Match day Programmes

In this digital age in which we live, the day of the football programme has all but passed us by, in a not dissimilar way to the "album cover" so prevalent a part of the music industry from the late 1960s onward.

The history of the football programme goes back to the formulation of the football league itself in the UK in 1888. Originally designed as a scorecard, it evolved over time to become an indispensable way for fans to learn about their opponents and to find out a little more about local players who ply their trade on foreign shores out of sight of the local fan.

The impact of the internet on the football programme has been immeasurable with the little printed booklet becoming virtually invisible on all but the biggest of footballing occasions. On a local scale it remains an integral part of the game still, with NPL clubs regularly producing 4-page flyers invariably just printed and stapled in the club offices, but still a vital part of the match day experience. At A & W-League games however, they remain non-existent for all but the big matches.

formats

Over time the match day programme has built from the single sided, one colour score card into the full colour glossy souvenir programme. The simple bi-fold 4 & 8 page programme is still seen around today predominantly at NPL level.

Tournament programmes

dTournament programmes invariably become the document of record from school carnivals to 3 or 4 nation tournaments like the Australia Cup of the 1990s in which the Matildas would play host to touring sides as part of the preparation for World Cups. They would be used to keep account of line-ups, scorers and players who caught the eye. They have generally been held by the parents of players and may lay hidden from the players themselves until it is time for Mum & Dad's treasures to be passed on.

Collectbility

Over the decades with the gradual loss of the programme, their collectibility has grown. Items from matches such as the 1966 World Cup final have become incredibly valuable as a longing for nostalgia grips people of a certain age and their rarity has driven their value thanks to the enemy of the programme, the internet. E-bay often sees items go for prices well beyond their 10p original cost.

Locally

Australian football has a tragic history of ignoring and often destroying its past. Many a club employee has tossed out club records which to today's researchers & historians would provide tools unimaginable to said office worker. The classic case in point was the discovery of the Australia Cup in a dumpster when the Hakoah club was undergoing renovations.