductory feature offering reflections on the club’s last game. There are pen-pics of the first-team squad, together with a form guide, manager profile, formation graphic, and a ‘cult-hero’ from the opposition ranks. ‘A to Z Of’ then pulls together a variety of facts relating to the club, topping off a well compiled section.

The Newcastle programme is also strong on club information. There are columns from manager and captain, while coverage of the Academy features a ‘diary’ with one young squad member, including a Q&A. The club’s women’s team is afforded three pages, including a two-page interview. Previous matches are covered in a well-presented layout, with match facts, key moments, and quotes. In addition, there is a two-page season spread, squad stats, and a league table, as well as results, fixtures, and tables for the under-21s, under-18s, and women’s team. Each issue also carries information on the work of the Newcastle United Foundation.

Newcastle’s issue is thoroughly deserving of a place in our top three for the 2022/23 season, offering up a fine all-round programme, with the collection of historical features being a real stand-out.

Score 36/40

 

Nottingham Forest (v Aston Villa 10/10/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 28/40

 

Southampton (v West Ham United 16/10/22)

£3.50 (68 pp / 54 net / P)

Score 30/40

 

Tottenham Hotspur (v Fulham 03/09/22)

£4.00 (84 pp / 61 net / P)

Score 28/40

 

West Ham United (v Chelsea 11/02/23)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Our Gold Award winners from the 2020/21 season return with another fine programme. The Hammers have maintained a consistently high standard over the last few years, and they return to the top of the tree this time around.

West Ham’s programme is the largest in the Premier League, running to 116 pages – providing good value for money, despite the price rise to £4 for 2022/23, due to some eye-catching designs and well laid-out section, together with comprehensive coverage of the club and their matchday visitors.

As with the issues of the last few seasons, there is plenty of excellent historical content included, with the ‘Hammers History’ section running to some 15 pages. ‘My West Ham Scrapbook’ is a continuing feature from previous years, profiling a former Hammers player, with reflections on key moments from their career with the club, together with photos and newspaper cuttings from the time. ‘Hammerabilia’ also returns – spotlighting items and stories from the archives. ‘Programmed’ meanwhile looks back at issues published for games between West Ham and the visiting side – both home and away – with images from the programmes and reports from the matches covered.

Columnist Ken Dyer contributes an article that looks at games from the past against the day’s opponents, while ‘Flashback 00s’ by Sid Lambert recalls more recent times, and ‘Moose’s Memories’ offers up the thoughts of TalkSport’s Ian Abrahams.

On top of these retro features, there is an extensive interview with one squad member. These profiles are a fine example of the quality design work on show in the Hammers programme, with excellent use of page edgings, pull quotes, and clearly laid out text. There is also a separate pull-out for junior supporters, attached to the inside back cover.

There are nine pages devoted to the visitors to the London Stadium, kicking off with a short article looking at recent developments, alongside club honours and records, transfer activity, and a depth chart. The section also contains a head coach profile and three pages of notes on the squad members – organised by position – showing the options available in each area of the pitch. ‘Talking Tactics’ looks at how the team sets up and there is a collection of squad stats.

West Ham’s programme also succeeds in presenting a comprehensive picture of all aspects of the club. As well as the familiar manager and captain columns, there are multiple pages on the work of the club’s foundation, as well as a mix of news and supporter information. The latter includes ‘Over Land and Sea’, which looks ahead to upcoming away trips, with information for fans on travel arrangements as well as details such as the Hammers’ record at the ground.

A dedicated seven-page ‘Academy’ section looks in detail at the club’s other teams, with in-depth coverage of the under-21s, under-18s, and women’s teams. Previous first-team matches are covered with a report, pictures, quotes and match facts, while there is an extensive stats section. The double-page season spread is another impressively designed element to the programme, with use of white space and colour coding, making it one of the easiest such spreads to understand.

Once again, West Ham have delivered an outstanding programme, which deserves to be recognised as the very best in the Premier League. This season’s issue has achieved the joint-highest score we have awarded to a programme, reflecting its excellence in all aspects.

Score 38/40

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers (v Newcastle United 28/08/22)

£3.50 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

Score 32/40