Thetownend.com

Do you remember it?

Did you contribute?

Why did it stop?

Do the chaps (and chapess if i remember) still follow the town?

Discuss.......

Like a lot of other fanzines, it disappeared around the same time that the internet took off.  Fanzines used to be a way for budding writers to let off steam.  From the mid-1990s, there was the STFC e-mail list (anyone else on here remember that?) and then the forums took over.  The hard copy fanzine became redundant, I'd say.

I did contribute once or twice.  And I know the people who used to run it are still following.

Well I don't know about 'the 69er' but I can confirm that the 'Randy Robin' decided to shut it's doors because of the Swindon Town e mail list. That e mail list was awesome, not least because you couldn't do smiley faces.

Ah...the Randy Robin.  Started by a spotty teenager with too much time on his hands, as I recall.  (Smiley thing, smiley thing.)

I remember it - I don't think I ever really "got it" as I was too young but think my dads still got loads with all his programmes might ask him to dig some out

It's a shame fanzines aren't around in the same way, come to think of it.  Footballing satire is great fun.  I was (am) quite gullible and remember getting most of the way through a 'Hello!' style piece interviewing Shaun Taylor at home with his posh Mrs and pony obsessed children (Lucinda and Tristan)...before realising it was a wind up.

i think there could still be a place for a decent fanzine.

I do remember the 69er.  Was a great read.  One thing that sticks in my mind was the poem 'the battle of st andrews' following that incredible 4 - 6 victory (and the rather tetchy birmingham fans response) in our promotion year.

I do miss having something decent and irreverent to read on the terraces.

Bring The Noise anyone?

That piece was written by my friend James' Dad.  Remember it well.


Interesting thought.  The novelty value of having another one after so long could be enough to make it work.  These things usually take off when the club is on something of an upswing...so now might be the right time (if anyone has any time).

     Please could you start a new thread on this Charlotte ?

I was a regular contributor-cartoons and articles to both BTN and the 69er.I am still in contact with Anna who was the ed of 69er,she still is a season ticket holder in the DRS.I have every copy still and the original drawings I submitted.It was an interesting time for the Town and course,plenty to write about.Fanzines however have been somewhat undermined by the internet unfortunately.

Still got some copies in the loft, I keep meaning to bring one along to a match to get an autograph.

I don't think I've even got them myself, and my parents copies got lost in a move years ago. Part of me would like to lay eyes on a few of the old copies, part of me would be mortified by the sight  of them.

I was very young, and though I can credit the e mail list for giving me a cheaper and easier outlet, it's demise did coincide with me and the other contribs discovering friday nights...

I'm due up there soon, i'll dig one out and bring to Exeter or Millwall, although do prompt me nearer the time!

Unfortunately its not really about time, more money than anything. For a club ous size it'd be hard to shift enough to cover costs!

Make it online then, easy

I'm pretty sure there was one called 'Sheep Shagger' which, as far as I am aware came out for only one issue. Oooh, it might be worth some money - I've probably still got it lying around somewhere 8)

I've got a copy of 'Sheep Shagger'. It was mostly taking the piss out of Plymuff after we beat them 3-0 with only 9 men.

I think I've got every copy of the '69er (16 issues?).The Magic Roundabout wasn't bad either, especially issue 2 and the infamous McMuck/Hunt cartoon.

Theres too much written about football now for a fanzine to work.

Back 10 years ago the only real outlet for all your thoughts about football was with your mates/down the pub/in the ground. Nowadays fans talk about football on line in great detail every day.

Yep no internet back in the fanzine days to speak of.

did you draw the McBag cartoons?

Its still going, sort of!

Me too, except the cartoons bit.  And if you did do the cartoons bit, I'm sure I have a great picture of the Wembley 90 McBag flag.  Somewhere.

I've left all my originals with Sonic Youth for safe keeping  ;)

He'll have used them for extra long rollies.

I remember a feature once describing Jason Drysdale as "genuinely no-footed".  So true.

I used to help Anna & Craig sell the 69er and lots of fun doing that but probably heard enough 69er jokes to last a lifetime especially the tight gits who said 'I don't need to buy a 69er as I got on last night off the Mrs'

69er ran over 30 issues from January 1993 to November 1998. Now I am a statto, but I should know. 

Wish I could scan in cartoon from last issue on Ricky Hunt - quite topical now eh?
Went something along the lines of 'I'm a lovable Scouser who has the fans' best interests at heart'. As if.

Still always thought Bring the Noise was the best though.

Yup, back when they were a novelty and just about the only alternative to anything official. I've got most of them stashed away somewhere.

I only sent in one contribution I think. Someone I know borrowed that issue, then after a while said he couldn't find it, and I've never seen my 'journalistic debut' since. If you're reading this, you know who you are.

Well I thought about restarting the 69er a few times over the years, it was great fun - long time ago now.

Had to look out a few issues last night after reading this.   Some great budding journalists - at least one contributor even turned into a proper one.  And we had some laughs.

There was more than one article on Jason Drysdale I think, but I had loads of other favourite pieces.  Most of the stuff slagging off McMahon was great, he was the reason I stopped in the end.

There is always room for satire, but there's a lot of that on this site already.

 

The only problem is that things are going too well. There's only so many times you can run a "Pin the Hamstrings on Alan O'Brien" Competition.

On the last fanzine 'Vintage Red', which was done around the time of the Orange campaign, there was some good articles on 'How to make a Finance Director' and some good spoof of the Iraqi Information Officer.

Might be worth someone scanning all the old fanzines and putting them online.

I'd help with the scanning but I ain't got any of them to scan.

I'd like to read some of them as well.  From the few issues i remeber reading some of it was funny as fuck

I remember those, I think the Magic Roundabout was one of the best with the pictures of McMahon on Hunt and the furore that this caused at the time, very funny.

I only ever bought one copy, from Sept '97. I've scanned the first 5 pages in:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29285853/69er

I did a couple of cartoons - one of John Gittens i was proud of....he was as hard as fuck that bloke!

"TIMMMMMMEEEEE!"

Really enjoyed the 69er from the mid-90s when I started going, I've still got a stash of them hanging around somewhere.

To be able to keep a fanzine running these days you need a huge fanbase really, for instance Red Issue at Man United which is a very professional effort, and I'm sure the Glasgow clubs will still have at least one each(I think Follow Follow had a readership of about 10,000 at one point).

Reading that sums up the McMahon era and very perceptive in hindsight, get some players in and they play well the first half season or so, Thorne, Finney, Hay then there's a fall out with McMahon. Get some new players, play well for a few games and then turn out to be dross and McMahon decides to get rid and get some more dross in

there are some excellent fanzines out there. Used to read the united ones when I worked for them, very good.

Used to love the 69er!

Loved the 69er....happy days reading it on the Shrivenham Road....the best cartoon had to be one about a copper..PW Wank I think he was called who ended up being an Oxford supporter...PMSL :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

I did write some stuff for the 69'er - I can't remember exactly what it was. But it wasn't that good.

I dunno - I consider anyone who contributed to be worth reading.

I'll scan in some of the good 69er stuff in and post the link.  Will take me a while though, scanner not working.

Now I am making name connections - got Oaksey Moonraker, not sure about Mr Flash or others - but my memory is shot to pieces - 69er days seem like another lifetime.  :)

John Ladd in his football ground guide recommended the '69er as a good read

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Football-Grounds-1998-season/dp/0711026017/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1270227091&sr=8-1-fkmr2

He also had quite a few uncomplimentary things to say about Oxford. So he's a good chap really

Good Ladd

Swear i saw the lady who helped run this (Anna?) at Colchester.

yes she was there.

Hi everyone,
I'm doing some research and looking for copies of old Town fanzines, and contacts for anyone still around who previously ran one in Swindon - 69er is the title I remember reading in the 90s, but I'd really like to talk to anyone who was involved in any of them.
Please DM me if you can help, would be really useful.

Didnt she used to post on here? Crystall tips?

Yes, that is her.

Think she's in Twitter under the same handle?

I've tagged her, not in a house arrest way!

the magic roundabout bods are still around these parts affect they #runtandmcmiuck

She can often be seen on the Monday night panel thing. Still a regular

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374997070927?hash=item574f91344f:g:JC4AAOSwL2hlL9kV&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0OPfJCmpvLi8z1HykLwORbXUvFtzFA%2FJE97ciOf8yWBXZUNqAuIHa1W83PksQPNjJxxzCnZ7zbPYCSs0LuZJPVYBtRqai3B2QEwde%2BtYtBb7iUkIIBOWcdzFiyYIQZIZXIG1rkDUKjuAKZ5pWR%2FNrSRqoTXXTxbxpww%2BTPHFA6apqtmu5Ylj1WpJgUe7BOwR73RqBwKOB6kJTYYe%2BV47IY91CCel1adMZ%2FI3TGCKoNR%2FPFSgewSZOseh4yMuRNs0SqcKCeUMcq04Sw3uwguncR4%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR57x-6vuYg

There's 12 copies of Bring the Noise for sale on E-bay at the moment.