Programme Reviews

Key

PP = Total Pages

Net = Total Pages Less Adverts

P = Perfect Bound

S = Stapled

 

Arsenal (v Everton 15/04/96)

£1.50 (48 pp / 42.5 net / S)

 

Aston Villa (v Middlesbrough 19/03/96)

£1.50 (32 pp / 24.5 net / S)

 

Blackburn Rovers (v Manchester City 26/12/95)

£1.50 (40 pp / 31.5 net / S)

 

Bolton Wanderers (v Coventry City 30/12/95)

£1.50 (44 pp / 31 net / S)

 

Chelsea (v Sheffield Wednesday 04/11/95)

£2.00 (56 pp / 46.5 net / S)

 

Coventry City (v Everton 23/12/95)

£1.80 (48 pp / 33.5 net / S)

 

Everton (v Bolton Wanderers 06/04/96)

£1.50 (40 pp / 30.5 net / S)

 

Leeds United (v Wimbledon 09/12/95)

£1.50 (48 pp / 32 net / S)

 

Liverpool (v Nottingham Forest 01/01/96)

£1.60 (40 pp / 30 net / S)

 

Manchester City (v West Ham United 01/01/96)

£1.60 (40 pp / 32 net / S)

 

Manchester United (v Southampton 18/11/95)

£1.50 (48 pp / 34 net / S)

 

Middlesbrough (v Blackburn Rovers 30/09/95)

£1.50 (48 pp / 36 net / S)

Middlesbrough’s programme for 1995/96 was one of the better top-flight issues for that season. With only the Chelsea and Arsenal issues containing more pages of content, there was plenty of space for some interesting features, with several historical articles catching the eye.

Probably the best of these was ‘Seasons in the Sun’, which looked back at the memorable moments from one season in Boro’s history. For the issue against Blackburn Rovers, the focus was on the 1975/76 season, in which Boro, under the management of Jack Charlton, reached the last four of the League Cup for the first time, only missing out on a place at Wembley following a two-legged semi-final defeat to Manchester City. Included within the article are some notes on Boro’s programme for the home leg against City, together with reproductions of the programme cover and Boro’s shirt for the season. The article noted that the club would ultimately pick up some silverware that season, triumphing in the Anglo-Scottish Cup by beating Fulham in the final.

In a similar vein, another article looked at Boro’s fortunes from 10 and 50 years ago, with detailed match reports and team line-ups. With Boro having just moved to the Riverside Stadium for the 1995/96 season, there were also notes looking back to the club’s first season at Ayresome Park in 1903/04. In other historical content ‘Legends’ contained an interview with a Boro start of the past – here featuring left midfielder David Armstrong, who made a club record 356 consecutive appearances for the club between 1973 and 1980.

In terms of contemporary club content, there was a brief article from boss Bryan Robson, a couple of pages of ‘Boro News’, and a ‘Boro Roll Call’, containing extensive stats on the club’s squad. ‘Reds Revealed’ asked questions of one first-team player, here featuring striker Jan-Aage Fjortoft, while defender Derek Whyte was the subject of ‘Riverside Reds’. The programme included action shots from previous matches, while fans were invited to submit articles about experiences following the club on the road in ‘Away Day Report’. The programme included a page each for the club’s youth and reserve teams and there was a basic first-team season spread at the back of the issue.

Coverage of visitors Blackburn Rovers was provided over three pages, starting with an interview with winger Stuart Ripley, formerly of Middlesbrough. The section also contained a run-down of Blackburn’s squad, including key stats, as well as a short profile of manager Ray Harford.

Perhaps as a consequence of the club’s recent stadium move, this programme gave a real sense of a club in touch with its history. Having picked up various programme awards for the quality of their issue in the second-tier the season before, Boro again produced a quality programme for their first season back in the top-flight.

 

Newcastle United (v Chelsea 24/09/95)

£1.50 (40 pp / 29 net / S)

Newcastle United’s programme opened with a one-page column from manager Kevin Keegan. The Newcastle boss waxed lyrical about the quality of David Ginola and Chelsea’s recent signing Ruud Gullit, reflecting the growing number of foreign stars then plying their trade in the Premier League. Also included in the programme were a column from club captain Peter Beardsley and a one-page profile of midfielder Lee Clark.

Coverage of matchday opponents Chelsea was comprised of an impressively detailed long-form article that assessed the club’s form before analysing each member of the first-team squad, alongside a team group picture and photos of key players. There was also an article on Chelsea’s manager Glenn Hoddle, recalling his playing career and managerial record to date, as well as ’10 Facts You May Not Now About Chelsea’.

An article entitled ‘Flashback to 85’ recalled a clash between Newcastle and Chelsea at St James’ Park, including the memories of United’s then striker Joe Allon, who would later spend time at Stamford Bridge. Local boy Allon was interviewed further in an accompanying feature, in which he recalled his career and his time with each club. In a similar vein was ‘All Our Yesterdays’ which looked back to Newcastle’s results and other football headlines 5, 10, and 15 years previously.

In other original content, ‘Euro Scene’ looked at developments from European competitions and the top continental leagues, with the logo for Euro 96 displayed prominently – with St James’ Park set to be one of the host stadiums for the tournament. More unusually, there was also coverage of other sports played under the Newcastle United Sporting Club heading, with features on the club’s Ice Hockey and Rugby Union teams.

Previous match coverage consisted of a few photos from the game with associated notes. There was a page each devoted to the reserve and junior teams, including detailed write-ups of recent games and the respective league tables, whilst the usual first-team stats page was also in place.

This was a programme with a good amount of content included, and an notable level of detail for many of the features presented.

 

Nottingham Forest (v Aston Villa 10/12/95)

£1.50 (40 pp / 29 net / S)

 

Queens Park Rangers (v Liverpool 11/02/96)

£1.50 (36 pp / 28 net / S)

 

Sheffield Wednesday (v Leeds United 16/12/95)

£1.50 (46 pp / 34.5 net / S)

 

Southampton (v Queens Park Rangers 04/11/95)

£1.50 (48 pp / 33 net / S)

 

Tottenham Hotspur (v Manchester United 01/01/96)

£1.80 (48 pp / 34.5 net / S)

 

West Ham United (v Arsenal 24/02/96)

£1.50 (48 pp / 34 net / S)

 

Wimbledon (v Newcastle United 03/12/95)

£1.50 (48 pp / 35.5 net / S)