Flashing Blade and Red And White Wizzzards fanzines

[jt64]

Picked up a couple last year in the cricketers, sure he lists an e-mither address. Will look when i get home

 

[LSF]

Same here, I'd like to get a copy.

Sent you and Woodward a pm.

 

[sheepbridge]

Flashing Blade was a good quality fanzine; benefitting from being the only one...

There was also TRAWW for awhile, which was BIFA's fanzine. Must have been around 30 editions of that at least.
It made quite a lot of money for BIFA, selling around 500 copies each time.

This was set up with Matt's blessing of course and I don't think it affected his sales as they were timed to appear at different matches.

 

[Russ]

I liked "The Man who refused to shave until Sheffield Wednesday won a cup tie..."

 

[LA Blade]

I have almost a full set until about 2007. I wrote for them regularly for a few years before that. Tried to resubscribe recently but they don't take electronic payment and I don't have a cheque book.

He accepts cash which I send him

 

[Woodwaaard]

He accepts cash which I send him

Please tell me that you don't send the cash by post?

 

[Trigger Blade]

Please tell me that you don't send the cash by post?

I reckon a ten pound note's low risk, which would get you a season's issues by post. I seem to manage to bump into Matt at an away game just as my tenner's worth is running out, so I top up in a fairly casual manner.

From memory, FB used to run at a small profit and I think he's using that profit to subsidise current losses and when that money's gone, he'll pack it in. The poor bloke's been doing it for 28 years, probably more than half his lifetime. As others have said, the internet's killed fanzines, as it's killing newspapers. These days, everybody's an expert and will write thousands of words on websites like this and it's a shame they (we, actually, as I used to submit articles for FB and don't any longer) can't be bothered to do something for the fanzine as well.

 

[SHOREHAMST.com]

I'd be interested in helping out if there's any call for graphics/design related stuff... if one of MB's contacts would care to forward this on to him.

 

[originaltrueblade]

Matthew Bell where are you!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I liked "The Man who refused to shave until Sheffield Wednesday won a cup tie..."


View attachment 19918

That's Corky isn't it before the 1993 semi v the pigs.

 

[Deadbat]

I did not think it was still going....so is it essentially mail order from Matt Bell and a few pubs? Where else can you get it?

I used to always buy it and have lots of early issues somewhere. Was a great read but now excellent sites like this and the internet in general kind of make it somewhat pointless as good a job as Mr Bell has done; nearly 30 years - wow!

In a weird way I miss those days...buying the Green Un every Saturday etc

I have not bought an edition for years now....probably since they sold it on the corners of the ground.

I buy the odd programme - even though they are rubbish - but more to keep little un quiet but certainly not every week.

Cannot remember the last time I bought the Sheffield Star. The Telegraph is a decent read and has some alright articles in it and I like Alan Biggs. I would not be surprised if the Star goes or becomes weekly in a few years. Not sure who actually buys it anymore? Did they even sell it on the street. Most of the sports stories are re hashes of what is on the internet or days out of date.

 

[Woodwaaard]

I did not think it was still going....so is it essentially mail order from Matt Bell and a few pubs? Where else can you get it?

Would you consider subscribing if the printed version was available to order online?

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

I reckon a ten pound note's low risk, which would get you a season's issues by post. I seem to manage to bump into Matt at an away game just as my tenner's worth is running out, so I top up in a fairly casual manner.

From memory, FB used to run at a small profit and I think he's using that profit to subsidise current losses and when that money's gone, he'll pack it in. The poor bloke's been doing it for 28 years, probably more than half his lifetime. As others have said, the internet's killed fanzines, as it's killing newspapers. These days, everybody's an expert and will write thousands of words on websites like this and it's a shame they (we, actually, as I used to submit articles for FB and don't any longer) can't be bothered to do something for the fanzine as well.

Not quite, Matt states it in every issue, they do make a loss but it's subsidised by the money leftover from BIFA. Yes, he says once that money's gone FB stops!

As for other United fanzines, there was another in the 11/12 season, from what I can recall they tried to put one out every home game, or it might have been every other home game and sold it around the ground on match day; I remember buying copies on Bramall Lane and Shoreham Street. From memory I think it was called something like "The Red and White Wizard - Unofficial", although I could be wrong with that. I think they did one final issue for the first game of the 12/13 season before calling it a day.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Matthew Bell where are you!

I once talked to Matt about whether he could tap into the messageboards for content and at that point, a good few years ago, he didn't read them. That may have changed in the meantime of course.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Not quite, Matt states it in every issue, they do make a loss but it's subsidised by the money leftover from BIFA. Yes, he says once that money's gone FB stops!

Yes, you're right, I remembered that after my post, and reminisced that I was BIFA member 007

 

[secretchief]

I still have a full set, though I haven't laid eyes on the early editions for years and I hope they are still in Revolution Snrs loft..

I have been informed that they are (Revolution Snr is also Secretchief Snr).

My favourite cover was the 1992 'Woolhouse in AGM Karaoke Sensation' which featured a photo of Paul Woolhouse with a mic singing 'We Ain't Got a Barrel of Money'. In the same issue readers are also gratified by Grant Nuttall's exceptional full back-page cartoon rendition of the glorious 2-0 vs the pigs, complete with a winged (flappy), bow-legged Chris Woods being nutmegged by Deano and Carlton Palmer's 12-feet legs striding into the frame ('Carlton Palmer on a mazy run nowhere').

But having said that, who could forget the incomparable 'Up the Old Jute Mines' cartoon about Reg Brearley's Indian Jute misadventure.

Revolution/secretchief snr goes to every single match but does not have the internet (doesn't want it) and consequently never reads forums. Those with exceptional memories might remember his series 'Ten Best Matches' (FB25), 'Ten Worst Matches (FB26) and 'Ten Best Moments' (FB27), where some of the reminiscences stretch back to 1952 (beating Rotherham 2-0 in front of 25,000 at Millmoor with the ground so full he and other youngsters were lifted onto the pitch to watch from the touchline). He still writes something for every issue of FB and if anyone has the most recent FB155 you can read his most recent contribution 'There Goes Another Season'. He still writes the articles out longhand and posts it to Matthew Bell who types it out for publication in FB.

It's a shame readership is going down. It may seem inevitable, but if people followed up their interest it would surely be a worthwhile effort.

 

[Deleted member 875]

I think it is going the way of a lot of other media, and that is getting squeezed out by the easy access of the Internet. 25 years ago I used to earn the money I spent on watching United by doing paper rounds, the morning papers in the morning, and the Star round in the afternoon. Nowadays everyone who is interested in the news reads it all online. I bet hardly any of the households I used to deliver to, if any at all ever buy any print media nowadays.

Years ago I used to buy the morning paper on my way to work, in my case I always used to read The Times, and the Star on my way home, as well as the football magazines and other magazines, used to be an avid reader of Flashing Blade. Nowadays I still read just as much, it is just everything that I read is online nowadays, and there is so much more to read and I can pick and choose what I want to read.

 

[alcoblade]

A couple of years ago I sold them for a season in the Sheaf and Golden Lion. I think I was off loading 40 an issue and they were going easy enough. I'm sure interest is there from Blades fans to buy FB, it's just a case of getting it out there for folks to buy.

Agreed, I'd always buy one, but I need it "putting in my hand".

UTB

 

[Revolution]

I once talked to Matt about whether he could tap into the messageboards for content and at that point, a good few years ago, he didn't read them. That may have changed in the meantime of course.

He has done this at least once as he lifted my review of "Fit and Proper" from here and used it in FB.

I've sent him stuff that I've posted on here which he's published recently (my long posts about the 1982-3 season and loan deals) and would encourage others who like to write longer stuff to do the same.

 

[S5Blade]

Been an ex-pat I cant get one off him at the games but if there was some sort of mail order (maybe Foxy & Linz could add it to the merchandise section on here and pass the monies / details on to Matt?) then I would have them shipped to my parents and they could post it out here to me. Would be a shame to see it die.

 

[Big Mac]

Didn't know Flashing Blade was still around. Always used to buy it when it was sold outside the ground. Still faithfully buy a programme every match. Miss the Green 'Un but Internet has killed it all. Never buy a paper these days.

 

[Clarkey87]

Well there is a bit of a solution as it seems that people still would want to read this if they could.

Maybe do a printed version (not as many copies to save on money) and an electronic version that is emailed out (or put onto its own password protected area of a website only accessible with a password supplied - once a year - to electronic subscribers)

That way it would reach a wider audience and probably turn a bit of profit. Especially as online overheads are a bit cheaper than offline/printed overheads.

What do people reckon? I'd sign up for that and people get the best of both worlds. Those who are on the internet a lot can get to view it electronically and those who don't use the web often could get the printed version.....

 

[Kenilworth]

I once talked to Matt about whether he could tap into the messageboards for content and at that point, a good few years ago, he didn't read them. That may have changed in the meantime of course.

Ha, proof if anyone needed that a Caxton printing press needs constant attention and leaves little time for browsing forums, like this one

 

[raul]

I'm sure someone will have thought of it first - but it would be nice if all the Pubs who do quite well out of us on Match days would stock some copies. I'd buy it if I saw it and would suggest the increase in circulation will both put it back on an even keel and increase the number of contributors again.

 

[Foxy]

Would you consider subscribing if the printed version was available to order online?

I sent an email to Matt about this some time ago, as well as an online version as Clarkey87 suggests... as we could sort something easily. .. Never got a response so no idea if he'd be open to it.

 

[Woodwaaard]

I sent an email to Matt about this some time ag

You have a PM

 

[Nasik Blade]

You can still buy it at Barncliffe Shops too in Fulwood. They stock about 10-15 copies per edition.

 

[Clarkey87]

I sent an email to Matt about this some time ago, as well as an online version as Clarkey87 suggests... as we could sort something easily. .. Never got a response so no idea if he'd be open to it.

Well if push comes to shove and that idea doesn't get far, how about maybe another alternative which would be our very own S24SU version. The website is already in place, and (I bow to your greater knowledge in relation to websites here) I'm sure a password protected area could be set aside on here with the passwords supplied on subscription to a valid S24SU account if we went down the electronic route. At least there would be contributors here as well as those who could send in submission to be typed up (along with the odd one or two who can draw comical pictures) and money generated helps towards running the website?

 

[jt64]

Think the Fat Cat still has it. Did see it in the newsagents opposite the York as it was then in Broomhill back in my student days, but no idea if they still stock it, or for that matter if it still runs or has been turned into a Greggs/Subway etc