Our series of reviews continues this morning with a look at the issue produced by Wolverhampton Wanderers for the 2021/22 season. Read our full review below and click here to see all the Premier League issues for the season.
After their ‘double’ issues of last season, Wolves have returned to producing a separate issue for each match – offering up a terrific 100-page issue. Wolves have consistently produced high-quality programmes since their return to the top-flight and claimed a Merit Award in 2019/20 for their outstanding Europa League special editions. This season’s issue is another excellent effort, packed with content and creative design work.
The amount of historical content in the programme is worthy of special mention, with each issue including a dedicated section called ‘The Old Gold’, which collects various features over ten pages. ‘Flashback’ reproduces several images from a meeting with the day’s opponents, while ‘Cult Heroes’ tells the story of those players who were favourites of the fans. ‘Play / Delete / Rewind’ has one former player looking back over their Wolves career and picking out their highlights and lowlights. In ‘71/72’ historian Clive Corbett revisits Wolves’ fortunes from 50 years ago, recounting matches from the time, complete with newspaper clippings, from a season in which the club reached the final of the UEFA Cup.
In addition to the features in this section, each issue also includes an article called ‘Classic Clash’, which reflects on a memorable meeting between Wolves and their visitors. This is a well-written piece by Clive Corbett and Steve Gordos that includes plenty of information about the match, as well as pictures and clippings from the time.
Other content includes a preview of the day’s match from club legend Steve Bull, who reflects on Wolves’ form and runs their rule over their matchday opponents. There is a seven-page interview with one current player, while ‘Friends Reunited’ looks at when one member of each squad lined up on the same team. ‘Preparing to Battle’ goes through the pre-match rituals of a member of the Wolves squad, and ‘My Perfect Wolves Player’ sees one commentator piecing together their ideal player from the attributes of various others from down the years. There is also a four-page section for junior fans in the centre of the programme.
The opposition section of the programme runs to seven dedicated pages, opening with news from the club and recent results. There is a well put-together ‘Scouting Report’, which identifies potential threats in the opposition ranks, and shows the line-up from the club’s last match in a formation graphic, with the roles of a few key players highlighted. ‘Past X Present’ compares four club legends with their modern-day counterparts – looking at managers, captains, academy graduates, and goal-scorers. There are no standard pen-pics or manager profile however, which is a shame given the size of the programme.
Club information is presented in impressive depth. For example, a section on Wolves’ Academy runs to ten pages, including match updates for the under-23s and under-18s, together with notes from the respective head coaches. There is also information on players out on loan, a ‘Getting to Know’ article on one player, and ‘Stars of the Future’, which examines the prospects of one academy youngster. ‘Career Paths’ meanwhile traces the career of a former academy player after they left the club.
There are also four pages dedicated to Wolves Women, with news and an extensive interview with one member of the squad. Previous matches are covered over a couple of pages, with line-ups, a match summary, quotes, and images from key moments. Each issue features news on the activities of the Wolves Foundation, and there are articles on groups such as Wolves Disabled Supporters Association. In addition, the programme offers the usual manager and captain columns, and a five-page statistics section.
Overall then, another fine programme from Wolves, containing plenty of interesting features, and showcasing some high-quality design work that make each issue a pleasure to look through.