Programme Reviews

Key

PP = Total Pages

Net = Total Pages Less Adverts

P = Perfect Bound

S = Stapled

 

Arsenal (v Liverpool 12/11/06)

£3.00 (84 pp / 65 net / S)

 

Aston Villa (v Newcastle United 27/08/06)

£2.50 (60 pp / 46 net / S)

Aston Villa marked 100 years of their famous ‘Villa News & Record’ programme in 2006/07. This is reflected at various points around this issue, from the retro front cover to the full-page reproduction on the back cover of a classic programme from September 1948, and the use of the traditional programme header on the contents page.

Inside the issue the theme is continued with ‘The Way We Were’ – a two-page feature that recalls the programmes from a notable moment in Villa’s history. For this programme against Newcastle United the focus was on 1980/81 – the season in which Villa became league champions for the first time in 71 years. The article includes an overview of changes to the programme and highlights various snippets from issues across the season, together with reproductions of covers and articles from the time. On a further related page, club historian Frank Holt details several Villa facts from the programme’s first 100 years.

As the full title of the club’s programme suggests, much of this issue is taken up with club news rather than the often formulaic features, such as player interviews, which are common in many other clubs’ issues. Coverage of recent matches is particularly well handled, being spread over two pages, including action pictures alongside a detailed report from the game, match details, and team line-ups. There is a page each for Villa’s reserve and youth teams, and a ‘Paper Talk’ article that picks up on recent media coverage of the club – here focusing on Chairman Doug Ellis’ recent announcement that he was looking to sell the club.

Five pages of the programme are devoted to visitors Newcastle United, including brief pen-pics of the club’s players and manager; an honours board; and a feature on club legend Kevin Keegan and his time as manager at the club. There is also a page of stats that compare the records of Villa and Newcastle.

One of the smaller programmes in the league (with only 46 pages of content, compared with a league average of 55), the Villa issue would benefit from one or two longer form articles. Nevertheless, this is a programme in keeping with the club’s traditions, being well presented throughout, with plenty of information on Villa past and present.

 

Blackburn Rovers (v Wigan Athletic 01/10/06)

£3.00 (72 pp / 50.5 net / S)

 

Bolton Wanderers (v Reading 21/04/07)

£3.00 (84 pp / 60 net / S)

 

Charlton Athletic (v Manchester City 04/11/06)

£3.00 (76 pp / 57 net / S)

 

Chelsea (v Portsmouth 21/10/06)

£3.00 (76 pp / 53 net / S)

 

Everton (v Aston Villa 11/11/06)

£3.00 (72 pp / 50 net / S)

 

Fulham (v Chelsea 23/09/06)

£3.00 (68 pp / 48 net / S)

 

Liverpool (v Sheffield United 24/02/07)

£3.00 (72 pp / 55.5 net / S)

 

Manchester City (v Charlton Athletic 06/04/07)

£3.00 (84 pp / 59 net / S)

 

Manchester United (v Arsenal 17/09/06)

£3.00 (68 pp / 43 net / S)

 

Middlesbrough (v West Ham United 11/11/06)

£3.00 (64 pp / 48.5 net / S)

 

Newcastle United (v Everton 24/09/06)

£3.00 (64 pp / 45 net / S)

 

Portsmouth (v Bolton Wanderers 25/09/06)

£3.00 (84 pp / 69 net / S)

 

Reading (v Fulham 14/04/07)

£3.00 (84 pp / 66 net / S)

 

Sheffield United (v Blackburn Rovers 09/09/06)

£3.00 (80 pp / 61 net / S)

 

Tottenham Hotspur (v Manchester United 04/02/07)

£3.00 (68 pp / 52 net / S)

 

Watford (v Middlesbrough 04/11/06)

£3.00 (84 pp / 61.5 net / S)

 

West Ham United (v Tottenham Hotspur 04/03/07)

£3.50 (64 pp / 47 net / S)

 

Wigan Athletic (v Watford 23/09/06)

£3.00 (84 pp / 69 net / S)