The Barmy Article fanzine made history earlier this year when it became the first-ever women’s football fanzine.
The publication is the brainchild of Manchester United fan Andy Slater and provides the club’s supporters with quarterly content on just about everything and anything to do with The Red Devils.
FAWSL Full-Time recently caught up with Andy to find out more about the Barmy Article fanzine.
What can readers expect to find inside in each issue of the Barmy Article fanzine?
The Barmy Article contains a selection of fan opinion pieces and artwork as well as some activities aimed at younger fans. We have a few regular contributors to the fanzine and welcome contributions from any of our fans. Issue 2 saw the beginning of some collectable cut out football cards of various players which will continue with two additional cards per issue going forward. There are also fan profiles, anecdotes in our ‘I was there when…’ feature, a line drawing of a player to colour in, season previews and reviews along with updates from our resident journalism student. The main aim is to showcase any United Women fan and their opinions or creative pursuits.
Are there any special features that fans will enjoy reading?
Issue 2 contains an interview with Michelle Wilcock, who played for United Ladies (as was) from 1997-2004. As well as reflecting on her time at United, she also talks about her career in coaching and her involvement with United’s Football in the Community. She has joined the first team on a United States pre-season tour and has created a football club called Cerebral Palsy United FC, a club that gives people with CP a space to play and develop their football skills. The interview serves as a reminder that the team wasn’t formed in 2018 but reformed, showing that celebrations of our history isn’t (or shouldn’t be) reserved for the men’s team.
Issue 3 will include a piece on the double derby day where the Under-12s RTC played Manchester City away before the team went down to the Leigh Sports Village to watch the first team’s 2-2 draw. Summer (an Under-12s player) and her mum have given us a write up about their day, including match reports. There’ll also be a centre spread piece of art where India-based fan Namrata, who also designs the football cards mentioned above, creates a special feature bringing fans who may not be able to get to Leigh Sports Village together with match-going regulars.
What inspired you to create the first women’s football fanzine?
After 21 years as a season ticket holder at Old Trafford, I always saw fanzines as a part of matchday. The sounds of the sellers shouting “Red News out today” are iconic. I wrote a couple of times for Red News and have always enjoyed reading an independent collection of fans’ views that go beyond the 240-character knee jerk reactions on twitter. There’s a thirst for content in the women’s game, most interaction is online. I have no experience with printing or journalism beyond my two or three articles in Red News but I saw there was a gap and thought if it’s going to be filled, somebody needs to step up. After getting a few other fans with the necessary skills on board, I felt we were ready to give it a go.
In the men’s game, fanzines sometimes shine a more humorous light on the day-to-day life of a football club from a supporter angle. Will the Barmy Article give Manchester United fans a bit of a chuckle?
Issue 1 in particular included some humour. Whenever ideas spring to mind, we’ll definitely be looking to have some fun which extends to anybody who would like to get involved. If there are any cartoonists out there who would like to see some of their work in print, I’d be delighted to have them on board. My favourite moment from Issue 1 was the faux ad about Ed Woodward signing up a protective boot partner due to the constant injuries we were seeing that season. As our audience is a little different to the men’s game, we’ll always be family friendly and any criticism will remain constructive but within those guidelines, we won’t be afraid of saying what we think. The independence that is necessary for a fanzine gives us the freedom to be honest about our team.
As the Barclays FA Women’s Super League grows, do you see the women’s football fanzine becoming commonplace in the game?
I really hope so. I’m proud to have created the first physical fanzine in women’s football but I don’t want to be the only one. It was a somewhat daunting prospect but a very rewarding one too and I’d be delighted to help fans of other clubs who are thinking about creating a fanzine. Match tickets are going digital and aside from matchday programmes, everything seems to be going online. I love providing something physical for fans to take home from the game or to send to fans further afield whose consumption of women’s football might be entirely through a screen.
The Barmy Article fanzine can be bought outside the Leigh Sports Village at most home matches and will also be available at some away games. Alternatively, you can buy online at barmyarticle.bigcartel.com. Each 20-page issue costs £1.50 in person or £2.50 online to cover postage and fees. Follow @sl8r7 on twitter for more details on sales. Issue 3 will be out in November in good time for the Manchester derby in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup.
