1 Shilling: The football programme design revolution of 1965-85

Hello! 

This post of 'After You've Gone' is a tie-in with KICKSTARTER for a book that I've been working on with graphic designer Matt Caldwell:

1 Shilling: The football programme design revolution of 1965-85

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1shilling/1-shilling-the-book

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. It features stunning cover designs from more than 40 British Football League clubs - 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... 

A selection of spreads from the book.

1 Shilling has tracked down these long-forgotten paradigm shifters, 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. 1 Shilling champions these unheralded artists, finally cementing their deserved place in design history.

Cover and spine view of the book.

Spread across 200 pages, 20,000 words, 100 images and 11 chapters, 1 Shilling takes you on a nostalgic journey into the archives of football programme design. At its heart, the book 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.

Limited Edition A2 Poster - Coventry City vs Bayern Munich, 1970 (designed by the late John Elvin, and signed by his son). Included in selected pledges.

We meet a geezer from West Bromwich called Graham 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. Then there’s John Elvin’s protégé, Bernard from Birmingham, a prolific powerhouse of dynamic design in the Midlands. And also Don, 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.

1 Shilling postcards - one design included with every pledge.

Our objective  is that following printing and distribution, a significant donation 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.

Huntington’s is not something you can catch: it is inherited. Every child conceived naturally to a parent who carries the Huntington’s gene has a 50% chance of inheriting it. You can live with the faulty gene for years without symptoms, but eventually it will impact on your life, manifesting as changes with movement, learning, thinking and emotions. Once symptoms begin, the disease will always progress: there is currently NO cure.

As an organisation boasting many committed football fans, the HDA were intrigued to hear about the 1Shilling project and the story John Elvin, especially when they learnt how Huntington’s Disease took the life of John at a young age.

All profits from this project go to the Huntington's Disease Association.

The funding that we generate through this Kickstarter will be for the printing and distribution of the book. All profits will be donated to the Huntington's Disease Association.

We have already factored in a budget that will enable us to print 500 copies, although we’d love to raise enough to print a few more, so reducing the unit price for printing - and maximising the surplus which will all go to charity.

Remaining copies will be sold & distributed through online and physical retailers.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!