The quality of football programmes varies markedly in New Zealand, with the end result usually strongly aligned with the abilities and experience of the personnel charged with publishing them - and the resources at their disposal.
Not everyone has access to whizz-bang software, a family printing press, or a gold-plated budget to play with, but there are a handful of fundamental factors that can ensure a perfectly adequate, user-friendly matchday programme regardless.
I always look first for 10 basics in a programme :
1. Clear legible team lineups for the day, including officials, with full names (and numbers).
2. A league table to contextualise the significance of the day's result.
3. The draw for the day, or weekend, presenting other matches being contested in the current round.
4. Draw for the round of matches for the forthcoming week. (So we can speculate on what might happen next - or make our travel plans while we are in the mood.)
5. Some form of record of previous player appearances for the home team for the season, so it is possible to contextualise the lineup starting in the day's match.
6. Contacts details for the club. The programme is a resource document for the public. The time may come when they need to make a phone call about what time kick-off is, etc.
7. Something that reflects the life of the club or the players that belong to it. There is nothing more incongruous than finding it full of stuff about Manchester United. Unless you arer at Old Trafford.
8. Editorial that presents either news which is genuinely "new" or a column that pithily argues a point of view or discusses issues of the day.
9. A graphic component. A picture speaks a thousand words and a quality photo will often be the most appreciated single element of a programme. The Waikato has been lucky over the past decade to have had Grant Stantiall acting as a benefactor for many clubs in this regard, with some stunning images supplied, usually free of charge.
10. And importantly, a full date. There is nothing more frustrating than looking back on old programmes which don't give any clue as to what year they came from.
Not everyone has access to whizz-bang software, a family printing press, or a gold-plated budget to play with, but there are a handful of fundamental factors that can ensure a perfectly adequate, user-friendly matchday programme regardless.
I always look first for 10 basics in a programme :
1. Clear legible team lineups for the day, including officials, with full names (and numbers).
2. A league table to contextualise the significance of the day's result.
3. The draw for the day, or weekend, presenting other matches being contested in the current round.
4. Draw for the round of matches for the forthcoming week. (So we can speculate on what might happen next - or make our travel plans while we are in the mood.)
5. Some form of record of previous player appearances for the home team for the season, so it is possible to contextualise the lineup starting in the day's match.
6. Contacts details for the club. The programme is a resource document for the public. The time may come when they need to make a phone call about what time kick-off is, etc.
7. Something that reflects the life of the club or the players that belong to it. There is nothing more incongruous than finding it full of stuff about Manchester United. Unless you arer at Old Trafford.
8. Editorial that presents either news which is genuinely "new" or a column that pithily argues a point of view or discusses issues of the day.
9. A graphic component. A picture speaks a thousand words and a quality photo will often be the most appreciated single element of a programme. The Waikato has been lucky over the past decade to have had Grant Stantiall acting as a benefactor for many clubs in this regard, with some stunning images supplied, usually free of charge.
10. And importantly, a full date. There is nothing more frustrating than looking back on old programmes which don't give any clue as to what year they came from.