For Leeds’ first season back in the top-flight since 2003/04, the club has produced an 84-page perfect-bound, A5 sized programme.
The best of the original content in the programme is ‘Shaw’s Illustrated Compendium of Leeds United Characters’ – a continuing feature that sees Phil Shaw presenting various player and manager profiles, from past and present. There is also an eight-page player interview with one current member of the team, several one-page columns from various writers, and a two-page section for junior supporters. The programme certainly suffers from a lack of readable content and would benefit from one or two longer-form articles, perhaps delving into aspects of the club’s history.
The programme does better in providing a good range of club information. There are columns from the club captain and from the boardroom, while previous matches are covered over two pages, with a range of pictures sitting alongside the match stats and line-ups. There are a couple of pages of news from the Leeds United Foundation and a page from the Supporters’ Club. Each issue contains four pages on the club’s academy, with reports, results, and scorers, as well as a page on Leeds’ women’s team. Also included are several pages of stats, including the usual first-team results, line-ups, and fixtures summary, as well as a league table and a club roll-call.
Each issue contains seven pages dedicated to coverage of the day’s visitors. This is a well-presented section with an opening page that shows an image from a recent match, together with the club crest and key club information. In terms of content, there is a write-up of the club’s history, followed by player bios, information on the last meeting between Leeds and their opponents, a profile of the head coach, a squad list, and a graphic showing the formation in which the team lined up for their most recent match. The section also offers up ‘head-to-head’ stats for players for key positions on the pitch and a two-page article on players who turned out for both clubs. ‘A Moment in Time’ reproduces a photo from a past meeting between the teams, while ‘Memory Match’ delves into the archives to reflect on another match-up – including a report, pictures, stats, and the programme cover from the day. The section is concluded with ‘Ask Away’, which offers the opinions of one supporter of the visiting team.
The Leeds issue feels like a programme in need of a more distinct identity and voice, if it is to be compared to the best issues in the league, with the lack of any in-depth reading leaving a somewhat underwhelming impression.