Charles Buchan, 1951-60

The original football magazine first appeared in September 1951. The Charles Buchan name was dropped on the twentieth anniversary in 1971.  An ill-fated decision to switch to a pocket format - Football Digest - followed in September 1973. Sales figues plummeted, and along with the restrictions in non essential publishing in the early part of 1974 which led to sister weekly magazine 'Goal' only appearing fortnightly, this was enough to put the magazine out of business, the final issue appearing in June of that year.

Generally regarded as the daddy of modern football magazines, we can offer many early issues from the early 1950's onwards. In this section you will find details of magazines from the initial issue through to the end of 1960.  Initially the only colour in the magazine was on the front cover, but colour "painted" pics began to gradually appear and increase throughout the early years.  Colour centre spreads began in November 1957 (details of the colour content within each magazine is listed against each issue)

UNLESS STATED, MAGAZINES IN THIS SECTION ARE PRICED AS FOLLOWS :

1951 -  as priced.    1952  -  £8 each.    1953  -  £6 each.    1954  -  £5 each. 

1955  -  £4 each.      1956 to 1960  -  £3 each.

1952  

July  -  Eddie Baily.   October  -  Derek Dooley.   November  -  Billy Liddell

1953

February  -  Frank Brennan.    April  -  Nat Lofthouse.   

July  -  Roy Bentley.  September  -  Billy Elliott.

1954

March  - 

April  -  

May  -  

June  -  Albert Quixall/Tom Cheadle/Billy Elliott, Frank Blunstone.

November  -  

1955

May (F) - Jimmy Meadows/Jackie Milburn/Peter Murphy, Len Quested.

June - George Robb & Bert Williams/Geoff Bradford/Jimmy Mullen, Eric Bell. 

July -  Unidentified action/Jimmy Davidson/Derek Hines, Bristol City

September - George Thompson/Lawrie Riley/Derek Hawksworth, Sid Owen. 

November - Ken Taylor/Jack Henderson/Wolves, Doug Cowie, Howard Radford.

December - George Aitken/Tommy Jones/Birmingham, Eric Caldow, Jimmy McIlroy.

1956

March - Ron Baynham/BSA advert/West Brom, Bobby Johnstone, Eddie Turnbull, Harry Troops.

May (F) - Eddie Brown/Bill Spurdle/Charlton, Jackie Wright, Stan Aldous.

June - Jackie Milburn/Billy Liddell/Portsmouth, Peter Broadbent, Eddie McMorran.

July - Don Donovan/Jack Froggatt/Danny Blanchflower, Barrie Meyer, Favourites of Tyneside.

September - Vic Groves/Jimmy Armfield/Ron Clayton, Don Townsend, Alf Bottom.

December - Bert Williams/Bill McAdams/Stuart Leary, Ronnie Waldock, Frank Blunstone.

1957

January  -  Terry Medwin/Alex Scott/George Petherbridge, Brian Jackson, Tommy Northcott.

February  -  George Eastham & Len Shackleton/Alex Parker/Bob McKinlay, Tommy Younger,

Tommy McGhee.

March  -  Trevor Smith & Dennis Wilshaw/Dave Mackay/Eddie Colman, Ron Shiner, Geoff Thomas.

April  -  Jeff Hall/Tommy Taylor/Ian McColl, Jimmy Burkitt,

May (F)  -  Johnny Dixon/Roger Byrne/Bob Anderson, Tommy McDonald, Graham Leggat.

June  -  John Charles/Roy Warhurst/Bill Leivers, Trevor Ford, Doug Winton.

July  -  Frank Griffin/Andy Kerr & Johnny Hubbard/Bobby Charlton, Joe Walton.

September - Peter Farrell/Pat Saward/Dennis Viollet, Tony Marchi, Johnny Bollands.

October - Stan Charlton & Roy Clarke/Billy Whelan/Brian Clough, Harry Gregg, Don Howe

November - Front cover Joe Haverty/Centre Colour Album Aston Villa/Back cover Albert Dunlop /Other Pages Colin Grainger, Ken Thomson.

December  -  Eddie Colman/Newcastle/Noel Kinsey/Peter Taylor, Liverpool.

1958

February  -  Jackie Mudie/West Brom/Ron Stitfall/Bob Stokoe, Stars of Colchester.

April  -  Gerry Summers/Wolves/John Watkins/Willie Fernie, Mel Charles.

June  -  Johnny Haynes/Preston/Dick Beattie/Brian Whitehouse, Harry Leyland.

August  -  Bill Perry/West Ham/Brian Clough/Bobby Mitchell, Wille Gardiner.

September  -  Roy Warhurst/Stoke/Jimmy Scoular/Pat Parker, Stars of Villa.

October - Colin McDonald/Sheff Utd/Jim Murray/Alf Biggs, Tom Finney.

December  -  Bobby Robson/Leeds/Jimmy Millar/Vic Keeble,

1959

January - Tommy Banks/Sheff Wed/Denis Law/Ken Green, Les Shannon.

February  -  Wilf McGuinness/Birmingham/Tommy Docherty/Graham Leggat, Bobby Shearer.

March - Albert Dunlop/Burnley/Len Allchurch/Louis Bimpson, Willie Fernie.

April - Tony Macedo/Norwich/Jack Connor/Dennis Evans, Bill Gray. 

May (F)  - Tom Wilson/Stuart Imlach & Bob Morton/John Groves/Roy McCrohan, Ron Wylie

June - Peter McParland/Wolves/Stan Matthews/Joe Shaw, Phil Woosnam. 

July - Brian Pilkington/Hearts/Graham Shaw/Doug Holden, Dave Mackay.  

September - Derek Hogg/assorted Portrait Gallery/John Atyeo/Stars of Ashton Gate, Grimsby.

October - Nigel Sims/assorted Portrait Gallery/Roy Bailey/Mick Meagan, Bryan Orritt.

November - Len White/Hull/Bert Trautmann/Charlie Hurley, Harry Davis. 

December - George Showell/Arsenal/Joe Walton/Man City, Jimmy Millar, Jack Burkitt.

1960

February - Gerry Hitchens/England/Dick Keith/Malcolm Norman, Tommy Bryceland,

March - Ron Springett/Nott'm Forest/Derek Reeves/Alex Scott, Fulham.

April  -  Warren Bradley/Personality Parade/Willie Cunnigham/Frank Haffey, Jimmy Harris

May (F) - Ron Flowers/Peter Broadbent & Peter Dobing/Harry Leyland/Bobby Thomson, Alan Finney.   June - Tom Finney/Bobby Craig & Jimmy McIlroy/Ken Leek/John Neal, Bert Peacock. 

July - Alan Hodgkinson/Fred Else & Maurice Setters/Jimmy Adamson/Gordon Wills, Dennis Uphill.

September - Bill Slater/Burnley/1960-61 Gift Book ad/John McTavish, Alec Jackson. 

December -  Danny Blanchflower & Dennis Viollet/Sheff Wed/Jummy Armfield/Stars of Southampton, James Fleming.

This page last updated   -   10/1/23.