Matchday Print

It's been just over two years since EFL clubs voted against compulsory production of matchday programmes. So far only Stevenage have gone online with their productions, being free to download. Colchester then took the novel step of giving away their programme as part of the match ticket. Further down the pyramid Barnet went online too.

It's a novel step. A lot goes into making a programme, pain staking work and deadlines for a product most will buy out of habit and then not read. So by going online with free to download you're potentially increasing readership (people not attending games or away fans unable to travel), keeping sponsor fees but losing the publishing and distribution costs. Given the whole COVID19 behind closed doors scenario, we may see more clubs than the three mentioned before follow suit with doing away with the progie.

Is it right though? I was an avid collector of matchday programmes when I was younger although maybe ten years ago I stopped buying. The problem is I can't remember what games I attended now so about 3-4 years ago I started buying again, just to aid my memory. It's part of the routine in going, as much as the pre match pint, pie and meeting of mates - a memento of the game, particularly aways - so can't see me getting into this online malarky if Pools bin it off.

In fact I know I won't . I used to be a purchaser of Pools fanzine Monkey Business. That went online years ago and I can't recall ever bothering to seek it out and read. Yet when some mush behind the Town End was selling it a pound a go , I was straight over.

Another defunct publication was the short lived Nationwide Review from the mid 90s. A small football league magazine priced a pound which didn't do so good, so then was given away with football programmes monthly. Again was short lived and disappeared. Given the internet was taking off it was commendable Nationwide chose to go with a publication for club news rather than a website - the net was no doubt what killed this mag off - however it would be another 25 years before the internet started to see off matchday programmes.

Football Italia

Goooooalazzzzzo!

Anyone who remembers that iconic goal shout will remember channel fours biggest sporting achievement - bringing glamerous Italian Serie A football to terrestrial television sets.

It's actually only been seven years since the Football Italia programne finished in 2008 (2002 on C4), but it seems longer as it was far removed from it's mid 90s heyday.

Back then it had everything. Saturday mornings the suave James Richardson sat crossed legged enjoying a leisurely alfresco breakfast whilst dissecting the Italian sports pages for us. Interviews with world class players plying their trade in the then best league on earth. And then goal round ups from previous weekend, with seemingly all involving high skill and/or spectacular finishing.

Sunday afternoons really were Super Sundays, free televised full match of something like the Milan derby. No Stoke v Hull being billed as 'Super' and charging £40 a month.

There'd often be a few ex pats on display as English geniuses like Gascoigne, Platt, Ince and, er, Dorigo left our dull old game to put their wits against Maradona, Baggio, Vialli, Maldini, Zola et al. Pundetry would be Mr cool again, Richardson, but Italian football connoisseurs like Paul Heaton and Elvis Costello would occasionally show up to provide their expertry.

The fans were unreal too. Far left and far right and seldom in between, cauldrons of noise, flares and flags. Support taken to ultra level.

Pink strips. Never seen those before. Palmero and Juventus (away) proudly trotting out in 'salmon'. Cool. Fiorentina sponsored by Nintendo. And their away kit with the Nazi swastika hidden in it. Squad numbers in the 30s and 40s was a foreign concept too given the English football league was still using 1-11.

In short mid 90s Italian footie had glamour, class, wealth and style. And it was all epitomised by Football Italia. Bellissimo.