Farewell, Tradition? Sunderland’s Iconic Matchday Programme Faces a Shocking Twist!

I’ll admit it — I might be a bit old-school, maybe even a touch of a sports literature nerd, but I’ve always had a soft spot for collecting matchday programmes. It’s a habit that’s stuck with me through the years, one that my friends love to tease me about. No matter what event we attend, they’re always surprised if I don’t come away with a programme in hand. To them, it’s almost a sign that something might be wrong with me!

Part of it is probably tradition. There’s something comforting about having a physical keepsake from the game, a way of marking the occasion. It’s something I’ve done since I was a kid — sitting in the stands at halftime, Irn Bru in hand, poring over stats and player info. It’s one of those little rituals that made matchday feel special.

Now that I’ve moved into my own place, I’ve started to realize just how much space nearly three decades of collected programmes can take up — most of them patiently stored by my mum in her attic all these years. Looking back through them, the difference in quality over time is pretty stark. What used to be sixty pages packed with club news, engaging articles, and thoughtful commentary has dwindled into something far less impressive, even as the price has crept upward.

Just this Monday, I flew in for the Blackburn game, and during the wait at Newcastle Airport for my flight back to Dublin, I figured the matchday programme would be the perfect way to pass the time. Sadly, it was a disappointment. I had it read cover to cover in under ten minutes, and the content — while featuring the usual manager and player notes, a column by Nick Barnes, and a somewhat random interview with Jason McAteer — felt thin. Only when I remembered McAteer had played for Blackburn did that inclusion make any sense. Between these brief features, the pages were crammed with advertisements — and more advertisements.

For £4, it felt like a poor return. I knew the quality had dipped over the years, but this experience really drove it home. I get that printing costs are high and adverts help keep things running, but surely there’s more the club could do. Why not include something like an away fan feature, rotating pieces from various fan media platforms, or historical reflections like the ‘On This Day’ stories some of us write in our group? I’m certain many contributors — myself included — would gladly help out to elevate the content.

Having been to several away and Premier League games this season, I can say with confidence that our programme falls short in comparison. I might be in the minority, maybe even fighting a losing battle, but I still take joy in flipping through a matchday programme and would love to get a bit more value for my money. So, here’s to saying goodbye to the programme as I once knew it — and by the way, does anyone want thirty years’ worth of them before my fiancée loses her patience with the collection?