Festive Double Issues

(first published in the double issue match programme for St. Mirren v Rangers, 26^th December 2024 and v Dundee 29^th December 2024)

During the busy festive period, clubs face an intense number of fixtures within a short space of time and programme producers have to finalise content well in advance to meet printers' deadlines. As a result, we now have the "double issue", like the one containing this article.

The flurry of festive fixtures is not a new phenomenon. There was usually a full fixture card on Christmas Day if it fell on a Saturday and matches would invariably take place on New Year's Day and 2^nd January, or the nearest date if one fell on a Sunday. The last two fixtures in Scotland to take place on 25^th December were in 1976, when Clydebank met St. Mirren in a First Division clash at Kilbowie, and Alloa Athletic hosted Cowdenbeath in the Second Division.

The Ne'er Day fixtures were invariably played one at home and one away, however in 1955/56, St. Mirren had two successive home games either side of 1^st January against Airdrieonians and Kilmarnock, and distinct eight-page programmes were produced for both matches.

Double issues began to appear in the 1980s and St. Mirren and Kilmarnock featured in Morton's 1983 New Year offering. In 2000/01, Aberdeen produced a "bumper festive issue" for the fixtures against St. Mirren and Hearts in a larger than normal page format and increased number of pages. However, the attempt spectacularly backfired when bad weather postponed both matches. Normal sized issues were subsequently produced for both rescheduled games later in the New Year.

Saints' first ever double issue was produced in 2005/06 for the First Division matches against Brechin City on 31^st December and Clyde on 2^nd January. Despite covering two fixtures, the programme format remained unchanged and consisted of thirty-two 24cm by 17cm pages, priced at £2.

Manager Gus MacPherson's introduction was constrained by printing deadlines and so he couldn't comment on Saints' goalless draw at Dumfries on Boxing Day, but he did review the 0-0 draw with St. Johnstone at Love Street nine days earlier. A welcome was then extended to the visiting clubs. Previous encounters between Brechin and Saints that season had been tight affairs and although the programme stated that the Glebe Park men were still without a League win, they had actually beaten Clyde on their last outing. Clyde had been quietly going about their business and were settling in the top half of the table, confounding the pundits who had predicted them to be relegation candidates.

"Black and White News" reported that Andy Millen had received a special presentation after the recent match against the Perth Saints to mark his 800^th career appearance in senior football. The Under-19 squad had also won their way through to the quarter finals of the Youth Cup with a Robbie Weir goal over Cowdenbeath in a rare outing for the youths on the Love Street turf.

There followed single pages on each of the opponents, featuring profiles and photos of the men to watch, together with Club statistics.

David Grier's "A View from the North Bank" revisited some of his hopes for 2005 which he had outlined in the first programme of the year, and "Last Time Out" looked back at the Buddies' December matches against Ross County, Dundee and St. Johnstone.

Stewart Kean, who would play an important part in the two forthcoming matches, was the subject of the Centre page photo spread.

Jim Hamilton then provided two single page "Memories" articles, covering past games against each of the New Year opponents, whilst Jim Crawford's "They Wore Both Jerseys" found the ideal candidate in Derek Hyslop, who had played for St. Mirren, Brechin City AND Clyde amongst others.

The statistics page covered appearances, attendances and clean sheets but, strangely, did not include the current league table, which would have shown St. Mirren with a seven-point lead at the top. The Fixtures page included full details for the season up to and including 17^th December, while "Squad Check" listed the players from all three participating Clubs along with the match officials.

As ever, "Marketing Matters", SMiSA news, Player Sponsorship and advertising completed the issue, which can still be readily obtained nowadays for slightly more than cover price.

In the first match against Brechin City, 2,813 spectators saw the visitors take the lead after 25 minutes, but a Charlie Adam goal restored parity before the break. On 58 minutes, Saints went ahead through a Stewart Kean penalty, but Brechin equalised five minutes later. With ten minutes remaining, substitute Mark Corcoran settled the match 3-2 in Saints' favour with virtually his first touch of the ball.

A crowd of 4,338 first-footed Love Street two days later, with Clyde now in second top spot after a Hogmanay win over Queen of the South. Mark Corcoran and another Stewart Kean penalty gave St. Mirren a 2-0 interval lead, and although Tom Brighton pulled one back for the Bully Wee after the restart, it wasn't enough to stop Saints extending their lead at the top.