Football Programmes Centre

derby1884

As I was thumbing through my diary for 1973 the entry for October 10th said "got bundle of programmes from Steve Earl. These are brilliant"

Gawd, I was only 12. And off school with bronchitis at the time.

Anyway, I well remember that parcel arriving and the very first programme I picked out was 72/3 Millwall v Sunderland. Still got it. Keeping it for sentimental value (like the first 45 I bought....Love Sculpture's 'Sabre Dance')

So - what was the first programme you ordered from a dealer? As opposed to picking up at the match itself?

How many others, like me, have Steve Earl to blame for a lifetime's addiction

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DannyRoberts · Joined: 29 Apr 2012 Posts: 504 Location: South London

Steve Earl got me started too !!!!!!!!!!!

A Scottish Cup Semi Final between Celtic and St Mirren is the one programme I remember from his bundle - my first 'big match' programme !!

thegers · Joined: 05 Jul 2014 Posts: 137

i can remember getting a bundle of programmes from David Stacey early 1970s, think there was about 100 English League,

FinnHarpsHistory · Joined: 27 Apr 2013 Posts: 62 Location: Dublin

Yep remember getting my first bundle from Steve Earl too...had a Hull City home friendly in it against a South American team I think....wonder where it is now?

Also got Sutton United V Hillingdon Boro 1970 notable because the winners got to play Leeds United in the next round of the FA Cup.

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1814 Location: Newport

Great thread!

Yep mine was Steve Earl too, I saw his advert in Shoot (I think) and sent stamps off for his catalogue, after curiosity got the better of me.
I had no idea what such a catalogue was, but it sounded really exciting.

Remember being absolutely engrossed in it when it arrived, spent days lying on my bed poring over it, must have read it cover to cover half a dozen times.
I ended up buying a few Newport programmes for five or ten pence each, as well as his 'Programme Collectors Kit' which was about 45p.

That would have been around 1978 (I was ten), and the 'collectors kit' came with a cardboard coaster that featured a blue & white cartoon programme seller stood outside a ground. I had that on my bedside table for about three or four years, loved it.

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 12:17 am Post subject:

I went with my mate & his dad by train to see Palace play at Southampton - this was 7th November 1964 so I was 8.

On the train were 2 blokes walking up & down with boxes of programmes for sale. I have no idea who they were. I had about 3d to spend so I bought one.

Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester United 30.3.1960.

I still have it and wouldn't sell it for the World.

And Palace won 1-0 with a Peter Burridge header.

silkman1 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 209 Location: poynton

Going back a little farther to the 1960's and Fraser Programmes. I suspect they were in the south of England. Bought a bumper bundle for 5/- My pocket money. They used to advertise in Charles Buchan's Football Monthly.

First game with a programme Stockport County v Crewe (FA Cup) 1958.

Fishy · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 1218

I am a late starter - 2003 ish I looked on Ebay for Millwall programmes from 1956 (my year of birth), found some, won some and got a list from Rich Smart who was a Lions Specialist at the time.

11 years later I have all post war homes (apart from a few postponed) and nearly all post war.

Thank you Rich!

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:43 am Post subject:

Does anybody else remember being able to buy bubble gum or chewing gum from your sweetshop with a packet attached containing a few programmes? I think the packs cost about 6d (2.5p if you prefer) and this would have been in the mid 60's.

My next-door neighbour used to get them and he'd give me a few occasionally, ones he didn't want. I can remember getting a Motherwell programme (v Falkirk 23.11.63) and thinking it was fantastic as all I was used to back then was Palace's little white jobs every season.

Dorking · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2529

Steve Earl here also. I had a few programmes already which I hd been given and had read cover to cover dozens of times, but I saw the advert in Shoot or Match and sent off for the catalogue and handful of programmes. I got an Orient (who I'd never heard of) and some other ones which were equally worthless, but I thought were fascinating and valuable, and studied them countless times.

The catalogue drained my pocket money several times as curiosity got me sending off for all sorts of stuff that to me was 'ancient' (ie 1970s)

nozer · Joined: 24 Mar 2011 Posts: 1109 Location: Liverpool

Likewise Steve for me also early 60s for some strange reason started a collection of obscure (to me) Irish League Club progs and what a thrill it was to se that brown envelope come through letter box on arrival home from school.
Unfortunatly left these in mum & dads when i moved out to wed in 76.

Eck · Joined: 25 Aug 2012 Posts: 2548

I replied to Steve Earl's advert in the 1977 Scottish Cup Final programme. I bought a bundle of 400 mixed programmes from his catalogue,I absolutely loved them,I loved the programme covers more than the content, the Wolves & West Brom ones were excellent. I started collecting Rangers & Scotland after that but chucked it about 1980,I started again from scratch,only just over 2 years ago.

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1814 Location: Newport

I wonder how much Steve Earl has spent on advertising over the years?
The mind boggles doesn't it.
He seemed to be absolutely everywhere, certainly in all the magazines of my youth, such as Shoot, Match, Scoop and RotR.

So not only was Steve responsible for getting generations of fans hooked on lovely match programmes, he also helped prop up many other football publications over the decades with his constant advertisement subscriptions I'm thinking.

Re-reading this thread today, I'm also struck by a vague recollection of him sending you a free programme (chosen randomly) whenever you were a first-time customer of his catalogue.

bisphamseasider · Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Posts: 2731 Location: Blackpool

Not just one but a sample selection of programmes according to this ad in 1986.

The collectors kit sounds good as well.

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1814 Location: Newport

Yes, that's the picture that was on the coaster.

Thanks for that, it brings back a few fond memories!
Many a glass of cordial was stood on that little bugger in my bedroom.

Sadly I was into beer and girls by 1986, and other than the coaster, I was struggling to remember what else was in the 'Collectors' Kit' - but those item do ring a bell.
There was certainly a pad and pen I remember, for you to create a checklist, but I honestly can't recall any other of the items it included.

Mind you, I've lost a serious amount of brain cells since 1978! Wink

bisphamseasider · Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Posts: 2731 Location: Blackpool

I am not surprised you can't recall too many of the items in the collectors kit with beer and women being on the scene. Laughing

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:19 pm Post subject:

Mr Earl certainly has a lot to answer for!

But sounds like he should have put a packet of three into Wiggy's!

derby1884 · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:07 pm Post subject:

Interesting to read all your reminiscences.

I remember a load of those 72/3 Coventry homes being in the first bundle he sent me - the ones with the "Sky Blue Girl Of The Week" on the back cover.

When you're 12 years old, such a feature is very educational

Am I right in thinking that Steve Earl never wrote your address on the envelope - he used to cut out what you'd written as your address and then sellotape it on.

When i look back - and it may or may not be the same for others here - I used to read every word and look at every photo over and over again in those issues........and now I pay £3 for a modern-day 96 page programme and barely flick through it (before ticking a box then filing it away).

Perhaps the novelty simply wore off a long time ago.
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Tynie Topics · Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Posts: 3572

Hmmmm.....where did it all begin.

I can't quite remember, I think it may have been when my cousin gave me some programmes in the very early 80's when I was 10/11 which aroused some interest. I know my first ever game, Hearts v Ayr United in 1979/80 was a non-issue! I remember my dad asking a steward in the main stand and he said there were none.

I know I got stuff from Steve Earl, and also Alan Cunningham in Edinburgh who issued lists (wish I'd kept one) and also had a stall at Tynecastle, plus Peter Rundo.

I'll have a guess and say Steve Earl was the first dealer I got programmes from, I don't think I discovered the other two until I was 12 or 13 and going to Hearts games regularly from 1982 onwards.
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MINSTERMAN · Joined: 01 Jul 2011 Posts: 362

Yep, Steve Earl again... the dealer who helped hundreds of fledgling collections.

I bought a bargain bundle from him when I was 10, after poring for ages over his programme-laden catalogue.

I was a bit disappointed at the time though TBH, as the bundle that arrived was full of Bournemouth homes. There was probably half the issues from a season (probably 74/75 when they reverted to smaller programmes), and I did consider trying to get the rest to make a set up!

I’ve bought a few items off Steve over the years, but still remember that bundle fondly.

Alas, all l I really wanted to do at that time was get one per club. A guy called R A Savage (or similar) was offering one per club at that time in Shoot, but Steve Earl had a grander name, better advert, and a cheaper deal! Proof once again that quality is often the best test of cheapness!