FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES REVIEW

 

As gpfootball are independant football programme retailers, we regularly receive requests asking our view on different football club programmes. Here, GP will review football clubs season 2019/20 matchday programmes :-

 

HIBERNIAN

v St Johnstone - 24.08.19 - Premiership - 68 pages - £3.00

 

This retro front cover has no immmediate impact when viewing.

However, inside the programme there are a lot of good features. I enjoyed reading 'A-Z with Daryl Horgan', 'Classic Programme', the player interview with Scott Allan, 'What Hibs Mean to Me', 'Hibernian Historical Trust' and the Story behind the friendly.

This programme is good value for cover price with enough reading material.

 

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

v West Ham United - 17.08.19 - Premier League - 106 pages - £3.50

 

The front cover is neatly designed with a sky blue background which catches your attention.

There is plenty of reading within the programme, with good features including: 'Pride in the Shirt', 'Women's Team' and the unusual 'Extra Time' pullout at the back of programme.

The two stand out features are; 'Centurion', which is about players who played for the club in its 100 years in the Football League - this issue was about Mark Lawrenson - and 'My Albion', which is about a supporter and a Q&A with player, this issue featured Dan Burn. Both were excellent reading.

The programme was an enjoyable read and certainly good value for cover price. 

 

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN

v Ross County - 10.08.19 - Premiership - 68 pages - £3.50

 

 

There is an eye catching front cover with an illustration of a player wearing the white away kit with a maroon background.

The programme has a good interview feature with Steven Naismith, which is then followed quickly by several great features:

Four in Focus, Through the Keyhole, The Team for me, Hearts on Tour, Dyed in the Wool, Leaders of Men.

A special mention for the excellent two page 'Hearts on Tour' feature about their visit to Germany in 1951.

This programme will definately be a contender for best Scottish club programme this season.

 

WIGAN ATHLETIC

v Cardiff City - 03.08.19 - Championship - 68 pages - £3.00

 

 

The front cover would be better with a brighter background behind the player, as this would have had a bigger impact, instead the cover is dark.

The programme did not have the best layout, with advertising poorly placed throughout the issue.

The best item in the programme was The Last of the Summer Wine feature, plus a good interview with David Marshall.

There was also good reading about visitors Cardiff City.

Unfortunately this was not the best of programmes to read.

 

CELTIC

v St Johnstone - 03.08.19 - Premiership - 68 pages - £3.50

 

 

The front cover of this programme is impressive with the bright green background surrounding two photos of Scott Brown.

Inside the programme there is plenty of information for supporters, however only two features made interesting reading; the History interview with Harold Brattbakk and the History feature of Tommy Burns.

The two pages regarding the Womens team is bright with a yellow background to photos and text, and the two pages about the Celtic Festival were packed with photos.

There are six pages promoting club products plus a two page feature on a product.

This programme will interest the club supporters but personally, I had expected it to be a better read.

 

 

EDINBURGH CITY

v Brechin City - 10.08.19 - League 2 - 60 pages - £3.00 

 

 

The front cover catches your attention with photo of a club great from 1929.

This programme has a good layout and is very colourful with varied selection of photos and text and adverts well placed.

There are excellent features in programme in particular Hedging your Bets,City Stars of Yesteryear & From Berwick and Beyond.

For a League Two club it is a fantastic programme and great value for cover price.

Would expect this programme to be a contender for Best Programme in League Two.

 

Any football clubs that want programme reviewed,send copy of a league programme to GPfootball.com,6-10 Glasgow Road,Bathgate,West Lothian,EH48 2AA.