Liverpool Football Club is hoping to boost the circulation of its official magazine by making it available throughout the UK.
The club’s weekly LFC magazine has until now only been available to fans via subscriptions, in Merseyside stores and selected parts of the UK and Ireland, but publisher Trinity Mirror is hoping to widen its reach by selling it on news-stands nationwide.
The editorial content has been given a complete redesign by former Liverpool Echo designer Steve Hanrahan. New features include Married to the Reds, where fans talk about the moment they first became attached to the club, the moment they “fell out” with the club and their favourite anniversaries.
Former Liverpool Echo journalist Ric George has been signed up as chief football writer, alongside former Daily Record reporter Gavin Kirk and Alan Jewell and Chris McLoughlin, also exLiverpool Echo writers.
Executive editor Ken Rogers of Trinity Mirror’s sport media magazine unit said that when the idea of an official weekly club magazine was first mooted in August 2002, people “seriously questioned” the availability of content. But he said Liverpool FC had a “universal pull” like that of Manchester United, with fans across the country supporting it.
The revamped issue will go on sale in a polybagged format this week, featuring a giant double-sided Euro 2004 wallchart.
A free matchday programme from the 2003/04 season is planned for next week.
By Ruth Addicott
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