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Fanzine show to put spotlight on supporter culture

Leeds Museums and Galleries A picture of librarian Antony Ramm who is holding a fanzine with the words 'Square The Leeds United Football Fanzine'. Mr Ramm is wearing glasses and a blue and white checked shirt with a grey cardigan. In the background there are books on display in a cabinet. Leeds Museums and Galleries
Leeds United fanzine, The Square Ball, has charted the highs and lows of the club since 1989

Fanzines charting the triumphs and tears experienced by football fans in West Yorkshire are being pulled together for an upcoming exhibition.

A match day staple for many supporters, the self-published magazines have long offered an independent and often light-hearted take on the state of their beloved clubs.

At least 17 Leeds United fanzines have followed the club over the years, including The Square Ball, with many of these to feature in the Leeds Central Library display.

Library staff are urging people with unwanted fanzines to donate them so they can be added to the collection for future generations.

Starting in May, the exhibition will explore the impact grassroots self-publishing has had on football fan culture.

A combination of the words 'fan' and 'magazine', the movement can be traced back to the late 19th Century with amateur fiction booklets and science fiction pamphlets.

Leeds Museums and Galleries A picture of librarian Antony Ramm who is looking over dozens of football fanzines spread out on a table. Leeds Museums and Galleries
The exhibition will trace the birth of fanzines in the 1970s right through to modern, multimedia content

Librarian Antony Ramm said the 1970s punk scene led to a surge of fanzine interest as an alternative to mainstream media.

He said the football fanzine movement was considered a response to the shifting culture, politics, and economics of football in the 1980s, with the writers challenging authority.

Mr Ramm said: "One of the things that's really important about fanzines is that they're very much unofficial and are not aligned with the clubs.

"They serves as an independent voice of the fans away from the mainstream media."

Leeds Museums and Galleries A picture of a person holding a fanzine with the words 'TSB The Leeds Football Magazine' on the front. In the background are dozens of other fanzines spread out on a table. Leeds Museums and Galleries
The library says any donated fanzines would help enhance its current collection

As well as featuring many examples of Leeds United fanzines, the exhibition will feature other clubs including Bradford City's City Gent - the longest running printed football fanzine in the country - and Rotherham United's Mi Whippet's Dead.

Mr Ramm said the library was specifically looking for donations of Leeds and Yorkshire-based fanzines, particularly from non-league clubs.

Library staff are also keen to hear from those involved in producing Leeds United fanzines The Hanging Sheep and Till the World Stops.

"Anyone who has fanzines or has experience of writing or contributing to fanzines, we'd love to hear from you."

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