Our reviews of the current season Premier League programmes continues today with a look at the issue produced by Crystal Palace. Read the review below and click here to take a look at all of the 2019/20 issues.
The Crystal Palace issue is reduced in size for the 2019/20 season, down from 88 pages to 80. This has understandably had an impact on the amount of space available for features, with the number of pages of content falling from 73 to 63. This is something of a shame given the range and quality of content provided by Palace in recent seasons.
The best reading in the issue comes with ‘Palace XI in Time’. This is an excellent historic feature from club historian Ian King, which recalls memorable matches from the past. For the Villa issue, the article looked at a meeting of Palace and Villa in the FA Cup back in January 1962, which Villa edged by the odd goal in seven. This is presented with images from the time, the starting eleven from the day, and comments on the match and its aftermath. Dan Fifield has contributed a column to the Palace programme for a number of years now and this season he looks back 30 years to the 1989/90 campaign – the club’s first season back in the top-flight after a spell in Division Two, under the management of Steve Coppell. The feature recalls the highs and lows and the memorable moments of the campaign.
The main player feature is with each issue’s cover star. This is spread over eight pages, uninterrupted by adverts, and including several photographs alongside the text. ‘Famous Five’ sees a member of the Palace squad selecting a five-a-side team based on certain criteria, while ‘Cuppa in the Canteen’ sees another member of the Palace squad interviewed. ‘Copers Cope’ is a four-page photographic feature from the club’s training ground and ‘Step Back’ is a retro photograph with notes explaining its significance. ‘Soaring Eagles’ meanwhile looks ahead to Palace’s next away fixture. In the Aston Villa issue, the focus was on the club’s upcoming trip to Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium. The article includes some striking photography, notes on the opponent’s history and famous fans, as well as information on travel arrangements and where to get a drink in the area. There is a three-page junior section within the programme, which includes a quiz to keep younger supporters occupied, while there is a two-page supporter message-board.
The visiting club are afforded eight pages of content. These kick-off with a smart full-page graphic featuring the club’s crest and a picture of a key player. An introductory article includes form notes and a brief look ahead to the day’s fixture, which is followed by a page of stats that provides details of the last meeting of the two teams. This page includes the club’s home and away kits as well as a classic shirt from the past, which is a nice touch. ‘Amateur Analysis’ offers a look at the club’s tactics, with notes on the roles of key players and details such as the formations used. ‘Opposition in Numbers’ gives various information snippets about the club’s past. Interestingly, the section does not feature any player information such as pen-pics. Perhaps this is a factor of such information being so widely available online, with the approach leaving plenty of space for other types of article.
In terms of club information there are columns from manager Roy Hodgson, captain Luka Milivojevic, and chairman Steve Parrish. Previous match coverage focuses on photographs from the day, with only very basic information about the fixture included. The programme includes columns from under-18s boss Paddy McCarthy, and similar notes on Palace’s women’s team. The issue also includes a page of fixtures, results, and tables for the under-23s, under-18s, and women’s teams, while there is a two-page season spread for the first team as well as a page of Premier League stats.
Despite the reduction in size, the Palace programme delivers a decent amount of reading. Credit is also due to Palace for trying something a little different to the norm in terms of coverage of their matchday opponents. The issue uses predominantly plain designs, with plenty of use of white space and simple backgrounds. Indeed, the only colour used, outside of the visitors’ section, comes from photographs. This is a programme that still does a lot right, but the overall impression is of an issue that is less than it has been in recent seasons.