Fanzines by Jonny O
Lots of my family and friends tell me every Sunday morning that they now buy the Times because of this column. Sales in the South Wales Valleys must have spiked dramatically (yes, yes, we’re all related etc etc). My Mother, as with all mothers, keeps everything I’ver ever done. She even has early copies of the now legendary football Fanzine ‘Dial M for Merthyr’ because I wrote some articles for it. That was over 30 years ago and I often think that the effect of fanzine culture on football during that time cannot be overestimated. You wouldn’t be reading this column if it wasn’t for them. It gave me the idea that maybe I could do something in football. My great friend, Mark Evans, who was the founding editor, is now in charge of International Football at the FAW. When he came up with the idea of starting the fanzine he was on the dole. I was still in college. We came down to two names. Dial M for Merthyr or You Sexy Merthyr F*ckers (Prince was massive at the time. Not in stature but in ...