Insight

Programme notes

The 1976 final programme showcases Glasgow from a different era, one our design director Ranald Graham can’t get enough of

Issue 08

There’s a lot to love about this programme, starting with the cover. That brown is straight up 1976; in fact, I’m pretty sure my dad drove a Volvo that shade of brown that year. I wasn’t born then, but I’ve seen the pictures. I get that Saint-Étienne are green, but green on brown?

Then there’s that really splodgy map of Europe in the UEFA logo and two flags, aggressively spiked into Europe like the standards of conquering armies. The headline is awesome: chunky, geometric, fun. The “C” looks like Pacman, which wasn’t released until 1980 – but maybe this was the inspiration.

There’s a lot to love about this programme, starting with the cover. That brown is straight up 1976; in fact, I’m pretty sure my dad drove a Volvo that shade of brown that year. I wasn’t born then, but I’ve seen the pictures. I get that Saint-Étienne are green, but green on brown?

Then there’s that really splodgy map of Europe in the UEFA logo and two flags, aggressively spiked into Europe like the standards of conquering armies. The headline is awesome: chunky, geometric, fun. The “C” looks like Pacman, which wasn’t released until 1980 – but maybe this was the inspiration.

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The really 1970s typeface used for the team names, Cooper Black, is great. It was becoming fashionable again after being used on the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds in 1966 and is used on 70s classics such as The Doors L.A. Woman, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust... and this programme.

Inside it’s a pretty dense read; tiny, justified text and tight leading make it feel more like a textbook. It’s black and white apart from the team line-ups and player profiles pics, which are a rogues’ gallery of French and German hairstyles.

I have a soft spot for this programme as I studied in Glasgow, and the adverts feel very much of the city in the 1970s: a solid mix of engineering conferences, stationers, office furniture, booze and fags. The full-page ad on the back for Caulkers and Welders from Renfrew seems an age away from today’s programmes, with a reference to darts rather than football. It’s Glasgow from a bygone age, as is the whole programme – and that’s what I love about it.

There’s a lot to love about this programme, starting with the cover. That brown is straight up 1976; in fact, I’m pretty sure my dad drove a Volvo that shade of brown that year. I wasn’t born then, but I’ve seen the pictures. I get that Saint-Étienne are green, but green on brown?

Then there’s that really splodgy map of Europe in the UEFA logo and two flags, aggressively spiked into Europe like the standards of conquering armies. The headline is awesome: chunky, geometric, fun. The “C” looks like Pacman, which wasn’t released until 1980 – but maybe this was the inspiration.

Insight

Programme notes

The 1976 final programme showcases Glasgow from a different era, one our design director Ranald Graham can’t get enough of

Text Link

There’s a lot to love about this programme, starting with the cover. That brown is straight up 1976; in fact, I’m pretty sure my dad drove a Volvo that shade of brown that year. I wasn’t born then, but I’ve seen the pictures. I get that Saint-Étienne are green, but green on brown?

Then there’s that really splodgy map of Europe in the UEFA logo and two flags, aggressively spiked into Europe like the standards of conquering armies. The headline is awesome: chunky, geometric, fun. The “C” looks like Pacman, which wasn’t released until 1980 – but maybe this was the inspiration.

There’s a lot to love about this programme, starting with the cover. That brown is straight up 1976; in fact, I’m pretty sure my dad drove a Volvo that shade of brown that year. I wasn’t born then, but I’ve seen the pictures. I get that Saint-Étienne are green, but green on brown?

Then there’s that really splodgy map of Europe in the UEFA logo and two flags, aggressively spiked into Europe like the standards of conquering armies. The headline is awesome: chunky, geometric, fun. The “C” looks like Pacman, which wasn’t released until 1980 – but maybe this was the inspiration.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

The really 1970s typeface used for the team names, Cooper Black, is great. It was becoming fashionable again after being used on the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds in 1966 and is used on 70s classics such as The Doors L.A. Woman, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust... and this programme.

Inside it’s a pretty dense read; tiny, justified text and tight leading make it feel more like a textbook. It’s black and white apart from the team line-ups and player profiles pics, which are a rogues’ gallery of French and German hairstyles.

I have a soft spot for this programme as I studied in Glasgow, and the adverts feel very much of the city in the 1970s: a solid mix of engineering conferences, stationers, office furniture, booze and fags. The full-page ad on the back for Caulkers and Welders from Renfrew seems an age away from today’s programmes, with a reference to darts rather than football. It’s Glasgow from a bygone age, as is the whole programme – and that’s what I love about it.

There’s a lot to love about this programme, starting with the cover. That brown is straight up 1976; in fact, I’m pretty sure my dad drove a Volvo that shade of brown that year. I wasn’t born then, but I’ve seen the pictures. I get that Saint-Étienne are green, but green on brown?

Then there’s that really splodgy map of Europe in the UEFA logo and two flags, aggressively spiked into Europe like the standards of conquering armies. The headline is awesome: chunky, geometric, fun. The “C” looks like Pacman, which wasn’t released until 1980 – but maybe this was the inspiration.

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