looked to bring new and innovative ideas to the matchday programme for your club
However, we want to hear your views about what you would like to see in your programme.
If you are a regular programme buyer, what do you like?
Is there something that used to be in the programme that you would like to see return?
Have you seen something in other publications that you think would work well for your club
What puts you off purchasing a copy
do you have any suggestions ?

Suggestions include a 'scrum down' page with a local hottie in a red vee bra answering real dumb questions about life, like what is their favourite colour.

Another very useful feature would be a 15 page human anatomy facts and figures section so we can learn why Gary Wheeler is out this week.

Nah, it should be more like the Sun, with high brow comments on politics and philosophy attributed to them.

They shouldn't but they always make me chuckle

I think what puts me off buying the programme is that it's fairly standard programme stuff i.e. word for the chairman, coach, captain, opposition profiles and a couple of columns regaling past heroics or such. Don't get me wrong in that the chairman columns etc can be pretty interesting but two to four decent pages for £3 is a bit of a rip-off.

Have more interviews with fans and the people behind the scenes to give us an insight into different things. The youth sections are usually interesting but don't really read that way. Jazz it up perhaps with interviews with some of the up and comers too. Make the interview questions exciting though (I know they've gotten a lot better with this since Mike's been on board) or have a good interviewer so we don't get the same anodyne Q&A that never really anything. Yes let's hear about which players think this and that about their opponents.

At the moment I guess it's hard to make it interesting especially via the internet. Perhaps invite a few people in for a brain storming session? There must be a few people on here and RedVee that have put similar projects together (e.g. communications managers) that would have ideas worth listening to.

Sad lads comment isnt as daft as it may sound, sex does after all sell.

However bearing in mind that programmes are also read by children we cant make things too avante garde.

I suspect that the majority of programmes are bought by men, so there is therefore a female market that is waiting to be tapped into.

Having a player "Pin up of the Match could be an idea. Not the usual match photo, but something a bit different that the ladies would like. Make it be collectable by turning it into a Calender for the following year. So January 2013 could be Ade Gardner, February Jon Wilkin etc etc.

We could have a small section entitled "Player Tweet" in which a player sounds off about something not RL related that they feel strongly about, It could be something humorous as well. Keep it short and to the point, to link it with the current Twitter Zeitgeist.

Stat attack. Some of us love our stats. See if its possible to print individual player Opta stats for Saints players on a match by match basis. The stats that the RFL show on their website. I appreciate that Opta may charge for this service which may make it uneconomic.

Coaching talk. A page or two on basic match tactics. Many RL fans are completely oblivious about what goes on in a modern RL game and think its just about chucking a ball wide or hoofing it down the field. Royce or Keiron Purtill could give us an insight into the world of the modern tactically minded game. For example common types of defence structures and why a team would use that structure, different types of kicks and the aim of those kicks.
I would add that i wouldnt expect Royce to reveal any Saints trade secrets or for that matter reveal precisely what we know about an opposition team.
Included in this would be how the game as evolved over the years, so he could talk about the modern role of the hooker or the rationale behind the change of the loose forwards job from being a ball handling mobile forward, to that of 3rd prop.

Did you not buy any of the programmes during 2011? I bought them all (first time I'd bought any regular matchday programmes). Here's an example of one, the programme against Wigan in the second playoff.

Jammer was the featured player.
Word from the Chairman
Word from the Coach
Word from the Captain
Two page interview with Jammer
Discussion of the game plus features on two Wigan players under the banner 'keep an eye on ...'
'Come on You Saints' - fan's feature (The Legendary Supporter)
Article about Roby being on the MoS shortlist
Article about the Wall of Legends feature at the new stadium
'Tipster Ste goes up against the Saints' feature
Report on a Saints match of the past
Kiwis and Kangaroos feature
Centrefold (of Jammer on this occasion)
Saints in the Community (two pages)
Boots feature (for children)
A page about the new stadium
'Play off Alarm Bells' - discussion by Mike Critchley of the St Helens Star
'Clubcall - Yea or Nae?' - discussion by Wayne Gardiner of The Press Association
Frontline Team of the Season feature
Articles on the World of Glass Saints exhibition and Megan Armstrong
The Future is Bright - article about St Helens Service Area children
Volunteer Coordinator of the Year article
In the System - round up of the u18 and u20 season
In the System - interview with Marcus Baines, u20s (each programme would have a different u18 or u20 player interviewed)
2011 Superleague Stats
Saints First Team appearance stats 2011
Saints First Team Fixtures and game stats 2011
Squads for the match
Plus adverts of various sizes and styles

70 pages in total

If you didn't read last season's programmes, you missed a treat!

There is going to be a one-off special programme for the Widnes game costing £5 (but for the season the cost will be £3 again).

I'd like to see the era of the 'fanzine' return...

Didn't somebody produce/sell them a while back, called Split, Fish & Curry?

Including things like;

*Interview with a supporter
*Terrace talk
*A supporter's write up from the previous game (like DD's day of the match on redvee)
*Latest Flags/Chants
*Quiz

Made by the fans for the fans.

Not sure the club would be too happy mind...

Taking Chair Makers comments a little further since this seems to be about all programmes and not just Saints. You could get a non current coach to analyse how all of the different teams play, strengths and weaknesses, and prepared moves that they like to use, the work that all SL coaching staff will do.

You can then use these as features for the opposition of the day - giving fans a reason to read the programme prior to kick off and things for them to watch out for. This would be recycleable through all of the teams home programmes but each team would only get this once in each of their home programmes so it wouldnt become boring. You could also keep it updated as the season progresses so come playoff time new content would be available.

You could maybe also highlight an opposition player that had been looked at through the eye of a coach for his own personal traits and moves to watch out for.

I bought it once or twice. I'll buy the first couple of the season to see what they're like then.



I like your other ideas but these two are non-starters for me. Just because sex sells and is used to sell doesn't mean we should be adopting it. I'm a bit tired of it being used to sell everything and I believe our sport can rise above it for a club programme. By all means let players get their m00bs out for testimonials but keep the club programme free from such cheap and tacky interludes.

Good idea.
Perhaps we could show transcripts of saints players intercepted phone voicemail messages like News International?

Imagine rerading what the doctor said to gary wheeler on his voicemail or the voice message sir mac left on the chairman of langtree's phone when roofgate "blew" up?

The possibilities are endless!

There was one many years ago called FMM, can't think who made that though

Much improved and plentiful content last season.

Would like to see:

1. 4 page heritage section - obviously relating in part to opponents of the day

2. Lively Letters to the editor

3. Hard talk article on the state of the game (not necessarily those of the Saints)

4. All things Saints in the Community

5. Stats Attack as outlined by CM