Football Programmes Centre

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

As there are no programme fairs in Scotland, and haven't been for 18 months, have bitten the bullet and trying to get one up and running at Auchinleck. The club Committee have fully backed it, and to make a go of it I recon I need 3 or 4 other stall holders including myself. Already have one booked up, so this is just a general invite to anyone who m ight like to consider having a stall to contact me.

We haven't booked a specific date as yet, but in all likelihood it will be September / October. The Social Club with all the trophies, shirts, and other Talbot memorabilia will be open and it's a lovely area for collectors to spend 10 minutes or so.

You don't have to be a dealer to get a stall at the fair, just someone with a few thousand spare programmes! Stall rental will be no more than £25.

BAZZABAGGIES · Joined: 07 Jan 2011 Posts: 1920

Where is the fook is Auchinleck ? Is there a large town nearby ?

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

Ah, Bazza, whenever I'm feeling low I can rely on you to lift my spirits! Nearest large town is Torshavn in the Faroe Islands.

BAZZABAGGIES · Joined: 07 Jan 2011 Posts: 1920

If they cannot get punters into fairs in major cities then you will have a tough time in The Highlands or Lowlands whatever its called Sherlock

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

I fully understand all the arguments for and against fairs, and it's a really unfortunate state of affairs we find ourselves in now because of the lack of interest in them.

Auchinleck is only 45 miles from Glasgow and maybe 60 to 70 to Edinburgh. Kilmarnock and Ayr are both on it's doorstep, and Dumfries is just an hour away, so there are possibilities.

A lot of folk don't attend Scottish programme fairs if Brian Johnson isn't there, despite him having a shop and regular lists! Have always found for myself, when dealing, that at the more off beat fairs you're far more likely to pick up better items, especially from folk walking in off the street and the odd fan who's clearing out a few boxes. Accrington a couple of years back being a prime example for me.

The paradox is that Scottish punters always pay over the odds for 1940's and 50's programmes, in comparison to English collectors, and yet don't turn up at Fairs any more.

Will hope to put on a Junior / Auchinleck exhibition as well as any stalls for sellers. Club are right behind it, and we'll get a good write up in the local paper in the week of the fair, and there's plenty of time to get the advertising out and about in local club's programmes, social media, etc etc. If it doesn't work it won't happen again, if it does it could become a staple. It's not going to cost me anything putting it on, and the club will benefit by my sales and the (very reasonable) stall rentals so nothing to lose, and hopefully it'll be a success.

BAZZABAGGIES · Joined: 07 Jan 2011 Posts: 1920

Good Luck Im sure Gordon from Plymouth might give it a go.
There has been no mention of the Derby Fair so you must have got the bug from there.

Drvonshineck · Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 525 Location: Scotland

If this goes ahead then I will go.

As you say there is not enough Scottish fairs, so if one starts up it needs to be supported.

I don't have the surplus to hold a stall but I can bring down programmes I not have a use for as a contribution to the Auchinleck redevelopment fund.

For those interested from Glasgow train takes less than an hour and is under £10 in advance so it is pretty accessible.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

I did cheekily ask Gordon at Derby, but he was somewhat reluctant. Can't understand why!

A lot of the Junior clubs have decent Social Clubs that they'd let their fans use for free for such purposes, so there's no need for organisers to lay out substantial amounts of money for the hire of premises. They also usually have very good relationships with their local paper, so there's always the opportunity for a good spread in the week leading up to the fair, thereby negating the need for an expensive advert or two.

Myself and other guy who's already expressed an interest in having a stall both live within 40 minutes of the location, and I think I'll get at least another one from within a similar mileage. If I can get one I'll have four folk selling in a very comfortable environment with plenty of room to spread their items around. If somebody needs another table it won't cost them anything, we're trying to attract not turn folk away.

Will keep all informed as to whether or not we attract sufficient sellers to actually hold it.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

Drvonshineck wrote:

If this goes ahead then I will go.

As you say there is not enough Scottish fairs, so if one starts up it needs to be supported.

I don't have the surplus to hold a stall but I can bring down programmes I not have a use for as a contribution to the Auchinleck redevelopment fund.

For those interested from Glasgow train takes less than an hour and is under £10 in advance so it is pretty accessible.

Good man!

Westwardprogs · Joined: 29 May 2013 Posts: 689

Ha, ha! I didn't realise Auchinleck was so far up-country - for some reason I thought it was just north of Dumfries, but I've looked it up on the AA Route Finder and find it's much further up-country, nearer to Ayr - door-to-door it's 477.9 miles from Plymouth!
Obviously, I'd prefer fairs in the West Country, which is why I did the one at Bath last Christmas and will almost certainly try another there this December,
Seriously, though, I may consider taking a stall at Auchinleck depending on the date in September. I'm already committed to having one at West London on September 7, and Infoman is talking about having one at Bristol City in September too, which I would want to support.

Baltimore · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 371 Location: France

Hock-eye-the noo, what a great idea!

This chap needs supporting!

I can feel a long weekend, coming on.

"boing...boing!"

CelticViking · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:48 pm Post subject:

John, if its in Torshavn l will be there !!!, but anyway best of luck with your venture

Eck · Joined: 25 Aug 2012 Posts: 2548

I will attend John,I think I have about 1500 programmes so i'll take a stall as well.
I have plenty of local interest with about 100 Killie and a bundle of Killie fanzines as well.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

Due to being away with my good lady for a month I've been out of action on here.

Fair now has 4 confirmed stall holders, and I'm hopeful of getting probably just one more. All collectors rather than dealers, so there should be a good few bargains to be had. More details before the end of the season, but will be early to mid October. All stall holders travelling from within a 50 mile radius so it's going to be a friendly day out for most folk as people coming aren't making a living out of it.

J.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

Good man Eck.

I'm hoping that it will be different in one sense from most fairs because of the lack of needing to make a huge profit out of attending. I know from the other guys who have said they want to come that there will be some nice stuff for sale - especially Scottish non league and league.

Eck · Joined: 25 Aug 2012 Posts: 2548

Nice one John. I have recently bought, 1,000 Rangers, I already had 500, I've got 200 fanzines, about 1,000 + English, and loads of other stuff,I realise that there is a possibility of not making much for
our efforts but it's worth a shot. Anyone interested in Rangers stuff is guaranteed a great deal from me,I will sell for cheap,I always do.I bought 300 recently for £30 and sold one of them on ebay for £41,so I can't lose. I have been buying some cheap 50's items recently so that I have a few interesting items on my stall. A guy I know said that if he's free he will help me out and take me there,if not my sister has offered to take me.
If it did flop,I wouldn't give up,rather learn from it.

Allygee243 · Joined: 14 Jun 2013 Posts: 1

Or would I need to rent a stall? I have a large number of 1960s Rangers homes and Finals, internationals Scotland full and age group homes. It amounts to a few hundred.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

Ally, there's five stallholders already which I think is probably the optimum number. Thanks for your interest though, much appreciated, and you'll be made most welcome on the day if you wish to go as a punter.

John

In Off The Far Post · Joined: 08 Jul 2014 Posts: 26

Good Luck with it, I hope you have a great day and it's good to see someone having a go...

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

Reasons for doing it are three fold (1) because it's the first ever Junior fair and it's at my club (2) it has the potential, if we get a few punters through the door to be replicated at other Junior clubs within a 40 mile radius, and (3) it's the first fair in Scotland for nearly two years now - if somebody doesn't give it a go it'll die up here as far as fairs are concerned. None of the dealers want a look in, but have got sufficient folk interested with decent stock at reasonable prices to make it (hopefully) viable.

Stall rental's cheap so nobody's going to lose out big time by taking a stall as they all live within an hour of the ground, so travel costs are negligible as well. I really do hope that we get the folk through the door to enable us to do it at other Junior clubs from Spring 2015 onwards.