In this post we take a look at the covers of the programmes for the behind closed doors games played between Saturday 11th July and Sunday 26th July 2020.
Saturday 11th July to Monday 13th July
These issues included another cracking cover from our 2019/20 Gold Award winner, Norwich City, for their match against West Ham United. The cover showed a picture with an aerial view of Carrow Road, with the words to the club’s traditional ‘On The Ball City’ song shown in a circle over the stadium. Sheffield United published their latest digital only programme for the visit of Chelsea, with these ‘UTB Lite’ issues complementing the physical programme issued by the Blades for each of their behind closed doors games. Similarly, Wolves issued a digital copy of the relevant content from their single lockdown programme for their fixture against Everton, with Matt Doherty the latest subject of Louise Cobbold’s artwork. There are only nine issues from this round of games as Bournemouth did not produce a programme for the visit of Leicester City on 12th July.
Tuesday 14th July to Friday 17th July
Again, only nine programmes for this round of fixtures, with Chelsea’s issue for their behind closed doors games, including their fixture here against Norwich City on 14th July, not being issued until after the season. Three of the programmes here were digital only – those produced by Leicester City, Manchester City, and Newcastle United. The cover of Arsenal’s programme for the visit of Liverpool used a picture of Paul Merson, alongside Alan Smith, celebrating the opening goal in the Gunners 3-0 win over Liverpool in the 1990/91 season – the last time that Liverpool were title holders. A word here also for Burnley’s programme for their game against Wolves – the respective team’s colours creating a particularly striking cover!
Saturday 18th July to Wednesday 22nd July
This round of games featured Liverpool’s last home game of the season, and the new champions produced a special commemorative programme for the visit of Chelsea. The issue contained 100 pages, up from the usual 84 from this season, and included a well-designed fold-out cover. which had pictures of the Liverpool squad and manager on one side and a presentation of the club’s honours on the reverse. The programme also included a game by game guide to Liverpool’s title winning season, two pages showing each of the programme covers from the season, as well as all the usual sections and features.
Norwich City’s programme cover for the visit of Burnley featured another impressive piece of artwork, while Portuguese winger Daniel Podence was the player featured on the cover of the relevant section of Wolves’ lockdown programme for the visit of Crystal Palace. Only eight programmes were issued during this round of games, with no programme produced for the fixture between Bournemouth and Southampton and, perhaps more unfortunately – given they had been issuing for their previous behind closed doors fixtures, nothing for Watford’s game against Manchester City.
Sunday 22nd July
The final round of fixtures saw programmes issued for each game, with the exception of the aforementioned Chelsea issue, which was not available on the day for the visit of Wolves. There were once again digital only issues produced by Leicester City, Manchester City, and Newcastle United, while the Southampton programme for the visit of Sheffield United was their single lockdown issue. Only five game specific printed programmes then – hopefully not a sign of things to come – those produced by Arsenal, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Everton, and West Ham. The Gunners showed off their new shirt on their cover for the visit of Watford, while Everton paid tribute to those supporters that had passed away in the months since fans were last able to attend matches.
We’ll be offering more thoughts on this season’s programmes, and what the trends in production for the behind closed doors games might mean for the future of programmes, in a future post, so watch this space!