This week’s programme review comes from Canon League Division 4 and Chesterfield’s encounter with York City at Saltergate.  This 16 page issue cost 40p, but this basic production is rather advert-heavy and “manager’s notes” are conspicuous by their absence.

Page 2 of this programme, launches straight into a news-round feature – we learned about the broken arm that new signing, Steve Waddington, suffered in the Milk Cup first round, first leg match at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough.  The Spirites actually won this game 0-1  to set-up an enticing second leg at the Recreation Ground.  Sadly, there are no action shots or reactions from this impressive cup victory.   

There is a look-back at the opening Saturday of the season from the programme editor – Trevor Denton – when Chesterfield entertained Swindon Town and proved victorious through the only goal of the game.  These 2 victories explain the positivity that runs throughout the programme.  Big things were expected from John Duncan’s team and it will be interesting to see if these aims were met…

It is good to read and recall simpler times when collecting football programmes was a popular hobby amongst supporters.  Potential collectors are offered a bundle of programmes for only 50p while the programmes from away games against Middlesbrough, Crewe and Hartlepool were available for collection from the club shop.

York City were the visitors to Saltergate and their spotlight in this brochure is limited to a single page. There is some interesting information on the page above that shows just how badly football has been mutilated by big business in the pursuing years. The new sponsorship trend had introduced prize money for clubs to aim for throughout the season, this was the beginning of the end of pure sporting ambition.

Canon were offering the staggering sum of £8000 to  the Fourth Division champions, runners-up received £4000 and clubs finishing third or fourth were set to bag £2000 and £1000 respectively. The team who score the most goals in Division Four were in line for a £2000 windfall at the end of the season, while a £250 incentive is on offer for the team that scores the most goals each month.

The final score of this match was 2 – 1 to Chesterfield, thanks to a last-minute strike from John Clayton. The Derbyshire club were two goals closer to a £250 jackpot…