My name is Steve Hall. I am a Brit who loves football and travel.

In 2010 I cycled to all the 92 football league clubs in England and Wales. I set off in May 2010 and finished on 23rd September. I was met with almost universal kindness, hospitality and friendship.

I had great plans for retracing the route in 2020/2023. Sadly Covid and then a long spell in hospital scuppered my plans. I started a new 90 day trip on 6th January 2024.

I am a seasoned traveller – 50 countries, 700 flights and tens of thousands of miles by rail – but that trip was unique. Was I back in the saddle and cycling? No. Running? No. Horseback/canoes? Dream trips but not this time. No, this one was a digital tuktuk  tour – virtually visiting the many football clubs in England l love so much! Yes, the motorised rickshaw much beloved of travellers in Thailand and India went visiting Old Trafford and Villa Park, Elland Road and St James …. and many, many more! It was a tremendous success. It was a beautiful virtual journey and we raised significant funds for Prostate Cancer UK and my local team here in London, FC Deportivo Galicia. 

Sadly my health is not up to running, cycling, or kayaking any longer BUT it is up to helping my friend O-M on his football project. 

O-M UPDATE

Many of you will know that I have been working with my Finnish friend, O-M Matihalti on his famous social media project that I featured here In a nutshell he is collecting ONE programme PER club PER season from 1967/68 to 2017/2017. This is being preserved as a huge project charting the social -economic, political and, of course, sporting life in England and Wales over those fifty years.

I thought it best if I added an update. We are making great progress although some clubs are much more difficult than others so far.

O-M comments, “Many moons ago I had this brilliant brainstorm of mine of collecting one programme per club per season. Little did I know what a project this would be. Without Steve, whom I got acquainted to back in March of 2024, getting anywhere near finishing the task would have been practically impossible. There’s been plenty of other people helping Steve. One of them is Stephen Morris. (Thanks, we shall meet one day.)

I am eternally thankful for all the help fellow collectors have been giving on the way to finalize the task. Getting back to Steve… he has swapped hundreds of programmes helping me to fill the gaps and scanned an enormous number of programme covers for me. One of the biggest challenges I have found is the high cost of postage to Finland. I can arrange postage to/from here via Steve. I have many thousands of programmes from Finland that l can exchange for my wants. Obviously you are most welcome to visit beautiful Finland …. probably best in Summer!!! Things to be done… are to meet Steve in person (I know he’s deaf but we will get by), to visit a West London programme fair (Hi, Mark, Barry, Lee and Les – Steve has told me a lot about you all so I’d love to visit) and anyone else in the UK who wants to say “hi.” Meanwhile, I will be pleased to help any collector who is interested in Finnish programmes.”

Thanks, O-M. I am really excited to get back to Finland. I was there in 1975 ….. I guess that makes me “old” or “urgammal,” as they say in certain parts of Finland.

We are complete for many clubs including ARSENAL, ASTON VILLA, BLACKPOOL, BOLTON BRENTFORD, BURNLEY, CRYSTAL PALACE, DARLINGTON, EVERTON, FULHAM, GILLINGHAM,IPSWICH, LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER UNITED, NEWCASTLE UNITED, NORTHAMPTON TOWN, NOTTINGHAM FOREST, PORT VALE, PRESTON, READING, QPR, SHEFFIELD UNITED, SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, SOUTHAMPTON, STOCKPORT COUNTY, STOKE, SUNDERLAND, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, WATFORD, WEST BROMWICH ALBION, WEST HAM UNITED, WOLVES & YORK

If anybody can fill the gaps on the other clubs please do make contact with me. The hope initially was that people would be keen to take part in the project and would be happy to donate or maybe run with 1×1 exchanges. Sadly, it has not been possible to complete so now I am offering 5×1 with either/any of Premier League, big match, Gillingham, named clubs (most but not all of the 92), non-league, Finnish or Swedish. Can you help?

Those who I would like to applaud publicly are:

Lee Hermitage of NWM Football

Brian at Brian’s Football Memorabilia

Mark Barnes the co-owner of Welling Collectables and of the West London Programme Fairs

… but the biggest, biggest (drum roll, PLEASE) shout out is for Stephen Morris. He has really engaged in the project and diligently searched for dozens of teams for O-M. He has huge stocks of most UK teams and I have always had hugely positive trades with him (both privately and for the project.) Everybody else I have spoken to speaks highly of him too.

He has a terrific offer on currently with a Super 50p Sale. He has tens of thousands of club programmes from the 70s to the 20s all at 50p. As my way of thanking him, if you take 50 programmes at 50p, I will double that with 50 random programmes from my own collection. Seem fair?

Any thoughts, questions, suggestions, kind wishes or, well, anything just get in touch with O-M or me.
Many thanks indeed, to everyone.

Birmingham	14/15
Blackburn	16/17 15/16
Bournemouth	14/15 13/14 11/12
Bradford C	16/17 11/12
Brighton	0.3/04
Bristol C	16/17
Bristol R	15/16 09/10
Bury	16/17
Cambridge U	16/17 14/15 12/13 69/70 68/69
Carlisle	15/16 14/15
Chester	16/17 12/13 11/12
Chesterfield	15/16
Grimsby	11/12 07/08
Halifax	16/17 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 09/10 Dorian
Hartlepool	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14
Huddersfield	15/16
Leicester City	15/16
Leyton Orient	15/16
Lincoln	16/17
Luton	15/16 14/15 13/14
Mansfield	16/17 15/16 13/14 12/13 07/08
Millwall	14/15
Newport Co	07/08 06/07 04/05 98/99 94/95 92/93
Notts Co	16/17
Peterborough	16/17
Rotherham	16/17 15/16 14/15
Scunthorpe	12/13 05/06
Shrewsbury	16/17 10/11
Southend	14/15
Swansea	73/74
Torquay	16/17 13/14
Tranmere	14/15
Wrexham	16/17

Remember you can get involved 

Please check through the site to learn more about the project, the people involved and how you can also help and get involved.

Thanks

Steve

As at 30/3/26

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What a season Brentford are having. Widely tipped for relegation (along with Sunderland!) but with just a handful of games to go they are riding 7th in the table with every chance of a European place. Head coach Keith Andrews was given until Christmas and one of the favourites in the “First to Get Sacked” betting. Fantastic work by my local team who are proving yet again that they are more than a carpark for Heathrow.

I remember my first game back at the old Griffin Park in Division Four way back in 1971. I still have the programme! The B team this week won the the Professional Development League title after a 2-2 draw against Swansea City Under-21s on Sunday afternoon. These young men would probably have won Division 4 back then. It just shows how far the club has come. Congratulations.

More good news coming in …..

BRENTFORD FC ANNOUNCES INDEED AS NEW PRINCIPAL AND FRONT-OF-SHIRT PARTNER

Indeed, Brentford FC’s existing training wear and recruitment partner, will become the club’s front-of-shirt partner from the 2026/27 season.

Brentford Football Club is pleased to announce Indeed, the #1 job site in the world, as the club’s new principal and front-of-shirt partner from the 2026/27 season. This multi-year deal marks a significant expansion of their existing partnership.

As official front-of-shirt partner, Indeed will feature on all men’s and women’s first-team playing kits, as well as academy matchday kits. The new agreement builds on the success of the partnership to date and will also see Indeed have an increased presence at Gtech Community Stadium on matchdays, as well as the club’s digital channels. The partnership is underpinned by a shared commitment to data-driven decision making, smart recruitment and talent development.

Indeed became the official training wear and recruitment partner of Brentford in July 2025. Since then, the hiring platform has been working with the club on its own off-field recruitment
strategies, as well as with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust to support those looking for employment in London and beyond with access to career opportunities and employability programmes. This extended partnership sees Indeed also become the official Brentford FC Community Sports Trust lead partner, enabling further investment in community initiatives and supporting Brentford’s commitment to creating a positive impact in the local area. Indeed will continue as the club’s official training wear and recruitment partner.

James Whitemore, Chief Marketing Officer for Indeed commented: “We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Brentford. This has been a natural fit from day one. At Indeed, we help people get jobs and employers find the right talent, enabling better matches and more efficient hiring. Like Brentford, we believe success comes from putting the right person in the right role – on the pitch, in business, or in a job. We both also know the power of combining data and human insight to help drive better decisions. Brentford’s strong community is something we are proud to be part of. Football is powered by fans – their energy, loyalty and sense of community are what truly bring the club to life. Through our expanded partnership, we’re excited to engage more deeply with Brentford’s passionate fanbase and with Premier League fans around the world, creating meaningful connections and opportunities that go beyond the pitch.”

Brentford FC Chief Executive Jon Varney said: “We are very proud to welcome Indeed to the front of our shirts from next season as we continue to grow the club’s profile on both a local and global stage.This expanded partnership builds on an excellent first year working together, which has been driven by our shared belief in using data to inform smart recruitment and a commitment to talent development at every level of the organisation, both on and off the pitch. “Alongside this, Indeed’s commitment to supporting communities aligns closely with the work of the club through our Community Sports Trust, as we seek to create opportunities and make a positive difference to people’s lives in our local area. We are looking forward to building on our work to date and the impact we can continue to deliver together for our fans and community.”

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I was surprised and disappointed to hear that West London Programmes who trade as FootballProgrammes.biz are selling all their stock. Peter Riches is having a closing sale this week and all are welcome by prior appointment to his unit near Aylesbury in Bucks.

Check www.footballprogrammes.biz and contact Peter if you want to make an offer.

He says, “Great Sell off before closing down. Open days at our unit Tuesday 14th (Afternoon from 2pm only) Thursday 16th and Saturday 18th April. Club issues from 10p International games from 20p Cup Finals from 25p.

Dealers welcome

The unit is based at HP17 9TX and message via website to confirm times.

Online sales until Tuesday. Quote this page for a further discount.

FOOTBALLPROGRAMMES.biz. is the online home of West London Programmes established in 1994 in Middlesex.

Even if you are not looking to enhance your collection, there are some very interesting blog articles including the frequently asked questions about the England 1966 World Cup Finals. Read this ….

I wish Peter a long, happy and peaceful retirement.

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Oh, this one’s an interesting one!


Today’s the day. Yes, Thursday 9 April 2026…if you are reading this later!

An interesting story coming out of Bracknell HIBS FC.

Chairman Mitch Noble, Keith Gale and Ed Garde will begin the challenge of visiting every premier league stadium in a 24 hour period. All to raise funds for the ongoing development of the club.

Hourly updates will be posted across social media, so make sure to follow and support the lads as they embark on what will be a test of endurance!

We wish them all the luck in the world. Hoping they stay safe and have fun along their nationwide journey!

You can support the efforts here:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bracknellhibs

UP THE MIGHTY HIBS!

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bracknellhibs

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Russ Pearce, a friend of mine for many years is a player sponsor at Immingham Town. Today he sent me this very very sad and annoying story. Please do take a moment to read it

“As you might know, Trish and I sponsor a player at Immingham Town FC CIC under the banner of Seagulls Over Spain. They have just had some terrible news at what should have been a time of celebration.

Here’s what has happened. There really are some evil people around. If you could help then the link is at the bottom of the text:

“Over the past year, everyone at Immingham Town FC CIC (a small non-profit community club) has worked tirelessly to restore the old abandoned Woodlands Sports Ground and bring it back to its former glory. The support from our local community, volunteers, and businesses has been nothing short of incredible, and we are truly grateful to every single person who has played a part in this journey.

We recently reached a huge milestone. After countless hours of hard work and the generosity of local businesses, we successfully restored power to the changing rooms. It felt like a major step forward and brought us closer to bringing football back home to Woodlands.

Sadly, this progress has been dealt a devastating blow. Only one week later, the ground was broken into and several essential items were stolen, including our ride-on-mower for pitch maintenance, our small generators to power the cafe/clubhouse, all our fuel from the stadium generator , and all of the armoured cable supplying power to the changing rooms.

Everyone connected to the club is absolutely heartbroken. After everything that has gone into rebuilding Woodlands, this setback is incredibly tough to take.

Replacing what has been stolen will come at a significant cost and could delay our plans to return home for the start of next season.

To help recover some of these losses, we have set up a GoFundMe page. Any support—no matter how big or small—would mean the world to us. If you’re able to help, please consider donating and sharing this post.”

https://gofund.me/a653a1974

I have spoken to Jon Davey at the club and promised him whatever support I can give.

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Yes, time and tide have caught up again and I am delighted to confirm that all the signs are that the West London Programme Fair on Easter Sunday will be a BIG one. Yesterday many were at QPR for their History Day events and that was excellent so Barry and Mark will have to work hard to improve on it. I am feeling confident!

I will not be taking a stand this week but I would like to remind everyone that my entire collection is for sale as one lot. It is 20,000+ programmes and 1,000+ sports’ books. Check here

I am also delighted to confirm that the project with 0-M Matihalti is coming to a successful conclusion. We have sourced 4,500+ programmes (one per club for the last 50 seasons so 92×50.) We are now down to just needing 97. I have also been triple checking all the 92 boxes and it seems I have mislaid ONE Millwall programme and ONE Orient programme. So if you bring them on Sunday, I will love you like only a mother can! Millwall 14/15 and Orient 15/16. My fault, I fear.

The complete list of all 97 is here….

Barnsley	13/14
Birmingham	14/15
Blackburn	16/17 15/16
Bournemouth	14/15 13/14 11/12
Bradford C	16/17 11/12
Brighton	13/14 03/04
Bristol C	16/17
Bristol R	15/16 09/10
Bury	16/17
Cambridge U	16/17 14/15 12/13 69/70 68/69
Carlisle	15/16 14/15 05/06
Chester	16/17 12/13 11/12
Chesterfield	15/16
Grimsby	11/12 07/08
Halifax	16/17 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 09/10
Hartlepool	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 11/12 09/10 01/02
Huddersfield	15/16
Leicester City	15/16
Leyton Orient	15/16
Lincoln	16/17 01/02
Luton	15/16 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 04/05
Mansfield	16/17 15/16 13/14 12/13 07/08
Millwall	14/15
Newport Co	07/08 06/07 04/05 99/00 98/99 94/95 93/94 92/93 89/90
Notts Co	16/17
Oxford U	16/17 14/15 06/07
Peterborough	16/17
Plymouth	16/17 14/15 13/14 11/12 09/10
Rotherham	16/17 15/16 14/15
Scunthorpe	12/13 05/06
Shrewsbury	16/17 10/11
Southend	14/15 09/10 04/05
Swansea	05/06 73/74
Torquay	16/17 13/14 11/12 06/07
Tranmere	14/15 11/12
Wrexham	16/17

I look forward to seeing you all again on Sunday.

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Yes, unbelievably it is that time of year again! It’s Non-League Day. I have featured it for a few years now. See here

Many will remember that my FB friend James Doe Non-League Day set it up in 2010 as a social media experiment, after being inspired by a pre-season trip to Devon to watch Queens Park Rangers play at Tavistock. It has now grown to become an annual part of the football calendar, backed by Premier League and Football League clubs, MPs, celebrities, media organisations, charities and most importantly the non-league clubs themselves and the fans who turn up on the day.

Always scheduled to coincide with an international break, Non-League Day provides a platform for clubs to promote the importance of affordable volunteer-led community football while giving fans across the country the chance to show support for their local non-league side. Sadly my beloved FC Deportivo Galicia are away this year (Langley at Arbour Park, Slough on Friday evening) sio I will not be actively involved this year but there is a lot to get excited about and on Saturday I will be at Hanworth Villa where it is just £ 5 for adults for their top of the table game.

Proper Football were kind enough to allow me to share their overview.

“This Saturday (28th March) non-league football takes centre stage with the annual ‘Non-League Day’ taking place all over the country!

Non-League Day is a day set aside every season in English football where supporters of clubs playing at the highest levels of the game are encouraged to experience football at the non-league level.

The ‘Non League Day’ initiative was the idea of Hendon FC and QPR fan James Doe back in 2010 and it has grown from strength to strength ever since.

The day, which always coincides with an International break (when the Premier League and Championship sides aren’t playing) is not only to encourage those to experience non-league football for the first time but also to celebrate the volunteers and staff who are the unsung heroes of our beautiful game at the grassroots level.

Many clubs are offering special deals on the day, from reduced ticket prices for those with season tickets at Premier League and Championship clubs to even free entry!

A couple of the many examples include Farnham Town FC, who are offering free entry before 2 pm. Maidenhead United FC are offering all tickets for £5 when purchased in advance, with Under 17s eligible for £1 when accompanied by an adult!

Even Spanish giants Athletic Club get in on the act on Non-League Day by holding their own equivalent Euskal Day with the purpose of celebrating non-professional football and encouraging attendance at local grounds during the March international break in the Basque Country where they are affiliated with almost 180 teams in the region!

As part of Athletic Club’s 2026 Euskal Non-League Day activities, representatives from the club, and members of our UK-based supporters’ group will be attending Sheffield FC’s Non-League Day fixture against Tadcaster AFC at The Home of Football Stadium on March 28.

During half-time, Athletic Club’s guests will take to the pitch to receive official gifts from the English outfit including a commemorative jersey and a copy of their iconic ‘1857 Rules of Football’.

One of us is off to watch Folkestone Invicta Football Club with a couple of friends in what could be a huge day of celebration for the Seasiders. If results go their way they could be crowned champions of the Isthmian Premier League and gain promotion to the National League South!

Let us know what game you are off to, and if you haven’t decided yet, you can use the excellent ‘Non League Day’ match finder app in the comments below.

Also, feel free to share any initiatives your local club is doing on the day.

Give Non-League football a go, you won’t regret it!

#AthleticClub#nonleagueday#Nonleague#nonleaguefootball#grassroots “

Actually there is A LOT going on this weekend including the QPR History Day

NOTE This was moved to the SUNDAY as on Saturday there is the little matter of ..

..and if you are in Stoke or Stockport

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As everyone (!) by now knows, I am working with O-M Matihalti in deepest, darkest Finland on a social media project. He is collecting one random copy of the programme for each of the 92 clubs who were present in the 1967/68 and then one per season from then onwards. Yes, 4,600. I am absolutely delighted to confirm that we are almost complete. We have had a lot of assistance in the past few weeks. Stephen Morris and Brian Forrester have continued to support us phenomenally and Keith Gledhill very kindly donated the Oldham seasons that we were lacking. Thanks, all.

Surprisingly, there were three Everton gaps. No rhyme, no reason why such a big club should not have been completed when smaller clubs like Arsenal were already 50/50. Fortunately Daz Jones of the Everton FC Heritage Society heard of O-M’s plight, contacted us and immediately forwarded the missing years. Many thanks and I was happy to make a small donation to thank them for their interest.

We got into a conversation about the Heritage Society and he sent the website details.

It seems that the Society was formed way back in 2008 and has grown from strength ever since. The website is absolutely one of the best I have ever seen about a club’s history and background and I am delighted that the society is going from strength to strength. Many will remember St Lukes, the legendary church near Goodison, well they have now acquired an even more impressive base.

“We are pleased to announce that we have now secured a new home for our Matchday presence close to the Everton Stadium. In fact, we couldn’t get much closer, as we are moving into the former engineering works building of David Rollo, directly opposite to the new stadium. The building will also be home to The Bluehouse Beer Hall, (entrance via Fulton Street to the rear, not through the bar) so another good reason to visit on matchdays!

As soon as we have more news we will post it on our social media accounts – links at the top and bottom of the webpages.

Although it was great to see The Bluehouse open for the Everton v Roma game, we are still not quite ready regarding our transfer from St Luke’s. The entrance for Everton FC Heritage Society exhibitions and stalls will be from the rear of the Rollo building on Fulton Street, but full details will appear on here and on our social media when we are ready to open on match days. “

So, I am really looking forward to visiting the The Bluehouse when I get to the new stadium. Thanks so much to Daz Jones for helping O-M and, of course, if you can fill any of the gaps (below) please do not hesitate to contact me steve{{@}}theshirt2010.co.uk Full details of the project at www.TheShirt2010.co.uk/uncategorized/programmes

Still missing as at 21/3/26

Aldershot	04/05 96/97
Barnsley	13/14
Birmingham	14/15 13/14 12/13 08/09
Blackburn	16/17 15/16
Bournemouth	14/15 13/14 11/12 07/08 01/02
Bradford C	16/17 11/12
Brighton	13/14 03/04
Bristol C	16/17
Bristol R	15/16 09/10
Bury	16/17 07/08
Cambridge U	16/17 14/15 12/13 03/04 69/70 68/69
Carlisle	15/16 14/15 05/06
Chester	16/17 12/13 11/12 06/07 68/69
Chesterfield	15/16
Coventry	13/14 10/11
Doncaster Rovers	13/14 01/02 89/90
Grimsby	16/17 13/14 11/12 07/08 03/04
Halifax	16/17 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 09/10 95/96 94/95 70/71
Hartlepool	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 11/12 09/10 06/07 02/03 01/02
Huddersfield	15/16
Hull 01/02 only	01/02
Leeds	14/15 11/12
Leicester City	15/16 10/11
Leyton Orient	15/16 99/00
Lincoln	16/17 13/14 12/13 01/02
Luton	15/16 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 04/05
Mansfield	16/17 15/16 13/14 12/13 07/08
Millwall	14/15
Newport Co	07/08 06/07 04/05 99/00 98/99 96/97 94/95 93/94 92/93 91/92 90/91 89/90 88/89
Notts Co	16/17 10/11 09/10 76/77
Oxford U	16/17 14/15 13/14 06/07
Peterborough	16/17 98/99
Plymouth	16/17 14/15 13/14 11/12 09/10
Portsmouth	16/17 11/12
Rochdale	10/11 07/08 74/75
Rotherham	16/17 15/16 14/15 11/12 10/11 87/88
Scunthorpe	12/13 05/06 04/05
Shrewsbury	16/17 10/11
Southend	14/15 09/10 04/05
Swansea	05/06 03/04 73/74
Torquay	16/17 13/14 11/12 06/07
Tranmere	14/15 11/12
Wrexham	16/17 07/08 06/07

Edit: Everton’s Heritage is secure. See also what QPR are doing

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QPR History Day – 2026

I was talking to Martin Percival, the organiser of this year’s QPR History Day, who was delighted to confirm that all is going well in the preparations and that this will be the biggest and, more importantly, the best ever. He kindly forwarded the latest updates. I look forward to meeting many of you there.

He says,

“This year’s QPR History Day will take place on Sunday 29^th March.

Admission is £2 and all profits go to the QPR Community Trusts’ “Extra Time” initiative that since 2009 has brought local West London residents age 60 plus together to help them stay active, socialise and to enjoy life to the fullest.

At 10.30am the doors will open at the Loftus Road end of the stadium for the Memorabilia Fair taking place in the Forever Rs bar. We have five memorabilia dealers joining us, the QPR Community Trust and six Rangers fans all selling a mixture of badges, programmes, handbooks, shirts, books, stickers, fanzines and other memorabilia as well as Rick Blackman with his newly released Love the Rs Hate Racism vinyl single “The Return of the QPR All Stars”.

It’s been a great era recently for books on QPR’s long history. We are delighted that several book authors will be joining us to sell and sign their books. These include 1980s Rs playing legend Steve Wicks plus Judy Orsmond with her book on the pioneering 1970s QPR Ladies team. Club historian Chris Guy plus co author John Devlin will be selling their “Hoops through History” book on the story of the various QPR playing kits as well Dave Shields with his book “Loftus Road – Our Stadium Our Home”. Ray Eaton, Francis Peacock and Alan Dein will also be with us.

Do please bring some cash with you as not all the sellers will have card readers

At around 12.15 the journalist Michael Wale will join us in the Forever Rs bar to draw the winning raffle prize numbers for a variety of prizes kindly donated by Rangers fans. As many people will recall Michael had a very popular column in the QPR programme in the 1970s and 1980s.

The first of the stadium tours will start at 11.15am, with the second one scheduled for around 12.30.

Also taking place will be a Subbuteo tournament for “The Peter Adolph Trophy” in the Sensory Room. Peter, a keen Rangers fan, invented the table top football game in the 1940s. Anyone wishing to participate should email harrowsubbuteo@hotmail.com . There will also be pitches set up for anyone wanting a casual flick about from 10.30am onwards.

Commencing at 2pm in the Media Suite located in the Bhatia Stand in South Africa Road will be “R History Talks”, a series of talks on the club’s history. Sports coach David Turner will be talking about the 1975/6 team managed by Dave Sexton, Simon Inglis on the short lived 1907 to 1915 Park Royal Stadium and John Devlin and Chris Guy on QPR playing kits. Voluntary donations to the Community Trust will be appreciated from people attending the talks and each speaker has kindly agreed to waive a speakers fee to help us maximise fund raising for “Extra Time”.  

If anyone has any questions about the event please mail community@qpr.co.uk “

Martin Percival – Event Organiser

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Stuck on You: The Rise & Fall – & Rise of Panini Stickers

The weekly Stanchion newsletter arrived in my inbox this morning and in admist a hugely interesting library of books was my friend Greg Lansdowne’s latest offering.


Stuck On You charts the history of football stickers in the UK – those little bundles of self-adhesive joy that have given so much to so many since Panini burst on to the scene in the late 1970s. Immerse yourself in a story of bitter rivalry, media moguls and the seedy underbelly of what can be a surprisingly murky business. Discover how upstarts Merlin took on the might of Panini and beat them at their own game – only for the Italian giants to hit back with the weight of nostalgia behind them.

But ultimately you’re invited to wallow in wistful memories of swapping in the school playground, shinies and recurring doubles. Featuring interviews with many of the industry’s leading historical players and images from some familiar and lesser-known collections, Stuck On You is a must-read for anyone who has ever spent months, if not years, hankering after the St Mirren badge.

The author:

Having studied at Leicester University’s Sir Norman Chester Centre for Football Research, Greg Lansdowne was catapulted into the dotcom boom with Sportal, Virgin and Umbro – then moved into cricket as the first communications manager for Essex CCC, and published his own cricket magazine, Big Hitter. Greg is now working on another nostalgia book, on A-Ha.

Reserve your copy here

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With the possible exception of Freddie Mercury, Sir Mo Farah is Hounslow’s favourite son. I think they are more famous for their musical and athletic abilities than a deep rooted love of football but ….

In any case, it’s not a borough that has too many good new stories so I felt compelled to share Mo’s latest project. It’s obviously a bit sad that it is with Fulham FC and not Brentford (he was brought up within walking distance of Griffin Park) but let’s not focus on that. It sounds a very valuable project and is very much in line with my other posts this week on Alzheimer’s, Dementia and mental health.

SIR MO FARAH JOINS OFFICIAL CLUB PARTNER BUXTON

Olympic legend Sir Mo Farah has joined forces with Official Club Partner, Buxton and mental health charity Mind to support the nation during what is set to be one of the most challenging winters for mental wellbeing.

Sir Mo Farah said, “I’ve seen first-hand how powerful exercise and hydration can be, not just for your physical health but for your mind as well. But I also know that getting moving isn’t always easy, especially during the darker months, when motivation can dip. That’s why I’m so passionate about Buxton and Mind’s ‘Sweat and Tears’ campaign. 

It’s about helping people find a way to move that works for them, and reminding everyone that it’s completely okay to have days where things feel harder. Staying active and maintaining healthy habits, including proper hydration, can make a real difference to both a healthy body and a healthy mind. Just as importantly, it’s about knowing that support is there when you need it.”

Our Mission: Supporting Physical & Mental Well-being Across Britain

Together, Buxton and Mind are on a mission to support the physical and mental well-being of over 1 million people in Britain over the next 3 years. This ambitious goal will be achieved through a range of future events and services designed to create a community where everyone feels valued and supported, no matter their journey.

We are here for every stride, every heartfelt moment, and every courageous leap forward.

While our full calendar of events and services is still developing, you can learn more about our journey so far, and how we’re working towards this noble cause.

Read our articles below to explore the impact we’ve made, delve into our past initiatives, and discover ongoing resources designed to help improve your physical and mental health.
 

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