For today’s On This Day feature, we take a look at the pioneering programme issued by Wolverhampton Wanderers for the 1968/69 season. This Wolves issue was one of the first ‘matchday magazine’ style issues to appear as programme designers began to innovate in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Read our full review of the Wolves issue below and see all the Division One issues from 1968/69 here.
The Wolves programme for the 1968/69 season had undergone a revamp, with the club’s new matchday magazine now known as ‘Molinews’. The new style issue benefitted from having the highest number of pages of content of any Division One issue for the season.
The high page count provided plenty of space for a range of articles. These included a one-page column from ‘Magazine Editor’ Ronnie Allen, who offered his thoughts on everything from Wolves’ recent form to player loyalty and the need for professional referees. This was followed by a page of news in ‘Around and About’, while ‘Getting to Know You’ had winger Dave Wagstaffe revealing his likes and dislikes, alongside a picture of his family. The centre pages were given over to action pictures from Wolves’ recent narrow defeat to Leeds United, while there were two pages of statistics covering results, appearances, and tables for the first team and reserves.
The programme also provided a letters page for supporters to share their views, while ‘Follow the Wolves’ looked ahead to the following week’s derby at West Bromwich Albion. ‘Learn Soccer the Wolves Way’ offered training tips and ‘Did You Miss This?’ picked up on recent talking points from the press, including the ongoing ‘war on soccer hooliganism’. There was even a profile of Sid Kipping, who was in his twelfth year of driving the Wolves team bus to away games!
Visitors Sunderland were given an impressive amount of coverage across four pages, beginning with a profile of manager Alan Brown, who had re-joined the club earlier in the year following four years at Sheffield Wednesday. Brief player profiles were provided, whilst there was a team group picture and action shots of Sunderland players Charley Hurley and Gordon Harris. Alongside this coverage was ‘Backtrack’ which, across two pages, recalled memorable Wolves v Sunderland clashes from the past.
This Wolves issue was an example of the emerging trend in the late 1960s and early 1970s away from the traditional, often functional, programme and towards larger, more commercial ‘matchday magazines’. Wolves, along with fellow midland rivals Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion, were pioneers of this new approach, with ‘Molinews’ proving one of the most interesting matchday issues of its time.