Old Skool

[Tynie Topics]

Over the last month or so I have been corresponding by handwritten letter (remember those?) with another collector who saw my wants list in Programme Monthly and offered me some programmes I require. I managed to tick-off five from the wants list, B games, U23 and unofficial games, and all at fair prices. No ebay, no fees, no emails.

It was good to revisit the old times in writing back and forth and waiting anxiously to see if the offer was accepted, sending a cheque (remember them?) and waiting for the programmes to arrive. It’s the first time in many years that I’ve bought programmes the “old way”. I can’t say I’d want to go back to the old ways for every programme I buy (I never buy from catalogues or offers lists these days), but in this “instant results” world it was refreshing for a change to do things the old skool, no rush, way, and shows that an advert in PM does still work occasionally!

Anyone have similar recent experiences with PM adverts (or adverts elsewhere)?
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[blackburncollector]

I used to love coming hope from work and seeing my copy of PM had landed when it used to be packed full (100+ pages some months) of programmes for sale. Granted, being a Blackburn collector, there wasn't always a lot for me in terms of putting offers in due to the scope of my collecting however it was still great flicking through, find something, completing the carbon copy offers sheet and sending it off with a cheque with "not to exceed £x" in the crossed lines.

God, I sound like an old biddy but I bet that was only about 15 years ago - how times change eh! It is interesting that you say you never buy from catalogues or offers list these days - is there a reason for that?
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Andy

[Tynie Topics]

I still get a buzz when the PM envelope drops through the door, not from the aspect of adverts these days (although at one point these were the first thing I read), just from reading other people’s articles.

I recall the days when a catalogue would drop through the letterbox and you’d be scouring it and on the phone placing an order as soon as you could in case someone else got in ahead of you. Then following it up with a paper order form and a cheque or postal order (do those still exist?). In the late 1980’s I worked in a bank (first proper job!) and I recall writing a letter to PM to point out that cheques marked “not to exceed…..” had no legal standing, the bank would simply ignore that instruction and process the cheque for whatever it was completed for unless (at that time) the cheque was over £1,000. The bank did not check every cheque, too time consuming (and probably still don’t, sign your next small value cheque Mickey Mouse and see what happens).

Personally I have never been comfortable with the offers system, and only have ever used it for an item that I’ve really wanted at the time. I can’t remember the last time I actually made an offer from an offers list. As for catalogues, I’m probably at a stage where they won’t have anything in them that I’m after so I never bother. It’s just a personal thing. Out with current season stuff, 99.9% of my purchases over the last decade come via ebay/auction/word of mouth (collectors and dealers) and now of course the old way, a PM advert.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[tackler7]

Two prominent rugby collectors are not online and therefore my correspondence is via letter and its always a joy to receive correspondence from them.

People take their time writing letters, rather than rushed email or text and I've found they expand far further in a letter than emails etc.

I also save the letters, something I generally would not do with emails.

[Tynie Topics]

tackler7 wrote:

Two prominent rugby collectors are not online and therefore my correspondence is via letter and its always a joy to receive correspondence from them. People take their time writing letters, rather than rushed email or text and I've found they expand far further in a letter than emails etc. I also save the letters, something I generally would not do with emails.

There are a significant proportion of older collectors who never or rarely use the internet. Just been speaking to a fellow Scotland collector tonight who has never used ebay to the best of my knowledge.

He does have the best Scotland collection bar none mind you so doesn't need too much!
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[derby1884]

I remember when the Sports Programmes catalogue used to arrive wrapped in the shape of a tube. Anyone else recall that?

It would take an hour or so to flatten it out before it could even be perused!

By that time, of course, their phone line was permanently engaged so it was a case of making out a cheque stating "not to exceed £..." and then hoping for the best.
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[Jim LFC]

derby1884 wrote:

I remember when the Sports Programmes catalogue used to arrive wrapped in the shape of a tube. Anyone else recall that? It would take an hour or so to flatten it out before it could even be perused! By that time, of course, their phone line was permanently engaged so it was a case of making out a cheque stating "not to exceed £..." and then hoping for the best.

Remember it well!!

I'm sure it used to be Thursday that the catalogue came and as soon as the catalogue was unravelled it was a free for all on the phone. I think I only actually got through 3 times and on one of those occasions I forgot what I'd rung up for in the first place!!

[Jim LFC]

And here they are......

[Jim LFC]

A bit closer....

[Tynie Topics]

I love leafing through old catalogues.

If anyone has any old ones from Scottish dealers they want rid of......
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[Pete’s Picture Palace]

I have one customer who collects one club, action photos, in one period, and doesn't have a computer or a mobile phone - or a cheque book.

Every few months I send him a typed list of the photos I've got for him.

He relies entirely on my judgement and sends cash (notes) in the post, special delivery.

He also collects vinyl by going to fairs and he's never mentioned going to football fairs etc. He says he gets a huge thrill when my envelope lands on his doormat! I breathe a sigh of relief when his lands on mine.

[holtie96]

Remember years ago when I was skint coming out of uni advertising an England v Canada programme in programme monthly which at the time was one of the rarest modern issues
No news until a letter arrived the final day offering £150 I nearly died, it paid the bills for the month and the best bit was the payment was a cheque and it was a Coutts!!!!

Those were the days!

[DonQuixote]

Despite being the wrong side of 60, I have always embraced new tech and consider myself to be pretty proficient with the likes of InDesign, Photoshop et al - I suppose it helps being a graphic designer .

But I gave up my mobile phone over a year ago and haven't missed it one bit and as for cheques - they are soooo 1990s.

All this talk of PM makes me want to re subscribe once more.

[Tynie Topics]

It’s strange to look back now, in the days of websites, Flikr, Saleroom etc, that 20 years ago the only way to know what a particular programme looked like is if it appeared in PM, or one of the few catalogues that carried illustrations, or attending Fairs. Nowadays there’s a fair chance you’ll find an illustration of it somewhere on the internet.

I loved getting the Scottish Programme Guide which PM produced between about 1980-1986, detailing issues from league clubs over the season, Finals/Semis, Internationals, friendlies and also covering non-league. In its day it was invaluable (to me anyway), I think an English version also appeared briefly.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[manchesterunitedman1]

DonQuixote wrote:

Despite being the wrong side of 60, I have always embraced new tech and consider myself to be pretty proficient with the likes of InDesign, Photoshop et al - I suppose it helps being a graphic designer . But I gave up my mobile phone over a year ago and haven't missed it one bit and as for cheques - they are soooo 1990s. All this talk of PM makes me want to re subscribe once more.

u mean u do not read my monthly articles in PM

[Wullie]

Pete’s Picture Palace wrote:

I have one customer who collects one club, action photos, in one period, and doesn't have a computer or a mobile phone - or a cheque book. Every few months I send him a typed list of the photos I've got for him. He relies entirely on my judgement and sends cash (notes) in the post, special delivery. He also collects vinyl by going to fairs and he's never mentioned going to football fairs etc. He says he gets a huge thrill when my envelope lands on his doormat! I breathe a sigh of relief when his lands on mine.

Technically speaking , his letters should not land on your doormat as they need to be signed for. Therefore , the Special delivery is handed over to you and you sign for the item whilst holding the letter in you hand. Maybe after you have signed for the item , you then drop it on your doormat yourself as some bizarre lucky ritual ? Maybe this will bring another win for the Palace ???

[Pete’s Picture Palace]

Wullie wrote:

Pete’s Picture Palace wrote: I have one customer who collects one club, action photos, in one period, and doesn't have a computer or a mobile phone - or a cheque book. Every few months I send him a typed list of the photos I've got for him. He relies entirely on my judgement and sends cash (notes) in the post, special delivery. He also collects vinyl by going to fairs and he's never mentioned going to football fairs etc. He says he gets a huge thrill when my envelope lands on his doormat! I breathe a sigh of relief when his lands on mine. Technically speaking , his letters should not land on your doormat as they need to be signed for. Therefore , the Special delivery is handed over to you and you sign for the item whilst holding the letter in you hand. Maybe after you have signed for the item , you then drop it on your doormat yourself as some bizarre lucky ritual ? Maybe this will bring another win for the Palace ???

Metaphorically speaking, Wullie. Of course I sign for a Special item while it is in my hand. Doesn't happen with "Signed For " items though but that's another thread.

[Wullie]

Ah yes, change the subject quick.... cough cough

[DonQuixote]

[quote u mean u do not read my monthly articles in PM [/quote]


The last time I bought a copy, you were probably still chasing a few 50s homes.....

[manchesterunitedman1]

DonQuixote wrote:

[quote u mean u do not read my monthly articles in PM

The last time I bought a copy, you were probably still chasing a few 50s homes.....[/quote]

that would be about 35 years ago