Today’s #FanzineoftheDay is issue 48 of Sheffield United’s long running Flashing Blade. 40 pages and only 50p this beautiful thing is from May 1996 with Howard Kendall just arrived to save United from relegation after Blade legend Dave Bassett finally lost his job. Kendall would not only save the Blades from relegation from the 1st division (championship) but would lead them to the play off final the next season, losing to Crystal Palace before he understandably left to take up the Everton job for the 3rd time.

The editorial reveals that DB would have had a job for life if the editor was in charge but he is very happy with the miracle of Howard. There is also the unsurprising news that the John St stand redevelopment has again been delayed (has it been done yet?) and that FB has been sporadically produced because of lack of contributors. As you can see this is a very text heavy fanzine with a lot of great articles, Matthew deserves great credit for producing all this in such circumstances despite his rather eclectic (strange) music recommendations.

Michael Vonk is hailed in many places in the fanzine as being the key Kendall signing and not just because of his football skills. Vonk’s konk is hailed by Kev ‘Corporal Klinger” Titterton and Ray ‘Sheffield’s Second Ski Slope’ Young as it will hopefully lessen the amusement of their ‘artefacts of Roman decent’. There is even a cartoon about rumours of Ian Rush’s arrival to go with this.

Dougie Hodgson would become something of a cult hero at Bramall lane and there is a 6 page spread of an interview with him. Far too much to include here so I’ll just reproduce the story of how he got into football, it is quite incredible. Hodgson played 62 times fro the club and then became reserve team coach before deciding to return to Australia. It’s the sort of story you are unlikely to see much any longer in these days of academies at all levels.

There is the ubiquitous end of season poll to fill in and return but thankfully for you and me the original owner of the zine filled it in but then presumably couldn’t be bothered to post it. There are some interesting bits in there, not interested in a glossy fanzine, no confidence in the board and presumably so mad he can’t remember his name the dirtiest opponent of the season is names as “that cheating Argentinian for Ipswich”. Having checked I’m sure he was talking about Mauricio Taricco who was and still is certainly no stranger to conflict.

Finally there are two items about fanzine creativity. There are appeals to fans to send in stories of travel/supporting the Blades for a book project. I know this did eventually get published in 2000 (PLUS, the imaginatively titled Blades Tales 2 in 2004!) but the only copy I’ve seen available at £25 is beyond my budget. Still, another one to add to the fanzine books list.

More importantly there is confirmation of something I’d heard about but, unsurprisingly, never seen proof of until now. This was the only video fanzine I’ve ever seen word of but at least now I have confirmation that it did exist and the words “Get your camcorder out and start recording” is also proof of the way we used to live. A group of mates just sat around talking about old Sheff U matches….what’s not to love, I need a Greasy Chip Buttie.