Delighted to hear from Jim of Gillingham Legends who confirms that he has relaunched his Gillingham books that had been out of stock. He says, “I’m really pleased to say that due to popular demand both my books are now back in stock, just in time for Christmas – the perfect gift for any Gills fan.”

If you missed out on either first time round, here’s a quick recap of both – 

GILLINGHAM LEGENDS

Released in 2021, the A5 hardback book contains original digital illustrations of 175 Gills legends across all era’s including the likes of John Simpson, Damien Richardson, Tony Cascarino, Andy Hessenthaler, Bradley Dack and many more.

GILLINGHAM LEGENDS – THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUIRKY

Released in 2023, this book is jam packed with over 500 original images depicting some of the more bizarre moments in Gillingham FC history. This fun book includes the N’Gala transfer, Wolf from Gladiators, sets of tracksuits, Peter Beardsley, the Bryant shooting, the guttering incident plus much much more.

There’s a small quantity of each available from my website so be sure to be quick to secure yours!

Order here

If anyone is thinking what to give me for Christmas, just look above!

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BRENTFORD FC LAUNCHES A 24/7 SAFE HAVEN AT ITS GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM

• As part of Brentford’s continued commitment to women and girls’ safety, Gtech Community Stadium now offers a 24/7 Safe Haven support to anyone feeling vulnerable

• Brentford’s home match against Burnley on 29 November will be dedicated to raising awareness of women’s safety with action including a post-match walk and talk session in collaboration with the local police and bystander intervention training for fans

Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium has been accredited as a Safe Haven by the Safer Business Network.

The club’s west stand security hub, which is located on Lionel Road South outside the stadium, will provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to any member of the public who feels vulnerable or needs help.  The hub will be managed by trained security staff members and open to the community at all times. 

Safe Havens are dedicated spaces of support, which help people with their onward journey, providing various forms of assistance, such as contacting emergency services, phone charging facilities, calling a taxi or reaching friends and family.   

This Safe Haven accreditation is part of Brentford’s commitment to ensuring fans and those in the community, particularly women and girls, feel safe in the local area all year round.  

The space will be resourced by security staff who have received bespoke training provided by the Safer Business Network. The training equips staff with relevant skills and expertise to recognise vulnerability and how to offer help to those who need it. 

Brentford’s chief executive Jon Varney said: “We are a club that sits in the heart of the community and it is vital that we are able to support our fans and those living in the local area. In creating a Safe Haven space at our stadium, we are ensuring there is help available for anyone at any time of day. 

“This builds on the wide-ranging work we are doing with fans and partners as part of our continued commitment to create inclusive and safer environments for women and girls, not just on a matchday but everyday.” 

Eren Bessim, training and development manager at the Safer Business Network, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Brentford Football Club as the latest venue to become a Safe Haven. As a club deeply embedded in its community, Brentford continues to lead the way in championing safety, inclusion, and wellbeing both on and off the pitch. 

“Brentford FC is also a proud supporter of the Women’s Night Safety Charter, reinforcing its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and making the Gtech safe for all. Their leadership and passion for creating safer spaces make them a powerful advocate for this initiative. We look forward to working closely with Brentford as part of our growing Safe Haven network.” 

Prioritising safety for women and girls 

Brentford is committed to ensuring the protection of women and girls and is undertaking a wide range of work to drive awareness, educate fans and take action to tackle this important issue.  

This week, the club will hold its first active bystander training session for fans who will learn about the importance of allyship and bystander interventions. The training aims to empower and equip our supporters with tools to safely step in if they witness harassment or abuse, which can help disrupt such incidents.    

The club’s Safe Haven and active bystander training is supported by funding from official club partner DeterTech, a company working to make communities safer through innovative solutions. Together, Detertech and Brentford are exploring new ways to keep women and girls safe in the local area. 

Brentford’s first team men’s players, Fábio Carvalho, Mathias Jensen and Ellery Balcombe have also been raising awareness of women and girls’ safety. On White Ribbon Day this week, the annual awareness day of the prevention of gender-based violence, the club released a short video in collaboration with the British Transport Police. The video shares steps on how we can intervene in incidents of harassment that may occur on the rail network. 

A long-term commitment  

Brentford’s home fixture against Burnley this Saturday will be dedicated to White Ribbon Day. Ahead of kick-off, the Metropolitan Police will be located outside the stadium with their promotional bus to speak to fans about their Violence Against Women and Girls plan.      

The police will lead a ‘walk and talk’ session from Brentford’s old club shop, Bees Superstore. Departing 15 minutes after the final whistle, the groups will help escort our fans home, and give supporters the opportunity to raise their concerns about safety. 

The safety of women and girls is a long-term commitment for the club. In 2023, Brentford signed up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter, which is a part of the Mayor of London’s Tackling violence against women and girls strategy.  

This season, the club set up Ask for Angela in the Gtech, ensuring that any woman or girl in our stadium can discreetly seek support from staff if they are feeling unsafe.  

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The QPR History Day will be back on Saturday 28 March 2026. An international break weekend.

The Subbuteo Tournament will also be taking place again and, after the Memorabilia Fair ends, there will be an afternoon entitled “R History” taking place with 3 special guest speakers.

More details to follow soon.

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Join Stanchion Books and Brixton Library for the third London Football Book Market, celebrating the wealth of independent football publishing that is transforming the way we see and speak about the beautiful game.

An exciting mix of publishers, authors, illustrators and other football brands will be present selling books, magazines, fanzines, photobooks, shirts, prints and other merchandise.

The event is free entry all day, open to all ages.

Confirmed stallholders so far:

Confirmed stallholders so far:

Among Good People
Away End Prints
The Blizzard
Escapismo
Football Scribbles
Footy Sweats
Girls United FA
Glory
Hoolicards
Legends Publishing
Lower Block
MUNDIAL
OOF
Patterns of Play
Pitch Publishing
SEASON
Seen Enough
SHUKYU
Sportika UK

Freddie Bonfanti
Will Dalton
Robert Davro
Dan Evans
Sebastian Frej
Lukman Ipese
Jessica Sian
Alexander Stone

If you’re a football-related author of books, magazines, fanzines or a brand selling kits, merch art, illustration, board games etc – and you fancy being one of the sellers, please email londonfootballbookmarket@gmail.com

Artwork by Dan Evans.

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It’s always great to hear uplifting stories. I was excited to learn about the election of the mayor of New York …..until I found he was an Arsenal fan! Shortly afterwards I read about Tom Beaver’s incredible story of endurance and commitment.

With kind permission of his daughter, Julie Raghib, I add it here.

“At the age of 63 my father Tom Beaver walked solo from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Why did he embark upon such an arduous task ?

Two main reasons those being to help him cope with the profound grief he felt following the death of his much lived wife and also to raise vital funds for his local Children’s Hospice, Francis House in Manchester.

What he lacked in sophisticated navigational gizmos and expensive equipment he certainly made up for in strength of spirit and gritty determination.

So with a second hand rucksack, compass, map, first aid kit and clothing he set off on his mammoth adventure.

At the end of each day’s walk he wrote an account of the places he visited and the characters he met along the way.

Sadly in October 2021 my dad passed away.

In order to honour his memory and great achievement and to raise funds for the children’s hospice I decided to self publish his book.

May I say at this point NO payment is required until you have safely received the book. All profits from every book sold will be donated to Francis House Children’s Hospice.

People who have read the book describe feeling like they are walking alongside him seeing the places he visited and experiencing the highs and lows of this walk. Some have been inspired to embark upon the walk and it has proved to be a very enjoyable read.

Who would this book appeal to?

Those who have completed all or part of the walk and wish to compare notes.

Those who are contemplating doing the walk and require inspiration and information.

Those who would dearly love to do the walk but due to commitments or health limitations are unable to do it and would like to be transported along the journey by the written words of somebody who has partaken in this feat of endurance.

Those who like a good inspirational read.

It would make an ideal Christmas gift for somebody.

The cost of the book is £9.95 and the postage is £2.70.

Payment only required after you have received the book. All profits to go to the Hospice.

If you would like a book please message me and I will send one to you.

Thank you for reading this. Please get in touch with me here “

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Only one week to go as our next Football Programme & Memorabilia Fair is next Sunday, 9th NOVEMBER at Tooting & Mitcham Utd. FC, Imperial Fields, Bishopsford Road, Morden. SM4 6BF. Starting at 10.30am.

Dealers confirmed to be in attendance: Barry Dixey, Elmo Books, Michael Pudney, Batman & Ian Wilson, Trevor Jones, Paul Manuel, Mono & Stan, Andy Trassler & Chris Briscoe and Tooting & Mitcham United FC

Space still available if you are either a dealer or a collector with spare stock.

Please email asap if that is the case or if you are looking for something specific: barry(at)dixey.net

I should add that Lee Hermitage from North Middlesex Football Programmes and Memorabilia will not be in attendance. He has been a pillar at these exhibitions for many years but he confirms you can always make contact with him through his recently-updated website

Equally, I will not be exhibiting but I am still looking for a buyer for 20,000+ programmes and am happy to visit anywhere in the South East of England ….or further!

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Glasgow Football Programmes & Memorabilia Centre  

Oh! What an exciting find! I saw today that Glasgow Football Programmes & Memorabilia Centre  has opened.
It looks very similar to what I wanted to do in London many moons ago but…… Respect and congratulations to these enthusiasts for opening the centre.



They Say….

“Glasgow Football Programmes & Memorabilia Centre is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of football in Glasgow. We offer a wide range of vintage programmes, memorabilia, and collectibles for enthusiasts and collectors alike.

We are passionate about football and strive to provide our customers with authentic and high-quality items that capture the spirit of the game. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a new collector, we have something for everyone.”

Looking to Buy Programmes

Are you searching for specific football programmes or memorabilia to add to your collection? Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll do our best to help you find it.

Please tell us the teams, dates, or matches you’re interested in, and we’ll get in touch if we have them available or can source them for you

Sell Your Programmes or Memorabilia

If you have football programmes or memorabilia that you would like to sell, we would love to hear from you! We are always looking to expand our collection and are interested in purchasing items from collectors and enthusiasts.

We aim to provide fair prices and a smooth selling process for all our customers.

Please fill out the form below with details of the items you wish to sell, which will auto populate a whatsapp message for you to send to us.

Full details on their excellent new website www.GlasgowFootball.net

I am definitely off to pay them a visit and wish them well. It’s a decent way but FlixBus is a good option and I will make them aware of my desire to sell up and of course to scour their English section for O-M
Thinking on, I could maybe twin this with Edinburgh Fair on 23 November.

GOOD LUCK, GUYS!

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I was in contact with Jim Thompson from the Scottish Football Programme & Memorabilia Fairs Facebook group earlier and he is excited to confirm the details of their next fair. He says all is going well and that a big attendance is expected to support a full house of dealers. I can’t say I am over familiar with Edinburgh despite working there in the 1990s but the location is apparently excellent with good public transport links. The Sky game on TV day is a confirmed 3pm k.o. so I see a double bubble of football that Sunday for many. Enjoy! He has promised to forward details of some of the dealers and their specialties in the next few weeks. I will, of course, add here.


I won’t be exhibiting in Edinburgh myself but I would like to remind people of the South London event on 9th November and that I am currently selling my entire collection. Full details here

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South London Programme and Memorabilia Fair


GREAT NEWS. We have an extra special programme and memorabilia fair at the excellent Tooting & Mitcham United Clubhouse

Stands are currently still available, so speak to Barry Dixey as above,

IT’s probably a good time to note that my entire collection is for sale. Full details here

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Two big fairs this weekend. One in the Potteries and the other Chelmsford. Note the Stoke one is at a great new venue, as on the poster. Enjoy!

Lots of our favourite traders including Sportingold and Terry’s Badges.

Paul Ruane will be attending with lots of rare, unusual Stoke items. Paul says, “If anyone who is attending the fair is looking for Stoke City teamsheets from the last 20 years let me know what you are looking for. I probably have too many to fit bring with me, but could check your wants list.”

More details of the event here

Moving South it’s Chelmsford again, definitely one of the best organised in the UK and with a great special guest this week, John Wark.

Lots of exhibitors as always in a prestige location, Chelmsford County Cricket Club

Meet the Line-Up

John Wark (special guest – signing Futera cards, copies of new book – He’s Here, He’s There – and meeting Show attendees. Pre-order with me to guarantee a copy of the book)

Andy Trasler/Cobblers Collectibles (wide range of football memorabilia – from Subbuteo to shirts)

Mark Barnes/Welling Collectables (wide range of football memorabilia – from tickets to tracksuits)

Lee Hermitage/NWM Football (Specialist in programmes/magazines but also shirts etc)

Ian Crouch/Football Revisited (vintage football shirt specialist)

Paul Eacott/ Rochester Cards (Specialist in vintage and modern football cards and stickers)

Kevin Hawthorne/Fora Sports Trading (Specialist in vintage and modern football cards and stickers, including his legendary flick-throughs!)

Trevor Smith (Tottenham specialist – please contact in advance for specific requests)

Marcus Adams/Pitch Battles (launching his new retro football board game)

Conker Editions (publisher of football nostalgia books) David Shields (Football Stadium Photography books and prints)

Mark Sydor/Futbolista (Football art)

Dave Alexander/Football Wanted (one of the UK’s leading auctioneers, buyers and valuers of football memorabilia)

John Smith (football book author – latest book, ‘Escape’ out in October, about classic film ‘Escape to Victory’)

Greg Lansdowne (football collectables specialist/author – latest book, ‘Panini Stickers The Complete Albums 1978-1993’ is out in October).

Event kindly sponsored by PocPix – Album Wallets and Team Sheets designed in individual club colours for you to show and store your own collections of Trading Cards and Stickers.”

I am NOT exhibiting but happy to talk to anybody about the O-M Matihalti project Do you want Swedish or Finnish memorabilia? I am also looking for a buyer of 20,000 programmes (bulk lot) and 900 books.

More details here

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