The return of the Premier League on 17th June was accompanied by most clubs issuing a programme for their matches. Across our next two posts we take a look at the various programmes that have been issued, with information on which clubs are offering printed programmes and those who have gone digital only, as well as details of which matches have sadly had no programme at all. Part Two of this post, covering Manchester City to Wolverhampton Wanderers, will follow shortly.
Arsenal
The Gunners have had just one home fixture so far during lockdown and produced a 64 page edition for the visit of Norwich City. The programme cover was given over to pictures of Arsenal supporters who had lost their lives to COVID-19, with information about those supporters included within the programme – a very classy touch from the Gunners that helped to bring home the enormous impact of the pandemic. The programme also included information on the Black Lives Matter campaign, as well as details of the community work undertaken by the club over the last few months.
The Arsenal programme is available to purchase online here and the digital version can be viewed here.
Aston Villa
Villa have had three home games since the resumption of the Premier League, including the first behind closed doors fixture, against Sheffield United. For each of these games the club has produced a 52 page programme containing many of the usual features from their issues earlier in the season, including the excellent ‘Villa Vault’ section.
Villa’s lockdown programmes can be purchased from here, although it appears the Chelsea game is not currently available.
Bournemouth
Sadly, Bournemouth have not produced a programme for their two lockdown games to date, against Crystal Palace on 20th June and Newcastle United on 1st July. A few ‘pirate’ editions have shown up online, but there has been nothing official from the club. This is a shame given the very high standards the club have set with their programmes in recent seasons.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton have had two behind closed doors fixtures so far, and have produced programmes for the visits of Arsenal and Manchester United. Each issue has been available in printed form and digitally. To the club’s great credit, they have continued to produce a full, 100 page programme for each game.
Programmes for upcoming fixtures are available to purchase here, while a limited number of programmes for past games are available here.
Burnley
Burnley’s distinctive ‘Turf’ programme returned for their first lockdown fixture against Watford, and will also be producing programmes for their three remaining home fixtures.
The Watford issue is available to purchase here.
Chelsea
One of the last clubs to reveal what they would be doing with their matchday programme, Chelsea announced on 25th June that they would be producing a single programme to cover all of their remaining home games. It appears that the programme will contain information on each of the clubs visiting Stamford Bridge for the lockdown games, although it will not become available until after the club’s final match of the season.
The programme can be ordered here.
Crystal Palace
Palace have had just one behind closed doors fixture so far, against Burnley on 29th June. The club produced their usual 80-page issue, with both printed and digital copies available as normal.
The Burnley issue can be ordered here, with the digital copy available here. Information about the programmes for the club’s remaining home games is available here.
Everton
Everton produced a slightly slimmed down 68 page issue for their two home lockdown games to date, for the visits of Liverpool and Leicester City. Given Liverpool have just secured their first top-flight championship in 30 years, the programme for the recent Merseyside derby is likely to become something of a collector’s piece.
The programmes are available to purchase here.
Leicester City
Leicester produced a 52 page digital only programme for the visit of Brighton & Hove Albion on 23rd June.
The digital programme is available to buy here.
Liverpool
Naturally, Liverpool’s issues for this season will be highly collectable given their title triumph and none more so than their home lockdown fixtures. For the visit of Crystal Palace on 24th June, Liverpool produced their usual 84 page programme, which included ‘Never Walk Alone’ – a feature on how the club has helped its local community during the pandemic.
The Palace issue is available to purchase here, as well as the issues for each of Liverpool’s remaining home games.