Programmes

Red Passion flicks through the best and worst of this season's away match programmes

Swansea (1 Dec)

Cost: 30p

Pages: 4 (FOUR)

Good things: Nice smiling photo of John Hollins; thorough Wrexham pen-pics, and a cute purple swan logo

Bad things: General thinness (sad but predictable)

Bizarre things: ‘John Hollins; Programme Notes Sponsored by Anthony O’Connell’; Hollins’ signature looks like he’s just learnt joined-up writing; he’s also an MBE (interesting)

Great one-liner: ‘Finally, thank you for all your letters, faxes and telephone calls – they are much appreciated. Come on you Jacks’ (Hollins signs off)

Verdict: Thin

Preston NE (28 Dec)

Cost: £1.80

Pages: 48

Good things: Poignant blue-and-white feel to it; focus on PNE women’s football; back-page trivia; in-depth dossier on Wrexham – past and present; nice photo of pleasantly attractive Ticket Office Supervisor, Claudia Johnstone

Bad things: Too many ads; typesetting errors in places; masoct name – Deepdale Duckling

Bizarre things: McGregor is pinpointed as Wrexham’s ‘Key Defender’

Great one-liner: ‘I can tell you that the players will be having their Christmas later than the rest of you, as they will be working hard in training on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They will be given some time after the busy Christmas period to spend some time with their families’ (the extremely charitable PNE boss David Moyes)

Verdict: Good

Hull C (5 Jan)

Cost: £1.00

Pages: 8

Good things: Thoughtful and well researched piece on Wrexham with a certain Mr Lovett quoted to good effect; also an interesting stats piece on Wrexham in the AWS: since 1994 – Played 10, W4 D2 L4 (not as bad as one is led to believe)

Bad things: A bit thin – no real need for the two staples.

Bizarre things: The Hull City programme was voted ‘Clubcall Division 3 Programme of the Year 1997-98’ (p.8)

Great one-liner: ‘Wrexham’s supporters will recall that it wasn’t too many years ago that their team was in the invidious position that the Tigers now find themselves.’ (p.4)

Verdict: Limited – but OK