Nationwide Football Annual
Encyclopedia
The Nationwide Football Annual is a compact football
annual
which primarily covers football
in England
and Scotland
, but also includes some details for football in Wales, Ireland and the rest of Europe.
Since the first issue it has had several different publishers and different titles, appearing originally from 1887-1946 as the Athletic News
Football Annual (initially called the Athletic News Football Supplement and Club Directory, and containing just sixteen pages). This title was subsequently incorporated into the Sunday Chronicle
Football Annual from 1946-1956. For the 70th edition the volume was renamed the Empire News
and Sunday Chronicle Football Annual (1956-1961), which eventually became the News of the World
and Empire News Football Annual (1961-1965); the News of the World Football Annual (1965-2008), and finally the Nationwide Football Annual from 2008 onwards. It is believed to be the world’s oldest football annual and it has sometimes been described by secondhand booksellers on the World Wide Web as “the Wisden of Football”.
For the 125th edition of the annual in 2011-12, now running to over 500 pages, the editor is Stuart Barnes
, who has been in the post since the 2000 issue. Two long-serving previous editors were 'Tityrus' (otherwise J A H Catton, editor of the Athletic News
1900-1924) and Ivan Sharpe
(c1928-1956). Other editors or joint-editors appearing on the front covers or title pages include
David Jack (1956-1958 - he also made later contributions and is not to be confused with the England footballer of the same name); Malcolm Gunn (1958-1966); Frank Butler
(1961-1982); Patrick Collins (1967-1977); Harold Mayes (1978); Charles Sampson (1983-1984); Albert Sewell (1983-1997); Bill Bateson (1985-1994) and Eric Brown (1998-1999).
Until 1980 the volumes generally included short Rugby Union
and Rugby League
sections, which during the 1950s-60s gave them their fuller title of the Empire News and Sunday Chronicle Two-in-One Football Annual (later the News of the World and Empire News Two-in-One Football Annual). They also include final tables from a number of non-league competitions, sometimes with their fixture lists for the coming season.
Early copies are now quite scarce, although the 1895-96 edition of the Athletic News Football Annual was subsequently reprinted. It has incorporated a number of illustrations for many years, and since 1948 these have regularly included team photos of a few of the previous season's most successful sides. Since 1985 the annual has also included very brief obituaries ('The Final Whistle') for selected former players and officials dying within the previous twelve months.
The annual continued to appear during the war years 1940-45 in a much-shortened format, but until the Nationwide Building Society
emerged to provide new sponsorship in 2008 its future publication had reportedly been in some doubt.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
annual
Annual publication
An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. For example, a weekly or monthly publication may produce an Annual featuring similar materials to the regular publication....
which primarily covers football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, but also includes some details for football in Wales, Ireland and the rest of Europe.
Since the first issue it has had several different publishers and different titles, appearing originally from 1887-1946 as the Athletic News
Athletic News
The Athletic News was a Manchester-based newspaper formed in 1875. Its sole purpose was to report sporting news.In 1931 it merged with Sporting Chronicle, part of Bell's Life in London....
Football Annual (initially called the Athletic News Football Supplement and Club Directory, and containing just sixteen pages). This title was subsequently incorporated into the Sunday Chronicle
Sunday Chronicle
The Sunday Chronicle was a newspaper in the United Kingdom.The newspaper was founded in Manchester by Edward Hulton in August 1885. He was known for his sporting coverage, already publishing the Sporting Chronicle, the Daily Dispatch and the Athletic News. The paper initially cost one penny and,...
Football Annual from 1946-1956. For the 70th edition the volume was renamed the Empire News
Empire News
The Empire News was a Sunday newspaper in the United Kingdom.The newspaper was founded in 1884 in Manchester as The Umpire. A penny newspaper, it was the first successful provincial Sunday newspaper in England. Owned by H. S. Jennings, the Umpire was subtitled "A Sporting, Athletic, Theatrical...
and Sunday Chronicle Football Annual (1956-1961), which eventually became the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
and Empire News Football Annual (1961-1965); the News of the World Football Annual (1965-2008), and finally the Nationwide Football Annual from 2008 onwards. It is believed to be the world’s oldest football annual and it has sometimes been described by secondhand booksellers on the World Wide Web as “the Wisden of Football”.
For the 125th edition of the annual in 2011-12, now running to over 500 pages, the editor is Stuart Barnes
Stuart Barnes
Stuart Barnes is a former English rugby union footballer, and now rugby commentator for Sky Sports. Barnes played fly-half for Newport RFC, Bristol, Bath; and represented England and the British Lions at international level.-Biography:Born in Essex, Barnes was educated at Rougemont and Bassaleg...
, who has been in the post since the 2000 issue. Two long-serving previous editors were 'Tityrus' (otherwise J A H Catton, editor of the Athletic News
Athletic News
The Athletic News was a Manchester-based newspaper formed in 1875. Its sole purpose was to report sporting news.In 1931 it merged with Sporting Chronicle, part of Bell's Life in London....
1900-1924) and Ivan Sharpe
Ivan Sharpe
Ivan Gordon Sharpe was an English amateur association football player. Although an amateur himself, he played for several professional clubs, including Watford, Derby County— with whom he won the Football League First Division in 1911–12–and later Leeds United...
(c1928-1956). Other editors or joint-editors appearing on the front covers or title pages include
David Jack (1956-1958 - he also made later contributions and is not to be confused with the England footballer of the same name); Malcolm Gunn (1958-1966); Frank Butler
Frank Butler (British sportswriter)
Frank Butler was a British sportswriter and author. He was one of Fleet Street's best-known and longest-serving sports editors, retiring from that position at the News of the World in 1982, after 22 years' service...
(1961-1982); Patrick Collins (1967-1977); Harold Mayes (1978); Charles Sampson (1983-1984); Albert Sewell (1983-1997); Bill Bateson (1985-1994) and Eric Brown (1998-1999).
Until 1980 the volumes generally included short Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
sections, which during the 1950s-60s gave them their fuller title of the Empire News and Sunday Chronicle Two-in-One Football Annual (later the News of the World and Empire News Two-in-One Football Annual). They also include final tables from a number of non-league competitions, sometimes with their fixture lists for the coming season.
Early copies are now quite scarce, although the 1895-96 edition of the Athletic News Football Annual was subsequently reprinted. It has incorporated a number of illustrations for many years, and since 1948 these have regularly included team photos of a few of the previous season's most successful sides. Since 1985 the annual has also included very brief obituaries ('The Final Whistle') for selected former players and officials dying within the previous twelve months.
The annual continued to appear during the war years 1940-45 in a much-shortened format, but until the Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society is a British building society, and is the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Swindon, England, and maintains significant administration centres in Bournemouth and Northampton...
emerged to provide new sponsorship in 2008 its future publication had reportedly been in some doubt.