Article in The Guardian today

[derby1884]

As ever, the most interesting part is the readers' comments

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2022/feb/07/the-end-of-an-era-football-programmes-outdated-or-great-pieces-of-history
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[Dorking]

Magnificent article, and a comments section which this forum would be delighted to have the participants of.

The writer is clearly an older fan, as he mentions his Parkinson's.

To me the key to it is that the big issues of the last 20 years will not be missed. It sounds like when Swansea said it was free and digital only, he was almost relieved to be stopping buying and collecting any more new ones.

He talks about a relatively recent 40 page programme vs Southampton as being particularly unmemorable, to be fair I have hundreds like that, and 80 pages is more realistic!

I think the pandemic was a chance for clubs to continue, but downsize at the same time. I'd much prefer a thin issue, like Villa did, maybe at a pound less cover price.

It was interesting that when told it was digital only, like 99% of Swansea fans, I guess he just accepted it.

Not like the 1% of fans on here, who would then keenly seek a printed solution of the digital output! I pride myself that I got something for every Palace and Dorking game during the pandemic when there were challenges for many of the issues!!!

When these clubs say they are going digital only, is there an outcry? Are there letters to the local newspaper, or does nobody buy local papers anymore either? Did the supporters trust step in and say we'll do it instead? Just curious really. I know there is a guy on here who takes orders for printed Blackburn ones, and I know that Barnet fans (their club has been digital only for a few years) are quite organised amongst a small group of collectors to get a supply made up.

So many talking points raised from the article and the comments, I do find that my own (12 year old) son has no interest in the programmes I buy, other than asking me to check who the ref is. He gets all his info online nowadays.

I do hope that at the very least online issues continue if clubs won't make a printed programme, so us hardcore traditionalists can continue our obsession!

[colchestersid]

It's his father who has Parkinson's

...and I was diagnosed couple of years ago and I'm only 54 so not too old

But yes, a good article

[Dorking]

My mistake, I read that wrongly.

The long term future of programmes (not just collecting, but production of them) rests not with the traditionalists like us, but with the young generation - will they buy them out of habit?

I went to the Euro 2020 Final last summer, and the queue for programmes - in the middle of the afternoon before the game - was really long, about a 20 minute queue! And people were buying multiple copies. I am sure most weren't buying them to resell on ebay, but because so many other people had asked them to get them one while they were there.

[New Forest]

I am getting too old to go to every game these days. Back in the sixties my dad and I would board the team coach and off we go to see every game home and away. I collected the programmes and have amassed a large number over the years. One way I now cut down on the matches I attend is - do they produce a programme. No programme/no visit. In my opinion on-line only equals no programme.

I need all the home programmes as I write a column for each issue and I need to be able to check if I have covered the same thing before.

There will always be some collectors. The rare issues will still be expensive and fought over, so worries there.

It has been said on this site before and probably will be time and time again. If fans do not want large 80 page programmes, then the clubs should think about simple one sheet of paper folded with the line-ups, previous results and fixtures and the current league table. Sadly it will mean missing the 'Gaffers Gossip', but you can't have everything.

But its not just a lack of young collectors in football programmes. Stamps are no longer as popular as they were. The next to go will be coins, simple because the youngsters will no longer find an Olympic 50p in their change.

[Dorking]

I get Palace's programme every game, but I can skim through what I want in about 5 minutes - it tends to be the Chairman's page (in the hope of something interesting - and there rarely is anything), a look at the photos in it - there's usually a couple of old photos, and the historical article, which this season is quite dreadful, as they keep recycling very similar articles about the 1861 predecessor club.

I would have also said about looking at the attendances column on the stats pages, but they don't even have that this season!

[derby1884]

Dorking wrote:

I would have also said about looking at the attendances column on the stats pages, but they don't even have that this season!

The stats page is one feature I do miss now that the Derby programme is a thing of the past - was handy to have at my fingertips but I can replicate that myself on Excel easily enough.

I do like it when clubs list the number of away fans that attended a match. That can be quite illuminating.

I still get all the Derby aways but, like many on here, other than the historical article(s), it's a quick glance thru the rest, a tick on my spreadsheet to say I've got the issue and then file it away probably never to be read again.
Which is the opposite of how I was when I began collecting back in the early 70s when every word would be digested.

If Derby's new owner (assuming there ever is one) decides to bring the programme back, though, I know I'd immediately subscribe.
But if not, to be honest I'm not that bothered.

16 pages for £1 with content unavailable on the club website - that'd be the ideal scenario for me. Not going to happen, though.
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