‘On This Day’ for 30th August has Norwich City’s programme for the 1972/73 season – the first season for the Canaries in the top-flight of English football. Read our programme review below and see all the Division One issues for 1972/73 here.
For Norwich’s first season in the top tier of English football, the club produced a 16-page programme costing 7p.
The programme for this early season clash with Stoke City features a team group picture on the inside front-cover, followed by a column from manager Ron Saunders. ‘Carrow Road Notebook’ recalls Stoke’s last competitive visit to Carrow Road in the 1962/63 season, when the Canaries ran out 6-0 winners. The Stoke team that day featured Stanley Matthews, whose picture is included next to the article.
Coverage of Stoke City features prominently in the first half of the programme, with a dedicated two-page feature. This includes a team group picture (including the League Cup that the Potters had won at Wembley the previous March) and short biographies of the playing squad and manager Tony Waddington. The back page of the programme also has Stoke related content, with a picture and notes on captain Peter Dobing.
‘Notes from the Secretary’s Desk’ features ticketing and travel arrangements for Norwich supporters, with ‘Canaries Away’ also providing details of the upcoming trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United. There is a detailed first-team stats section, with fixtures, results and tables for the first team and reserves. The section also notes that a young Canaries ‘A’ Team was playing in the Eastern Counties League and had recently triumphed 3-1 against Chatteris Town!
Ultimately, the programme lacks much in the way of notable reading material, though it does at least cover the basics effectively and coverage of the visiting team is well handled.