Today we turn our attentions to the programme produced for the 2025/26 season by Newcastle United – who have been recognised in our awards for each of the last three seasons, and who were our Gold Award winners for 2024/25. Read the full review below and click here to see all of the current season Premier League issues.
Last season’s Gold Award winners – and one of the most consistently impressive programmes in recent years – return with a familiar format for the 2025/26 season. The team behind the Newcastle issue have continued with the approach that has seen the club recognised in these awards for the past three seasons.
The sheer volume of content in each edition is a key reason the programme stands out. At its heart is a 13-page block of features – uninterrupted by advertising – bringing together a range of regular sections.
An extended feature from Stan Gate, Programme Spotlight, explores Newcastle’s connections with their matchday opponents, combining recollections of past meetings with images of programmes from those fixtures. In Black and White reproduces archive photographs, again with a link to the day’s visitors, while club historian Paul Joannou contributes All Things Black ‘N’ White, highlighting key statistics and milestones past and present.
Supporter Gavin Haigh showcases highlights from his extensive collection of more than 1,000 Newcastle shirts, often recalling lesser-known designs worn by the team. Around the World in 19 Programmes takes inspiration from the upcoming World Cup, spotlighting players from across the globe who have represented the Magpies. Meanwhile, Simon Rushworth – former chief sports writer for the Journal – writes Deadline Days, reflecting on his coverage of the club over the years, accompanied by archive press clippings.
Other regular features include Mags Around the World, which profiles supporters’ clubs across the globe through interviews with key figures, and One of a Kind, focusing on players who spent just a single season at Newcastle. Nick Graves also contributes a column, while each issue includes a five-page player interview and a dedicated section for junior supporters.
The visitors’ section is also among the strongest in the league. Running to 12 pages, it includes an introductory article assessing the opposition’s season to date and recent transfer activity, followed by a form guide and details of their most recent line-up. Graduate profiles a player who has progressed through the club’s youth system, while pen pictures of the first-team squad and manager are also included. Landmarks looks back at notable moments in the club’s history, rounding off a comprehensive section.
Club coverage is also strong, with columns from the manager and captain, reports from recent matches, and detailed updates on the academy and women’s teams, including player interviews. All of the club’s sides are also represented within a six-page statistics section, while the work of the Newcastle United Foundation is highlighted across a couple of additional pages.
The design is generally clean and unfussy, with a mix of black and white backgrounds complemented by sparing use of blue and gold. At times, however, the volume of content results in smaller text sizes, which can affect readability – an understandable compromise perhaps, given the constraints of the A5 format.
Once again, this is an impressive programme from Newcastle, maintaining the high standards established in recent seasons. The club also deserve credit for holding the price at £3.50 – one of only a handful of such programmes in the Premier League – further enhancing its overall value.