JUDGING CRITERIA:

Judges were looking for excellence in design, use of imagery, editorial, features, innovation and value for money for match programmes from the 2008/09 season.

SHORTLIST:

Bristol City ('Well Red')
Bristol City continue to produce an exceptional programme with 'Well Red'. After winning in 2008 the judges felt it is undoubtedly a contender for this season's award, highlighting the continual great use of pictures and quirky features. A main feature of the programme is City's use of photography which has developed imaginatively to incorporate different themes such as James Bond and Pop Art, while their innovative OK! Style player wedding special drew real acclaim from the judges. Well Red also includes an eight page section for younger fans and an extended visitors section, making the programme attractive for a whole range of fans. To further involve fans, Well Red includes a 'Face in the Crowd' competition and crowd pictures. The size of the programme is smaller than most with its A5 format, producing a great read that is easy to pocket.

Burnley ('Claret & You')
Burnley's matchday programme 'Claret and You' was regarded by the judges as a top quality product with a design that lifts it above the norm and offering great value for fans. Burnley pride themselves on an entire in-house design and feel that the new look and size of the programme, which is produced on paper with impeccable environmental credentials, provides ease of reading for fans and enables better use of photography. All these aspects give the programme a classy appearance and more of a magazine feel. Aside from design, the content of the programme is of a great standard with exclusive features written by national and local journalists. This new design has truly paid off, making it a worthy contender for the award.Claret & You was a hit with the judging panel but more importantly the fans.

Leicester City ('City')
Leicester refreshed their programme this season with a fresh new 'square' design.This has really appealed to the older supporters, drawing comparisons to the 1976/77 programme design. However, the content has been refreshed to ensure there is something for all generations, including innovative new features such as 'Dreamland', a 'Junior Foxes' supplement, 'A to Z' and '12 Questions' to name but a few. The glossy cover and layout throughout gives the programme a truly distinctive feel, with the judges particularly impressed by its well laid out and interesting features. Overall the "City" programme has been overhauled to an extremely high standard to produce a really fantastic publication.

Preston North End
Preston North End revamped their programme this season to try and boost sales and keep up with the younger generation and have succeeded in great style. A key influence across a range of activity at Preston this season is their significant commitment to the environment and it was decided to incorporate the programme to fit within this theme. One of the effects this had on fans was that the programme dropped from £3 to just £2 making it the cheapest programme in The Football League. The format of the programme was also altered and was researched by using sites such as Facebook to ensure a look that will appeal to all generations. The editing of the programme also changed this season with the whole Club being involved in the design process and a team reading through the programme rather than just a single editor, generating a sense of community as everyone felt involved. Preston North End's conscious effort from the design to the layout has turned it into a unique programme and one which the judges felt they should be incredibly proud of.

Watford ('Official Matchday Magazine')
Watford had a complete overhaul of their 'Official Matchday Magazine' ahead of this season.The result draws heavily upon some stunning photography that matches what the judges felt was a great standard of writing. The programme has an excellent use of colour and a design that flows right through the publication. As well as the use of photography, new this season is an increased fan section entitled 'Carry on Up the Vic' which has developed to a double page spread and an improvement in the facts and statistics offered to supporters, whilst younger fans are offered a new 'Team Hornets' page that has games and puzzles to interact with on matchday. Another attractive element of the programme is the ten page main feature which goes into depth with a selected member of the Hornets' squad, a section that drew particular praise from the judges. An innovative entry, Watford have produced a programme that can rightly claim to be among the best in the country.