Re: Face in the Crowd : Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:35 pm
crashmon wrote:
I was going through my old programmes (I have loads), and came accross a load from the time at the stoop, when my dad was the face in the crowd. Made a small tear in my eye to see actual crowds at London games, the crowd photo's in those programmes just show you how far we have fallen.
Just cleared my office desk as I enter retirement (for the 3rd time!) and found a programme from my first ever Broncos game (still got the shirt I bought that day) v Cas in the cup at GP Feb 2002.
At 32 pages it has a supporters group page pushing away games and a supporters action group page pushing sponsorship. A page about development, a DPS about the new ground and facilities as well as info on competitions and lotteries, a message from the CEO (asking for 5k fans at the wigan game, we got 4,284), an advert for the Wigan game with a matchday prize of flights to Australia on offer, a glowing biography of Hughes, a welcome from Chris Warren the editor, a message from the coach, background on the opposition, an advert for our very own 0906 telephone service an advert for our own season handbook, a match "score keeper" page,including both sides matchday 17 and a really nice letter from Australia praising Jason Hetherington and the Club......not forgetting a plug for the upcoming varsity match and a seasons fixture list and an apology that no draught lager would be sold at games as VB were a new sponsor and it was drink that (6 for a tenner was hardly a problem) or go thirsty
I also have kept my programme from the last SL game before relegation, Bradford at the Hive September 2013. This is also accompanied with 2 shirts (2-4-1) that I bought that day as I introduced my 9 week old son to the misery that is the London Broncos
A perfect bound pocket sized affair of 50 pages, it has the squads on the back page Hughes saying Grima is the right man for the job in 2015 Captain's page, Coach's Page, a beginners guide, Buck'n'Dusty page (@buckndusty), page on the London Origin series, page on the community grade finals, DPS about the Bulls, Community news page, BBC London opinion page, seasons results page, previous round from SL report over 4 pages, other SL generic stuff over another 10 pages and not one single "local" advertiser, but plenty from the SL sponsors at the time including Foxy Bingo! Starting to see where that 100k went
Fast forward to today ad the matchday sponsor shows this, which highlights the reality that corporate sponsorship of players is close to zero, the old skool of sponsors is shrinking and that 1 A4 page is at least printed in colour.