Red Issue

Red Issue was a British football fanzine aimed at supporters of Manchester United. It emerged in the late 1980s, with its first issue published in February 1989, during a period when the club had not won England's top-flight league title since 1967 and Alex Ferguson had yet to deliver a major trophy as manager. Its arrival coincided with the development of a distinctive Manchester United supporter-publishing culture that also included Red News and United We Stand. The publication was issued monthly during the domestic football season and became known for a deliberately satirical editorial voice. Rather than presenting itself as a conventional club publication, Red Issue combined commentary on Manchester United's performances and management with jokes about the club's own players, rival teams and the wider football media. Its regular structure included front-cover editorial comments, transfer and club gossip, opinion columns, reader contributions, historical features and comic strips. Some recurring sections were The Word on the Street, previously titled Backbeat between 1995 and 2005; Life of Smiley; Mr. Spleen; Boylie, associated with Peter Boyle; and View from the Smoke, written by journalist Mick Hume. Rival clubs, particularly Manchester City and Liverpool, were frequent subjects of parody. Red Issue also functioned as a vehicle for supporter activism. It described itself as the “Voice of the fans” and participated in campaigns concerning the ownership and governance of Manchester United. Its supporters contributed to opposition against Rupert Murdoch's proposed BSkyB takeover and later opposed the Glazer family's acquisition of the club. The publication's associated online community promoted the Green & Gold campaign, which used the club's original colours as a symbol of resistance to the Glazer ownership. Red Issue was also connected with the unveiling of a banner at Anfield after Manchester United won a nineteenth English league title, celebrating the club's new record in a deliberately provocative message directed at Liverpool supporters. For much of its print life, Red Issue was reported to be the best-selling matchday fanzine at Old Trafford. It operated alongside a website and an online forum, including the Sanctuary section, which served as a source for some of the publication's gossip and discussion. The website maintained the fanzine's irreverent tone and promoted the print edition. Online activity outlasted the regular print publication: management news updates ceased on 1 December 2007, while a paywalled site continued under the direction of the final editor. The associated Red Issue Twitter account made its final post on 31 July 2021. The print fanzine itself is closed, although its historical importance lies in its combination of supporter journalism, humour, football rivalry and organized fan campaigning.

Red Issue was created in the late 1980s as part of the independent football-fanzine movement surrounding Manchester United. Its first issue appeared in February 1989, when the club was still waiting for a return to the top of English football. Alex Ferguson had not yet won silverware as manager, and Manchester United's eventual 26-year wait for another English top-flight title was still continuing. The publication therefore began in a period when supporter writing, humour and informal matchday publishing offered an alternative to official club communications and mainstream sports journalism. The fanzine was published monthly during the domestic football season. Its editorial identity was based on satire rather than institutional neutrality. It commented on Manchester United's players, managers, performances and transfer activity, while also mocking rivals and football culture more broadly. The front-cover editorial provided reflections on recent events, and recurring sections gave the publication a recognizable format. The Word on the Street, known as Backbeat from 1995 to 2005, collected gossip and rumours associated with club insiders, readers and the Red Issue forum. Life of Smiley offered opinion in a lighter style, while Mr. Spleen supplied a more critical perspective. Peter Boyle contributed the Boylie column, and journalist Mick Hume wrote View from the Smoke. Reader articles, historical pieces and comic strips completed the publication's mixture of commentary and entertainment. Rivalry was central to the fanzine's humour. Manchester City was lampooned through the Bertie Magoo—The Bitter Blue feature, while Liverpool was targeted by the Sticky Fingers comic strip. These features reflected the highly partisan character of football fanzines, but Red Issue also directed criticism toward Manchester United itself. Its jokes about the club's own players and its willingness to challenge the team's conduct helped distinguish it from a purely celebratory supporters' magazine. The publication became more than a source of matchday reading. It presented itself as the “Voice of the fans” and participated in supporter campaigns concerning club ownership. Red Issue contributed to opposition to Rupert Murdoch's attempted BSkyB takeover of Manchester United and later to efforts to resist the Glazer family's takeover. During the Green & Gold protest movement, forum leader Chatmaster was associated with the campaign slogan “Till They Die Or Fold” and the related “Till the club is sold” message. The campaign used Manchester United's historical green and gold colours to express opposition to the Glazer ownership. Red Issue was also associated with a banner displayed at Liverpool's Anfield after Manchester United won its nineteenth English league title. The banner celebrated Manchester United overtaking Liverpool's previous record and used the occasion to taunt the club's rivals. This episode illustrated how the fanzine combined supporter mobilization with the antagonistic humour of football rivalry. The brand developed an online presence alongside the printed publication. Its website promoted the fanzine and linked to an online forum, whose Sanctuary section was among the sources used for discussion and reported information. The online operation retained the print title's satirical approach. Management news updates ended on 1 December 2007, but a paywalled website continued under the direction of the final editor after the print fanzine's closure. The associated Twitter account remained active for a period and posted for the last time on 31 July 2021. The available reference material does not identify the exact date of print closure, the founders, the final editor or a corporate owner. Red Issue is therefore best understood as a defunct print fanzine whose digital community and historical influence continued beyond its regular publication run.

• 2021

  Final recorded Twitter post

  [1]Red Issueen.wikipedia.org

  The Red Issue Twitter account makes its final post on 31 July 2021.

• 2007

  Management news updates end

  [1]Red Issueen.wikipedia.org

  Online news bulletins from Red Issue management stop on 1 December 2007.

• 2005

  The Word on the Street name returns

  [1]Red Issueen.wikipedia.org

  The regular gossip section again uses the title The Word on the Street after the Backbeat period.

• 1995

  Backbeat name introduced for a regular gossip feature

  [1]Red Issueen.wikipedia.org

  The Word on the Street feature is identified as Backbeat from 1995 until 2005.

• 1989

  First issue published

  [1]Red Issueen.wikipedia.org

  Red Issue begins monthly publication for Manchester United supporters in February 1989.

A satirical, independent Manchester United supporters' publication combining match commentary, insider-style gossip, humour, rivalry and fan activism.

• Football supporters' publication · 1989

  Red Issue monthly fanzine

  The core Red Issue product was a monthly publication sold to Manchester United supporters during the domestic football season. It combined match analysis, editorial opinion, transfer and club gossip, historical articles, reader submissions and satirical comic features. Its tone was intentionally partisan and humorous, with criticism directed both at Manchester United and at rival clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool.

• Online supporter community

  Red Issue online forum

  The website operated alongside an online forum that extended discussion beyond the printed fanzine. The forum included the Sanctuary section, which was associated with reader discussion and the collection of gossip used by the publication's regular features. Its online voice retained the satire and supporter-led character of the print edition.

• Digital subscription content

  Red Issue paywalled website

  After management news updates ended and the print publication closed, a paywalled website continued under the direction of the fanzine's final editor. The available source does not provide a confirmed launch or closure date for this digital service.

• 2011Nineteenth league title banner at Anfield

  United Kingdom

  Following Manchester United's nineteenth English league title, Red Issue was behind the unveiling of a banner at Liverpool's Anfield highlighting Manchester United's new record.

  Outcome. The banner served as a public taunt in the Manchester United–Liverpool rivalry.

  Source
• 2010Green & Gold

  United Kingdom

  Red Issue supporters associated with forum leader Chatmaster promoted a Green & Gold campaign using Manchester United's historic colours as a protest symbol against the Glazer ownership. Campaign wording included “Till They Die Or Fold” and “Till the club is sold.”

  Outcome. The campaign became part of the wider supporter protest movement against the club's ownership.

  Source
• Opposition to the proposed BSkyB takeover

  United Kingdom

  Red Issue contributed to supporter efforts opposing Rupert Murdoch's attempted takeover of Manchester United through BSkyB.

  Outcome. The campaign helped form part of wider opposition to the proposed acquisition; the source does not attribute the complete outcome solely to Red Issue.

  Source
• Opposition to the Glazer takeover

  United Kingdom

  Red Issue used its publication and supporter community to participate in attempts to block the Glazer family's takeover of Manchester United.

  Outcome. The takeover proceeded, while opposition continued through later supporter protests.

  Source

1. 1Red Issueen.wikipedia.org