Happy Birthday Red Issue

Happy Birthday and congratulations to Red Issue on reaching the grand old age of 25 years this week. The fanzine, with its older brother Red News and the slightly younger sibling, United We Stand, remain as outstanding examples of United’s rich fanzine culture that once included, amongst others; Shankhill Skinhead, Walking Down The Warwick Road, The K Stand and Red Attitude.

FC United founding member and former IMUSA treasurer John England said “It is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to United fans that three fanzines have such committed editors and contributors to publish such high quality and so frequently over such a long period of time.???

Fanzines and the national manifestation of a fanzine, When Saturday Comes, continue to champion fans’ causes, be a source of humour, pose questions about their club and provide a soap box for fans to express their opinions. FC United’s own Under The Boardwalk and A Fine Lung have been equally important in the development of FC.

While fanzines are not to everybody’s taste with what some consider to be ‘edgy’ content, there is no doubt that they have made an overwhelmingly positive contribution to the expression of fan culture. From them, have evolved organisations such as independent supporters’ associations, the Football Supporters Federation, fan-owned football clubs and Supporters Direct.

Andy Walsh congratulated Red Issue on their 25 years and added, “Red Issue provides an important voice of opposition to the Glazers and without the fanzines and their support, United fans wouldn’t have been able to defeat Murdoch in 98/99.???

Wonder if there will there be a 25th anniversary party?