FANZINE ENTHUSIASTS

During the dark days of the ’80s, many people became disillusioned with the state of the game and the way that it treated its fans. These supporters found a voice through the creating and selling of football fanzines. Almost every club in the country had a fanzine or two, all lovingly made using Letraset, Tipp-ex and photocopiers, and flogged outside the grounds as an alternative option to the club-produced match programmes.

Humour played a vital part, and many of them had suitably irreverent names like QPR’S A Kick Up The Rs and Barnsley’s West Stand Bogs, plus gloriously titled Gillingham favourite Brian Moore’s Head Looks Uncannily Like London Planetarium.

In an era in which football fans were often marginalised, fanzines attempted to articulate supporters’ views, influence authorities and change perceptions. It was in changing perceptions that they had most success. The fanzine creators helped to redefine the image of football fans, from the knuckle-dragging yobs to bright and peaceful members of society.