Monday 27th July 2020
NO, not goals. Years. And the Graeme in question is Graeme Robertson, who celebrates 30 years as editor of Sons View, Dumbarton FC’s award-winning match day programme this year.
An enlightening (and definitely entertaining!) interview with Graeme was conducted by local journalist Fraser Clarke in the Lennox Herald recently. You can read it in full here.
The man himself tells us: “I picked up the editorship of Sons View almost by accident in 1991. It was definitely a very different beast then, and it’s gone through many colours, shapes and sizes over the years.
“These days, thanks to the wizardry of digital printing, we are fortunate to be able to run a full colour programme and still cover costs on pretty small print runs. But it still matters that people buy it. We depend on our customers!
“Our printers, Curtis, do a fantastic job, of course. So do all the contributors. Some people think that all those articles and photos just happen automatically… but actually there’s a huge amount of work that goes into it, which is pretty amazing for a small club like ours.
“So as well as basking in the undoubted glory of 30 years of folly as editor, I’d like to thank every single one of those whose has slaved over a hot typewriter, camera or laptop for us over the years.
“Many of us believe that the tradition of football programmes is a vital one. They carry the memory of the game into the future in a way that a few digits on a screen can’t capture.
“So my message is: keep on producing, keep on buying and keep on collecting, everyone!”
Planning is now taking place for the next season’s Sons View. However, the conditions under which we’ll be playing raise many questions about how this will be done.
Graeme Robertson remains positive about the challenge. “We’ll find a way,” he says.
Dumbarton FC vice chairman, Colin Hosie, said: “On behalf of the Board and everyone at the Club, I’d like to thank Graeme and all who have worked with him for the countless hours of work they have put in to producing what has become one of the best programmes in Scottish football.
“Long may Sons View continue!”
Simon Barrow