Matchday programme 2013-14

[Silly Chip]

Sheffield United programme....comments to date.

Good points:
Nice handy size.
Colourful.
A good read.

Bad points:
What is the Primal Scream competition all about? Is this Chapman's musical tastes coming out? What has this got to do with Brentford?

Where are the match reports....just stats and photos.

Editor's Notes - dodgy punctuation...can you use 2 semi colons in the same sentence ("Today's game promises to be.....").....no list is being made so I am confused?

Suggestions:
Regarding the 2013-14 stat pack (Opta), can Brentford's stats in the circles be coloured red and the opponents grey? Also, do Opta do a stat about scoring from set pieces? (The Bees don't appear to score from corners, good to see a stat which might tell us otherwise).

 

[sonofabee]

Back page team news font too small, opponents pages reduced and so no details on all players, Primal Scream?????, and still not proof read properly but it's still better than most.

 

[monkeymagic]

Its a shame that the Billy Reeves column has gone. Whether you liked it or not, it was one of the few bits of unique content that made the Brentford programme that bit different to other clubs.

 

[Infatuated Bees Alter Ego]

Understand you can get the programme on your I-Pad now ? How will this affect sales of the actual magazine and those that collect the programmes

 

[Womble Bee]

Like the size n content - was a darn sight better than Port Vales effort! Did laugh though as the spelling n grammer police were all over it and kept pointing out mistakes - only one I noticed was one of the birthdays was 'birthd' - Shame about Nick Bruzons n Billy Reeves column's going but times move on - however Billys was always entertaining and like the above post did make it different to others programmes

 

[Banana]

Editor's Notes - dodgy punctuation...can you use 2 semi colons in the same sentence ("Today's game promises to be.....").....no list is being made so I am confused?.

Nothing wrong with the use of the semi-colon.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/semicolon

 

[rebus]

Keep the comments coming, the programme is written for you so all advice is welcome.

We have a new designer this season so things will settle down in production after the first handful of issues.

It's an editorial decision not to have match reports as these are available on the Internet within minutes of the final whistle.

 

[sonofabee]

Keep the comments coming, the programme is written for you so all advice is welcome.

We have a new designer this season so things will settle down in production after the first handful of issues.

It's an editorial decision not to have match reports as these are available on the Internet within minutes of the final whistle.

Can you please consider reverting back to the more in depth review of the opposition, always thought ours was much better than any clubs I've visited.
Thank you

 

[Sultan]

Love the smaller size, miss Billy's column, liked the Ian Brown pic.

 

[Silly Chip]

Keep the comments coming, the programme is written for you so all advice is welcome.

We have a new designer this season so things will settle down in production after the first handful of issues.

It's an editorial decision not to have match reports as these are available on the Internet within minutes of the final whistle.

What is the point of collecting programmes then if you have no appraisal of previous matches? If I'm looking at this season's programmes in 10 years time I will have no idea of how the matches were played out drama wise! Have you carried out a survey to see how many fans read the match report off the internet? I think it's a crass decision if you haven't taken into account the older Bees fans whom don't use the internet.
BTW, drop the Primal Scream competition nonsense......how is that connected to Brentford?

 

[rebus]

I don't believe people indulge in programme collecting simply because of match reports.

The last twelve season's match reports are on the official website and were not in last season's programme either.

Internet usage in the UK is at 82% of the population, perhaps higher in London, and we need to recognise that and cater for the majority.

Times have moved on and in this internet age, people are largely not interested in descriptions of games that happened up to two or three weeks previously in a current season programme.

We also offered other bands albums last season as competition prizes, which gives fans a chance to win something, the choice of what is given away is down to the promotions company, not me.

It's a deliberate policy to try and offer as much content as possible that you wouldn't find on the official website in order to entice people to buy the programme.

Sales were up last season from 2011/12 and I hope that trend continues.

 

[Billy Hunt]

Sales were up last season from 2011/12 and I hope that trend continues.

Really? Wow. Very surprised. Well done programme people.

Still can't justify buying it myself. It takes all my effort to make sure I get home in one piece.

 

[super J]

Bought a programme yesterday for the first time in years, very impressed with size.

Excellent articles about Lionel Road, really informative and clarified a lot of things. Good columns from Roslet and Warburton, has the captain's column been ditched now?

Big interview was very interesting but could it not have been in proper interview format with each question in bold rather than one long article? Also, how about asking the fans in advance for questions they'd like to be asked for certain players?

The "on this day" feature was an interesting read but why then the need for the "moment in time" but just a few pages after?

Good to see us advertising local business too, if I'm being slightly picky I thought the font was a little small, my dad was struggling to read the players names on the back page.

Also, those little team sheet that are given to the press, can't they be given out to everyone if possible? Would be a nice gesture as when I get into the ground I always want to know the starting line up.

 

[monkeymagic]

Like the size n content - was a darn sight better than Port Vales effort! Did laugh though as the spelling n grammer police were all over it and kept pointing out mistakes - only one I noticed was one of the birthdays was 'birthd' - Shame about Nick Bruzons n Billy Reeves column's going but times move on - however Billys was always entertaining and like the above post did make it different to others programmes

Billy's column was always the most entertaining article in last seasons edition whilst Nick's is still available (online http://nickbruzonslastword.wordpress.com ) the evening before / morning of every match day - home or away - although 100% unendorsed by the club now and, as such, an independent article.

I don't have any journalistic / media qualifications but it seems to me fairly obvious what is needed - content that is not on line & features that you can read pre kick off / on the way home.

The likes of Billy's column ( or Ian Westbrook/David Ohl pieces that also appeared from time to time) tick both boxes whilst for me, as a reader, the most informative / useful piece has traditionally been a decent section on the opposition. I want to know who we are up against, their strengths/weaknesess and maybe a bit on a past encounter. I'd be beefing up the opposition focus rather than reducing. Stevenage did this very well on us last season, if you want a reference point

I agree with rebus (read my lips !) in regards to the match reports. By the time it gets to the programme these really are 'old news' and there can't be many who don't know the factual details of what went on. Certainly something I always glossed over.

 

[motherwell bee]

I'm with rebus here match reports not required.

Great programme keep up good work

 

[sonofabee]

I don't believe people indulge in programme collecting simply because of match reports.

The last twelve season's match reports are on the official website and were not in last season's programme either.

Internet usage in the UK is at 82% of the population, perhaps higher in London, and we need to recognise that and cater for the majority.

Times have moved on and in this internet age, people are largely not interested in descriptions of games that
happened up to two or three weeks previously in a current season programme.

We also offered other bands albums last season as competition prizes, which gives fans a chance to win something, the choice of what is given away is down to the promotions company, not me.

It's a deliberate policy to try and offer as much content as possible that you wouldn't find on the official website in order to entice people to buy the programme.

Sales were up last season from 2011/12 and I hope that trend continues.

Thanks for getting back to us, understand re match reports but would still like you to reconsider the oppo teams pages that you didn't cover off.
Good to see programme sales up, it's always been a worthwhile read and certainly one of the best I've seen in this or any other league. Still don't get the band stuffbut maybe I'm an old git who wants to read about all things football in my teams programme- can't these competitions also be on line as doubt a priority or reason for most fans to purchase.

 

[hatfieldbee]

Generally liked new style prog. As others have mentioned miss Billy's column. My main gripe is the back page was so shiny my biro completely refused to allow me to mark who was playing and subs! It worked on normal paper later btw. It just about tolerated the shininess of last year's prog.

 

[Silly Chip]

Internet usage in the UK is at 82% of the population, perhaps higher in London, and we need to recognise that and cater for the majority.

Times have moved on and in this internet age, people are largely not interested in descriptions of games that happened up to two or three weeks previously in a current season programme.

.

Thanks for your reply. Must admit to being shocked at the 82% figure....I didn't realise it was so high! What about providing a web page link to the match report in the programme? Presumably if I bought a digital programme I could click on the link which will take me to the match report? I'll let this drop now.

Still don't get the bands bit, if you used the page to promote local area bands then it would have more relevance. You will of course know how many fans enter these comps to gauge how popular the page is.

 

[Banana]

Thanks for your reply. Must admit to being shocked at the 82% figure....I didn't realise it was so high! What about providing a web page link to the match report in the programme? Presumably if I bought a digital programme I could click on the link which will take me to the match report? I'll let this drop now.

No you don't. You get a digital programme.

 

[Ealing Bee]

I don't believe people indulge in programme collecting simply because of match reports.

The last twelve season's match reports are on the official website and were not in last season's programme either.

In the same way as I have zero interest in eg Buzzbee and Buzzette, but kids clearly love them, different people buy/appreciate programmes for different reasons. 'Silly Chip' is clearly one who likes the Match Reports - there may be others, including away fans, who will surely want to know how Bees have been performing recently. Do you know whether other clubs have stopped including recent Match Reports? If so, has there been a reaction, good or bad?

Internet usage in the UK is at 82% of the population, perhaps higher in London, and we need to recognise that and cater for the majority.

Times have moved on and in this internet age, people are largely not interested in descriptions of games that happened up to two or three weeks previously in a current season programme.

Hmmm. The BBC website gives eg the Team Line-ups for every League game at least 20 mins before kick-off, as do (I presume) Sky Sports and a host of other sites. Does that mean you could drop Line-ups from the programme, too? After all, nearly everyone has an internet-enabled phone these days and you say you are catering for the majority...

We also offered other bands albums last season as competition prizes, which gives fans a chance to win something, the choice of what is given away is down to the promotions company, not me.

But if only a minority of Bees fans are interested in winning eg a Primal Scream album, does that justify coverage of them? I guess what I'm saying is that imo the Programme should be a magazine with different features for different readers, which is contradictory to chasing the "majority".

It's a deliberate policy to try and offer as much content as possible that you wouldn't find on the official website in order to entice people to buy the programme.

Sales were up last season from 2011/12 and I hope that trend continues.

Fair enough.

 

[absenteebee]

Generally liked new style prog. As others have mentioned miss Billy's column. My main gripe is the back page was so shiny my biro completely refused to allow me to mark who was playing and subs! It worked on normal paper later btw. It just about tolerated the shininess of last year's prog.

This year's programme will be mostly sponsored by SHARPIE Pens Ltd...

 

[Brain-dead Bee]

These days I normally only buy them for the first and last game of the season and, though this season's looked good, I don't see myself changing that habit: with so much info on the net, relatively little of its content is new, so not worth £3. But, the new size was good and most of the content was decent. ONly minor niggles (already raised by others) were that shiny paper made it almost impossible to mark who was playing without gouging a hole in the paper; and the Primal Scream bit seemed to bear no relation to anything

 

[GEOFFBEE]

Some great articles and , overall, a very good read. Loved the Lionel Road feature and the historical background of the area, plus a very informative piece on the Football League's history. Warbs and Rossler's articles are always valued reading. Enjoyed the Bonham interview.
Photos, as usual, absolutely superb.
Nice touch to include lots of pics of supporters celebrating birthdays and marriage etc

I guess there was a lot that had to be crammed in, due to the Lionel Road campaign, but a larger font size would be appreciated , and would, I feel, do more justice to what is an excellent publication...

 

[stedders]

Agree with most of the above:

I appreciate that in the digital age making a matchday programme that is relevant and worth the money must be a mighty challenge. I thought Saturday's programme – particularly the Lionel Road "stuff" – was outstanding.

 

[SmiffyBee]

Keep the comments coming, the programme is written for you so all advice is welcome.

We have a new designer this season so things will settle down in production after the first handful of issues.

It's an editorial decision not to have match reports as these are available on the Internet within minutes of the final whistle.

Mark,
I am a big fan of the programme, and like the smaller format. it was a good read on Saturday night.
Especially and history and information on Lionel Road
However, I do miss Billy's column and the Last Word - Any plans for something similar to appear in future issues ?
These types of input are not usually on line, therefore not duplicated anywhere else.

 

[PJ]

Glad the match reports have gone, I never read them and thought they were wasted pages.
Can understand why some would read them but if you've watched the game why do you need to read a match report!

 

[rebus]

However, I do miss Billy's column and the Last Word - Any plans for something similar to appear in future issues ?
These types of input are not usually on line, therefore not duplicated anywhere else.

Thanks for the kind words Smiffy.

The feed back we got from supporters on the survey we did last season was less comment and more features/historical content, so that's what we've done.

Billy told me the tank was empty in terms of topics so we agreed that it had come to a natural end.

These types of input are online because as you know, Nick's blog is now up and running.

This means Nick is free to write whenever he likes, and potentially to a larger audience than the programme.

 

[nick logan]

Good read Rebus, just one small quibble, the stats page at the back could do with a tidy up. Maybe put the home matches in a different colour or in bold.

Also liked it when the cup games were separate at bottom of page so as not to put a loss in a run of league wins !

 

[Silly Chip]

Glad the match reports have gone, I never read them and thought they were wasted pages.
Can understand why some would read them but if you've watched the game why do you need to read a match report!

Not as dedicated attendee as you PJ....though for the first time in over 10 years we have a family season ticket.

I inherited my late dad's programmes, they're like little gems of history; even the adverts are interesting as it gives you a sense of the businesses around at the time. What with the Internet, history becomes more widely accessible over printed matter. I understand and accept the reason given by Rebus.

Can our Opta stats be personalised to red please with the oppo a different colour?

 

[PJ]

Fair enough mate. I just read them and bin them

 

[wanderer paul]

Match 'reports' aren't really needed, but if you do want reports, and team line ups etc, just print them off from the OS and stick them inside the programme. I do like in depth visitor pages and i also like historical bits n pieces, for the geek in me!

I did scan my WWII Brentford programme collection for possible inclusion in this seasons issues, but that may be for another season, as well as a long term project in getting everything Brentford up online. It's just the time it takes to scan things. It may need a number of people to get involved in this though.

I'll have a look on the 24th..... There's only one way for the programme to go and that's up, after last seasons comments in a magazine!

 

[rebus]

Can our Opta stats be personalised to red please with the oppo a different colour?

Unfortunately not as it's centrally delivered by Opta to all 92 League Clubs.

 

[zuko]

Just a quick thought, you could put in QR codes to the online match reports

 

[Silly Chip]

Just a quick thought, you could put in QR codes to the online match reports

I like your style of thinking! It will link in nicely and also show to others how tech savvy the football club are!

 

[Eieieio]

Saturday's programme was great. That's all I have to say. No complaints.

 

[rebus]

I like your style of thinking! It will link in nicely and also show to others how tech savvy the football club are!

I did this last season and after reading the clickthroughs no one was linking through to them.

I think this is a thing more suited to ads or a prize giveaway.

 

[Silly Chip]

I did this last season and after reading the clickthroughs no one was linking through to them.

I think this is a thing more suited to ads or a prize giveaway.

Fair enough. I have been away from GP for a few years....well done for giving it a go.

 

[Paul O'Brien]

Year after year, I think that the Bees programme is excellent despite it having had a history of typos. One thing that I did appreciate this season is the overall move away from text being printed in tints of black or white on grey, both of which made it hard to that read - especially at evening games. However, I did find some of the text a little small.

I understand that the advent of the Internet has made it less necessary to publish reports - personally though I always read them at matches and (on those occasions when I kept hold of a programme) liked revisiting them years afterwards.

There's also a different experience in reading a printed programme compared to reading a digital one: there's the feel, the smell, etc... and I hope that we're not going to see the day too soon when the printed programme dies out (See the Dandy, for example). That's why many people still buy books instead of Kindles.

However, have you checked the penetration of the internet with regards to the profiles of Bees fans? I may be wrong but I suspect that since few of us live in Chelsea and many of us are (ahem) older folks) the current Internet takeup by Bees fans may not be as high as the 88% reported in London at the end of 2012.

I'd also consider one other point. When we do get promoted - whether we're at Lionel Road or not - we'll have to arrive earlier. Nothing's better for filling the pages of a programme and helping to people to pass the time than reports, I'd have thought.

 

[nick logan]

Agree. How about a Famous Fan section. You could print a picture of a famous bees fan past or present on holiday or something like that and people have to guess who it is. Winner gets a lump of cheese of their choice?

Like this for example?View attachment 14205

oooofff !

 

[Paulo Bee]

Hahahaha...

 

[Milton Keynes Bee]

What is the point of collecting programmes then if you have no appraisal of previous matches? If I'm looking at this season's programmes in 10 years time I will have no idea of how the matches were played out drama wise! Have you carried out a survey to see how many fans read the match report off the internet? I think it's a crass decision if you haven't taken into account the older Bees fans whom don't use the internet.
BTW, drop the Primal Scream competition nonsense......how is that connected to Brentford?

So pleased not to have match reports any more.

They took up far too much space and they are available all over the internet. I don't need to read a report of a game I've been to see.

 

[Ealing Bee]

Bought a programme yesterday for the first time in years, very impressed with size.

Excellent articles about Lionel Road, really informative and clarified a lot of things.

Would it not be an idea to print an extra 10k copies of the programme and post them through the doors of the nearest houses around the LR site?

The Editorial costs are already covered and maybe the increased exposure might persuade the Advertisers to subsidise the extra Printing and Distribution costs?

Who knows, it might even persuade a few people who have no view on LR either way to come along to GP for a game themselves, and/or let their kids do so?

It always strikes me as odd that if I weren't already a football fan, I'd never know when there is a game on at Brentford, despite now* living within a mile and a half of the ground.

Just a thought.


* - In Chiswick

 

[monkeymagic]

Thanks for the kind words Smiffy.

The feed back we got from supporters on the survey we did last season was less comment and more features/historical content, so that's what we've done.

Billy told me the tank was empty in terms of topics so we agreed that it had come to a natural end.

These types of input are online because as you know, Nick's blog is now up and running.

This means Nick is free to write whenever he likes, and potentially to a larger audience than the programme.

Thanks SmifyBee.

If I can just clarify on a couple of things (which will be my 'last word' on the subject).

Personally I wasn't given the option to carry on this particular column ; regardless of whether my tank had run dry or not.
It was simply a case of being told that the club were taking a 'new direction'.

Personally, its a shame as I actually quite enjoyed doing what I did whilst feedback seemed, generally, fairly positive.
Hence I stayed involved writing for the programme for four years and now branching out, online, under my own steam and independent.

Hopefully people did like it and, if so, do check it out as I'll publish every match day(home or away) and in between, too, as the mood takes.

Its been fun being involved and I hope the new look programme goes well. Certainly, you can't take more of a new direction than dropping match reports which I think is a ballsy call but a correct one.
Regardless, Bees Review certainly seems popular based on initial feedback.

Cheers all

http://nickbruzonslastword.wordpress.com/2013/08/11/when-is-a-woman-not-a-woman-when-shes-an-adult/

 

[JVT4000]

Sales were up last season from 2011/12 and I hope that trend continues.

Were sales up by a greater percentage than attendance? We had some much bigger matches last season so it's not really a surprise. Would be good to have a bit more detail about the increase. I'd also imagine the chelsea game shifted a lot of extra copies to collectors.

While I accept that a lot more people get their info from the Internet nowadays I'd think the increasing younger generation would more likely bypass the programme and get all their info from the Internet/social media.

Could be wrong but I suspect it's more the older generation who are used to/prefer print that are the biggest consumers of the programme so using basic stats about Internet useage to make content decisions wouldn't necessarily reflect the opinion of what readers would want.

Was away this weekend but looking forward to seeing the new programme soon.

 

[sonofabee]

I did this last season and after reading the clickthroughs no one was linking through to them.

I think this is a thing more suited to ads or a prize giveaway.

Any feedback on the request for a more in depth todays visitors section please?

 

[rebus]

Any feedback on the request for a more in depth todays visitors section please?

I'm happy to try and include more information - what would you or others like to see?

 

[Banana]

I'm happy to try and include more information - what would you or others like to see?

A comprehensive analysis by West Ealing Bee

 

[sonofabee]

I'm happy to try and include more information - what would you or others like to see?

I thought it was really good format last season with more in depth profiles on bigger names or highly rated players and then all numbered players with a small review. Saturday, not all their starting eleven had a profile and it definitely felt less content or details from before.
Don't get me wrong, the programme is excellent and a really good read but being a sad statto I constantly refer to the visitors profiles during the course of every game studying form of new players to me. One criticism is that there has to be better proof reading, given how professional and slick the overall look I feel it's a shame that I end up being disappointed by silly spelling and typos week in week out that are avoidable and the only thing that let's it down.

 

[rebus]

Thanks for the feedback. Your last sentence carries some irony but we always look to improve.

 

[sonofabee]

Sorry don't follow. I work in Sales and Marketing in PR and know that professional appearance and effective communication is everything. All the hard work, research, insight, excellent creative ideas and rationale in a proposal document are likely to be forgotten if there are even a couple of typos if an analytical person is responsible for reviewing the document.
It may seem trivial but how many prestigious publications do you ever see grammatical errors in? Very few, the programme should aim for the same.