2024/25 Programme of the Season Award

1st Place: Newcastle United

2nd Place: West Ham United

3rd Place: Aston Villa

 

Aston Villa (v Manchester United 06/10/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 71.5 net / P)

Aston Villa’s ‘News and Record’ programme has long been regarded as being among the best in the country, and this season’s is one of the best the club has produced. Packed with high-quality original writing, much of which marks the club’s 150^th anniversary, this is an issue that consistently delivers top-class content.

The centrepiece of the programme is a ten-page ‘Anniversary Archive’, which serves up various articles looking at the club’s history. ‘Eras of Villa’ looks at key moments from the past, making good use of historic images, while ‘Legacy Numbers’ provides a list of every player to have turned out for Villa, offering profiles of recent stars as well as lesser-known names from history. ‘Memorabilia Memories’ looks at souvenirs from different eras of the club’s past, while ‘Cover Story’ looks at iconic programme designs from down the years. ‘Trophy Cabinet’ recalls the moments Villa have claimed silverware throughout their history and ‘Records and Rarities’ spotlights notable facts about the club. In addition, there are columns from former players, including Ian Taylor, and a feature called ‘The Season That Was’ that highlights notable campaigns, referencing not just what happened on the pitch but also what was happening in the news at the time.

The opponent’s section runs to seven pages, attractively laid out in the visiting club’s colours, which kicks off with some opening notes, a club history timeline and honours board, before providing a ‘Player Focus’ on three key members of the team and a manager profile. Images of the rest of the squad are provided in sticker-style format, with the section rounded off by a look at the club’s most recent match, including a formation graphic and line-up details.

Each issue provides an impressive overview of what’s going on around the club, with write-ups and stats on the club’s academy and women’s teams, updates on the activities of the Aston Villa Foundation, detailed coverage of recent results, with match timelines capturing key moments, as well as news updates and a diary with notable developments since the club’s last home fixture.

The design work across the programme is of a very high-standard, starting with the cover, which includes past and present images of players and managers. Page layouts are clean, with intelligent use of space, as well as colour schemes to help donate the various different sections of the programme. Over the course of the season, the spines of the programmes also form a stylish ‘AV 150’ motif, which is a classy touch.

All in all, a really fine issue from Villa, continuing the club’s tradition of delivering high quality programmes, and deservedly taking home our Bronze Award for 2024/25.

Score 35/40 – an excellent all-round issue, impressively laid out, with plenty of historical features commemorating the club’s 150^th anniversary.

 

Bournemouth (v Ipswich Town 02/04/25)

£3.50 (68 pp / 49 net / P)

Score 23/40 – feels rather more slight than in previous years, with only a few engaging articles.

 

Brentford (v West Ham United 28/09/24)

£3.00 (60 pp / 46 net / S)

Score 28/40 – some welcome innovation in cover designs and one of the better visitors’ sections from across the division.

 

Brighton & Hove Albion (v Nottingham Forest 22/09/24)

£4.00 (68 pp / 49 net / S)

Score 26/40 – very well designed with some attractive page layouts, but would be strengthened by more original content other than interviews.

 

Chelsea (v Crystal Palace 01/09/24)

£4.00 (52 pp / 42 net / S)

Score 26/40 – benefits from simple design work and packs a decent amount of reading into the low page count, but limited by only basic section on matchday opponents.

 

Crystal Palace (v Leicester City 14/09/24)

£3.50 (80 pp / 71 net / P)

Score 32/40 – a fitting programme to mark the club’s 100^th year at Selhurst Park – well designed and with a comprehensive visitors’ section.

 

Everton (v Newcastle United 05/10/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 63 net / P)

Score 31/40 – a collection of retro features helping to mark the club’s last season at Goodison Park, together with well laid-out pages and extensive club information.

 

Fulham (v Chelsea 20/04/25)

£4.00 (104 pp / 82 net / P)

Score 34/40 – as always, a strong offering from Fulham, with plenty of reading and extensive information and stats on each of the club’s teams.

 

Ipswich Town (v Manchester City 19/01/25)

£3.50 (84 pp / 57 net / P)

Score 27/40 – gives a strong sense of a club in touch with its supporters and local community.

 

Leicester City (v Fulham 18/01/25)

£3.50 (84 pp / 66 net / P)

Score 29/40 – some good historical articles but lacking the depth of the Foxes’ programmes from a few seasons ago.

 

Liverpool (v Brighton & Hove Albion 02/11/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 62 net / P)

Score 29/40 – plenty of well-written reading material and detailed club information, but kept out of award contention by modest away content and somewhat inconsistent design work.

 

Manchester City (v Brentford 14/09/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 65 net / P)

Score 30/40 – some eye-catching design work with intelligent use of the club’s colours – would benefit from a more detailed opposition section – but City’s best programme in years.

 

Manchester United (v Everton 01/12/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 65 net / S)

Score 32/40 – remains the best designed programme in the league and packed with information from around the club.

 

Newcastle United (v Tottenham Hotspur 01/09/24)

£3.50 (84 pp / 67 net / P)

One of the most consistently impressive programmes of recent years, ‘United’ takes our Gold Award for 2024/25 with another terrific issue. Having won our Bronze Award two years ago, and our Silver Award last time out, The Magpies have continued their progression to achieve a well-earned top spot.

This is a programme that delivers across the board – offering supporters some of the best content of any issue in the league, detailed information on all aspects of the club, and one of the better opposition sections seen this season – all complemented with some simple, clean designs that make excellent use of the space available.

United’s programme has come to be known for the quality and range of its historic content and this year’s issue is no different. Each issue contains a host of well-written features. These include an article from supporter Gavin Haigh who offers his take on United shirts from the past; a four-page feature from columnist Stan Gate, who turns the spotlight on past match-ups against the day’s visitors alongside programme covers from the games profiled; and ‘Once in a Blue Toon’ from editor Rory Mitchinson – a feature which looks at unusual opponents that Newcastle have faced in the past – highlighting some of the more obscure moments from the club’s past.

Club Historian Paul Joannou contributes a couple of features – ‘All Things Black ‘N’ White – a mix of the topical and unusual – and Heroes, Idols and Cult Figures – which recalls notable figures who have pulled on the club’s famous black and white shirt down the years. ‘One of a Kind’ is another interesting read – profiling players who only made a single appearance for the club. Each issue also includes a ‘Big Read’ interview with a current first-team player and a column from Sky Sports’ Pete Graves.

The opposition section in ‘United’ runs to ten pages, offering a mix of stats and readable content. An opening article sets the scene by looking at the visitors’ recent form, which is followed by a few pages of pen-pics of the first-team squad and manager. ‘A Season in the Sun’ is a welcome addition, looking back to a memorable campaign for the visitors, including an image from the time. The section also includes a basic tactics graphic showing how the team set up and some words on ‘The Graduate’ – profiling one of the opposition players who has come through the club’s youth system to represent the first-team.

The programme also delivers in terms of club information, offering columns and stats on each of the club’s teams, including interviews with members of the club’s development set up and their women’s team. There is also coverage of previous matches, updates on the club’s community work, as well as the familiar manager and captain columns.

Newcastle are one of the clubs who have so far avoided raising their programme price to £4 – holding the cost of each issue at £3.50 – and this provides consistent value for supporters. It is always a pleasure to pick up a copy of ‘United’ and the programme is well worthy of taking our Gold Award for the first time.

Score 38/40 – takes our Gold Award for another excellent issue – offering some fine original content, in-depth club coverage, and delivered with clean layouts and easily readable text.

 

Nottingham Forest (v Wolverhampton Wanderers 31/08/24)

£3.50 (68 pp / 46 net / P)

Score 21/40 – striking cover art aside, there’s not much to recommend the Forest Review – a programme very much in need of some more readable features.

 

Southampton (v Bournemouth 15/02/25)

£4.00 (68 pp / 51 net / P)

Score 29/40 – very well put together with strong, simple, unfussy layouts, and attractive sticker cover designs, as well as some solid historical content.

 

Tottenham Hotspur (v Aston Villa 03/11/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 63 net / P)

Score 28/40 – plenty of detailed club information with detailed write-ups on each of the club’s teams, but would benefit from a more consistent design and logical order.

 

West Ham United (v Arsenal 30/11/24)

£4.00 (116 pp / 79 net / P)

The largest programme in the Premier League (albeit with a slight rise in advertising content this season), the Hammers’ issue remains one of the very best in the league, showcasing a remarkable consistency in recent times.

One aspect that is worthy of particular praise is the coverage of West Ham’s opponents, which remains the best such section in the league. Over 11 pages, the programme provides an introductory article, details of the club’s records, information on recent form, a depth chart showing the makeup of the squad, and much more. There are four pages on the clubs players, offering analysis by position, which is followed by a detailed statistical analysis of how the team play. There is also a very nicely laid out two-page ‘Opposition Scrapbook’ that looks at key moments from the clubs history together with lots of retro images.

Club information is also dealt with in an impressively detailed way. The coverage of the club’s various teams is exemplary, with detailed statistics, as well as offering the latest news on the Academy and women’s teams, together with player interviews, results and fixtures. There are updates from the work of the club’s Foundation, along with supporter information and club news.

There are some familiar articles from previous years – not least ‘Hammerabilia’ – with words from Hammers’ historian Steve Marsh on varying items of club collectibles from down the years, while ’20 Years On’ turns the clock back to the club’s promotion season of 2004/25 under Alan Pardew. One of the best features is ‘The Boys of 75’ – which looks back to the club’s FA Cup win from that year, recounting the stories of those who were there. ‘WHU Wore It Best?’ is a new feature that profiles various players to have turned out for West Ham wearing a particular squad number, with supporters given the opportunity to nominate their favourites. There are also columns from sportswriter Duncan Wright and the Evening Standard’s Ken Dyer, as well as player interviews and Q&As.

Another hugely impressive issue from West Ham, maintaining the high standards of recent years.

Score 37/40 – another packed programme from the Hammers – continuing their remarkable run of high-quality issues – and deserving of yet another end of season award.

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers (v Liverpool 28/09/24)

£4.00 (84 pp / 60.5 net / P)

Score 30/40 – another strong issue from Wolves – a little more opposition content would further strengthen the programme.