Here’s a truth that no football writer wants to hear: there is too much football writing. Even considering the huge appetite for football and anything connected with the game, there are more words written about football than can feasibly be read by anything resembling a worthwhile audience. Professionally there isn’t enough money to go around and, for those writers who are happy to write for love not money, there is too much competition for readers.
As a result, the arrival of a new football publication should probably be greeted with mixed emotions. It’s something else to fit in alongside the daily local and national newspaper coverage, fistful of magazines, hundreds of blogs, and thousands of 140-character tweets. But on this occasion you’re going to have to shift some things around, set some time aside, make room for something else to read. Because The Blue & White is really rather good.
Created by Richard and Neil Bellis, The Blue & White is a Chester FC fanzine that also looks at the wider world of football (“and other stuff”). As a fan-owned club formed following the winding up of Chester City last year, Chester FC should be fairly well-known to right-minded football followers. They were promoted in their first season to the Evo-Stik Premier League, where they last week beat another fan-owned club, FC United of Manchester.
The first thing to say about The Blue & White is that it’s a print publication, which is great for those of us who suffer from football blog-related eyestrain. As great as the internet is, nothing beats reading from a nicely produced physical object – something that the excellent The Blizzard has recently ably demonstrated. The Blue & White is a great-looking A5 mag, with high production values, excellently designed by Michael Kinlan.
Secondly, it’s a not for profit venture, with all proceeds going to Chester’s Junior Blues. Everyone’s in this for the love of the game, and that shines through. It only costs a couple of quid, and there’s a lot more worthwhile stuff in here than you’d get in your average matchday programme.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the content is really absorbing. The debut issue includes an authoritative piece on fanzine culture by William Abbs, and nice feature by James Davenport questioning whether a successful manager needs to have had experience as a player.
Naturally, the majority of the content is Chester-focussed, including a 2010/11 review, a flash back to previous promotion games, and look at what Chester fans can expect from this season’s away days. Particularly interesting is Rob Langham‘s piece on Chester’s footballing geography – how can the club grow given its relative proximity to Merseyside and Greater Manchester?
So, despite the huge amount of football writing out there, The Blue & White should be welcomed by football readers and writers. You can buy a copy online at the Blue & White website. Unfortunately the quality is set to dip slightly over forthcoming issues as I’ve agreed to write something for the mag. Try not to let that put you off.
Twitter: @paulbrownUK
Football
Simply Red, U2, Elton John. When footballers have been asked to choose their musical favourites for a national institution they have often embarrassed themselves.
