EF-HELL FOR FANS

THE Football League faces a backlash from clubs over proposals to do away with matchday programmes. The EFL’S 72 members are due to vote on the plan at their annual meeting on June 23 after some clubs asked for the mandatory publications to be scrapped. However, there remain plenty of teams who are keen to continue with one of English football’s great traditions, with Mansfield Town among them. Stags CEO Carolyn Radford said: “Many of our regular readers consider it an essential, almost religious part of their matchday experience. “There is genuine sentiment attached to the programme because of its longevity and tradition as a souvenir and/or keepsake of a first or memorable game.” Declining sales and increasing costs are among the reasons given by clubs who want to stop producing programmes. Others cite environmental issues and the fact that much of the content is now available online. Radford said Mansfield programmes were bought by one in five of supporters.