From the publisher:
The book breaks new ground as it digs deep into the rich history of an astonishing era of football programme design, uncovering the stories of their remarkable creators. 1 Shilling features stunning programme designs from more than 40 British Football League clubs. It’s a visual treat transporting us back to a time when a new generation of designers had burst on the scene fresh out of art school, and off the football terraces. They wielded a new visual language – creating covers and layouts which rebelled against club's chairmen, utilising typefaces sampled from the album sleeves of their favourite bands.
1 Shilling has tracked down these long-forgotten innovators, so for the first time we hear their story, both in their own words and through interviews with their families and colleagues. It’s a tale of passionate football fans designing for fellow supporters, but unlike the fashion or music industries, the names behind the artworks for the trusty, pocket-money priced, football programme were often uncredited or ignored. Until now.
The award-winning graphic designer Craig Oldham sets the scene with his passionate introduction. Spread across 200 pages, 100 images and 11 chapters, 1 Shilling takes you on a nostalgic journey into the archives of football programme design. We champion these unheralded artists, finally cementing their deserved place in design history.
At its heart, 1/- is a deep exploration of the work of master creator John Elvin, a designer who broke all the rules. Ignoring the conventions of the day, he chopped up photos, massacred the formal code of lay-outs and blew-up typefaces beyond the imaginable. The book is dedicated to his unique vision.
Other key creators include: Midlands-born Graham Griffiths who designed programmes for several First Division clubs (in the same season), while high as a kite on a combo of lighter fuel and magic markers. John Elvin’s protégé, Bernard Gallagher from Birmingham, a prolific powerhouse of dynamic design in the Midlands. Donald Addison, an art school teacher from Aberdeen who conjured-up fantastical images for a few shillings’ worth of beer money.
In a collection of essays, 1 Shilling explores the wider cultural, economic and political backstory of British football over a transformative two decades from the mid-1960s. The book gets to the core of the ritual which saw fans buying programmes that were read at the match, in the pub, at home - and often treasured for years and years.
Our objective is that a significant donation from the proceeds of the book will be made to the Huntington's Disease Association (HDA), a national charity supporting anyone who is affected by Huntington’s Disease. It was Huntington’s Disease that claimed the life of pioneer programme designer John Elvin at the age of just 53.
The authors:
Separated by 30 years of age, and lifelong supporters of clubs 100 miles apart,
Matthew Caldwell and Alan Dein nevertheless share one passion: football
programmes.
---