This weeks fanzine is another that called itself a magazine but it’s content, being printed independently and focussing on Scottish Junior football it’s hard not to consider it a niche, devoted fanzine entity.

We join The Game at issue 4 in September 1993 the editorial and accompanying Op-ed outline their goals and the reason for their presence, not least of which is the “continued absence of general media interest.” They are filling a gap and trying to bring Junior football back into the light as mainstream newspapers began their relentless march to commoditization and narrow focus on only the Old Firm to sell papers.

There is real fire and polemic in the editorial calling “Shamateurs” the “greatest cancer in the game” I started counting which of clubs that Smith’s and MS Racing were offering odds on are still around but stopped when I got to 10 of the 24 having now gone, as are both of the ad sponsors.

We then get to the meat and bones of the fanzine with a great little pun headed story about “The ‘Pace Maker” and the the seven McNabs. This is not a remake of John Sturges classic western, but about the seven members of the McNab family who have played for Dunipace Juniors including patriarch Bert, the most honoured and decorated player in Junior football who has been involved for 56 years. If this fantastic picture isn’t enough then wait till you read about his mum burning his boots and the scrubbing brush replacing the need for a magic sponge on gravel pitches.

There is a quite sensational picture of the proprietor of Go Klass sports and a mannequin which I hope is on a stand because otherwise Ray is very small. This picture is further enhanced by the ridiculous pose and wig on the mannequin and the fire extinguisher in the background. I have to add that the Go-Klass offer is supremely generous and still to be applauded even 33 years on.

There are pages and pages of match reports and tables amd even better lists of the team line ups for 1993/94 with players re-signed or newly signed along with the great designation “Open to Transfer” also included. Never mid tapping up, the lads who want to move get a free ad in the zine

There is the news that Deveronside have won the first silverware of the season already despite losing “keeper Mike Munro with a suspected broken leg” DURING THE PRE-MATCH WARM UP. What the HELL did that warm up consist of? I’m pleased to report that both clubs still operate in the Scottish Junior League system way up in Banff and Nairn

The back page cover is covered in ads which are from the previously mentioned “Football Kit Makers of Scotland” Go-Klass. I checked and unfortunately they dissapeared from view in 1998. The other ads for first score cards and bingo books are a reminder of just how many different schemes junior clubs have and had to employ to bring fund in. First score cards were always a fave of mine and the bingo books can slso be supplied with cloakroom tickets. Why the hell you would want to leave your coat at a game in Banff except maybe in in September or April is beyond me.

Is it a fanzine…yes. Putting something like this together shows a devotion to supporting amateur football in Scotland above and beyond any reasonable expectation and I’m glad that I can still read the stories of people like Bert McNab and his six hired hands 33 years on. Scottish Junior football fights on despite years of decline and issues. It is magnificent and deserves support. If you want to read more there is a lovely article about it from Nutmeg here. https://www.nutmegmagazine.co.uk/issue-2/why-junior-football-should-never-grow-up/

Stuart Barr and team, we salute you.