‘On This Day’ for 11th September features the Arsenal programme from the 1973/74 season. Read our review of the Gunners’ issue below and click here to see all the 1973/74 Division One issues.
This Arsenal issue relies heavily on photographic content to fill its 16 pages. As well as the action shots that are used on the front cover of the programme, there are four pages within the programme that contain pictures from recent fixtures. The games included here include a 1-1 draw at Newcastle, earned through a Charlie George goal, and a surprising 5-0 defeat at Sheffield United – one of nine away defeats suffered by the Gunners over the course of the season.
In addition to the match images, there is a full-page photo of defender Jeff Blockley and, under the heading ‘Young Players of High Promise’ pictures of David Price and Brian Hornsby. Also shown is an image of Bob Wilson and Bob McNab from the club’s summer tour visit to Toronto.
In respect of written content, ‘Topics of the Week’ does what the title suggests and considers Arsenal’s recent form and the need to bounce back from the defeat at Bramall Lane. The programme includes letters from supporters, details of travel arrangements for forthcoming away trips, and a crossword. There are also two pages of stats, including results and line-ups from recent matches and fixture lists for the first team, as well as the reserve and youth teams.
Visitors Sheffield United, fresh from trouncing Arsenal the previous week, are covered over two pages, with profiles of the likely starting eleven accompanied by a team group picture and a list of past league and cup clashes between the Gunners and the Blades.
Given that the Arsenal issue was at the time one of just five issues in the league still costing only five pence, the programme represented decent value for money, but lacked the reading included in the season’s better issues.