The Official Clarets Annual.

[Stevebfc40]

My Mrs always gets me the Clarets annual as a stocking filler for Christmas. I have them all from 2011 to 2023 ( I've looked online and can't find any pre 2011 ? ). The Mrs mentioned she couldn't find them online this year and as i was at the shop last week could i ask.

I asked an assistant who didn't know, he texted his manager ( who was in a meeting ). They replied saying they weren't doing them this year. This really surprised me tbh. They are cracking 'toilet reading' on Christmas morning. I know aimed at younger Clarets with word searches, colouring, spot the difference etc but are well produced with excellent photos and information.

I'm sure this would be the only reading many school-age Clarets did during the Christmas holidays. I'm sure every other Premier league team and many EFL teams produce an annual. I think this is a mistake on the Clubs part. Also don't get me started on the garden gnomes which seem to be heading down the same route

[ClaretTony]

My Mrs always gets me the Clarets annual as a stocking filler for Christmas. I have them all from 2011 to 2023 ( I've looked online and can't find any pre 2011 ? ). The Mrs mentioned she couldn't find them online this year and as i was at the shop last week could i ask.

I asked an assistant who didn't know, he texted his manager ( who was in a meeting ). They replied saying they weren't doing them this year. This really surprised me tbh. They are cracking 'toilet reading' on Christmas morning. I know aimed at younger Clarets with word searches, colouring, spot the difference etc but are well produced with excellent photos and information.

I'm sure this would be the only reading many school-age Clarets did during the Christmas holidays. I'm sure every other Premier league team and many EFL teams produce an annual. I think this is a mistake on the Clubs part. Also don't get me started on the garden gnomes which seem to be heading down the same route

Doesn’t surprise me. Seems to be a major lack of inspiration there.

[Rodleydave]

Fits in with the we don't take on new books any more, club shop approach.
Not stocking the Sold for a Stand book has made Christmas at the Colne bookshop.
Twice sold out there and am taking more on Thursday.

[Rodleydave]

No calendars? Would have thought the annual and the calendar were two of the top Christmas sellers.

[Clovius Boofus]

No calendars? Would have thought the annual and the calendar were two of the top Christmas sellers.

I would as well, especially the calendar.

[Stevebfc40]

No calendars? Would have thought the annual and the calendar were two of the top Christmas sellers.

They did have calendars in the shop but not a massive pile of them.

[Stevebfc40]

Fits in with the we don't take on new books any more, club shop approach.
Not stocking the Sold for a Stand book has made Christmas at the Colne bookshop.
Twice sold out there and am taking more on Thursday.

Maybe next year if still no official Clarets annual someone can produce an unofficial Clarets annual. Available in all good bookstores and rubbish ones to, but NOT at Turf Moor.

[shulgin]

My son used to love the annuals when he was younger. Used to do all the puzzles and fill in the personal info such as fave player. It was a subtle yet closer connection to the club and he was so excited to get one.

[Spike]

This Club just doesn’t want to be liked does it?

[StayingDown4Ever]

This Club just doesn’t want to be liked does it?

Maybe they just didn’t sell enough to make it worthwhile paying to get them made and printed.

[Rowls]

It's a shame if they're not producing them. They were great little Christmas presents.

[claretonthecoast1882]

This Club just doesn’t want to be liked does it?

Yes, you can imagine it is really high up on the list of things to do in the day to day running of the club.

Perhaps they should apologise daily for not being local, maybe even sell Royston Vasey FC scarves

[ClaretTony]

Yes, you can imagine it is really high up on the list of things to do in the day to day running of the club.

Perhaps they should apologise daily for not being local, maybe even sell Royston Vasey FC scarves

That's a ridiculous response

[claretonthecoast1882]

That's a ridiculous response

But the club wanting to be disliked isn't ?

[ClaretTony]

But the club wanting to be disliked isn't ?

As I said, ridiculous post.

[claretonthecoast1882]

As I said, ridiculous post.

[DCWat]

Yes, you can imagine it is really high up on the list of things to do in the day to day running of the club.

Perhaps they should apologise daily for not being local, maybe even sell Royston Vasey FC scarves

How have you reached that conclusion from the posts prior to yours?

Is it small time to be producing items for local fans (who is to say that overseas fans wouldn’t be interested)?

The day to day running of the club includes running a club shop. This is why there are lots of roles at the club and individuals with hugely different remits.

Unless you’re suggesting that the club shop manager is now heavily focussed on the Clarets quest for globalisation!?

I’m all for us growing as a club, but that should not be at the expense of your week in, week out supporter base.

[Nori1958]

Do kids read these type of things nowadays?

Perhaps there just isn't the demand, it really could be that simple

[claretonthecoast1882]

How have you reached that conclusion from the posts prior to yours?

Is it small time to be producing items for local fans (who is to say that overseas fans wouldn’t be interested)?

The day to day running of the club includes running a club shop. This is why there are lots of roles at the club and individuals with hugely different remits.

Unless you’re suggesting that the club shop manager is now heavily focussed on the Clarets quest for globalisation!?

I’m all for us growing as a club, but that should not be at the expense of your week in, week out supporter base.

Perhaps read through spikes history of posting, any chance of a dig at the owners is never missed.

Do you think it is an accurate comment that the club want's to be disliked ?

[DCWat]

Perhaps read through spikes history of posting, any chance of a dig at the owners is never missed.

Do you think it is an accurate comment that the club want's to be disliked ?

I’ve no time, nor inclination to trawl through historical posts to make such an assessment. If context was needed to appreciate the meaning behind your reply, perhaps better to reference it in the first place.

[StayingDown4Ever]

Perhaps read through spikes history of posting, any chance of a dig at the owners is never missed.

Do you think it is an accurate comment that the club want's to be disliked ?

I agree it was a strange comment to make. A lot of people seem to like to bash the club shop.

Take the original post on this thread for example. “They are a cracking ‘toilet read’ on Christmas morning” - I can’t believe what I assume to be a middle aged man is really that bothered he doesn’t have his Burnley Christmas Annual to read while he has his Christmas morning pony.

[burnmark]

I’d have bought one for my girls as I do every year.

Maybe it’s the company who produces them to knock them on the head rather than the club electing not buy them in.

[gawthorpe_view]

I think 'Mission to Burnley' might be part of the reason why an album wasn't produced.
Just a thought.

[IanMcL]

Yes, you can imagine it is really high up on the list of things to do in the day to day running of the club.

Perhaps they should apologise daily for not being local, maybe even sell Royston Vasey FC scarves

They make a big thing about being local and spreading and building the brand, to build the income.

[k90bfc]

It proves the Club seem to have no thoughts about the Loyal fan base,not putting the Past Players portraits back up,outside the surrounding walls of Turf Moor for one example,Disgraceful for taking them down,total disrespect of our past great players,and sorely missed by us all!

[Stevebfc40]

I agree it was a strange comment to make. A lot of people seem to like to bash the club shop.

Take the original post on this thread for example. “They are a cracking ‘toilet read’ on Christmas morning” - I can’t believe what I assume to be a middle aged man is really that bothered he doesn’t have his Burnley Christmas Annual to read while he has his Christmas morning pony.

Although the 'toilet read' was very much tongue in cheek. I do think it's a shame they're not doing an annual this year. Been a staple Christmas read for the last 13 Christmases. I'm sure the same for others to. An easy cheap present for all ages, particularly the young.

I would like to know the reason behind not producing one this year. I doubt very much it would be a loss maker, infact I'm sure it would be one of the top sellers.

[Loyalclaret]

What about the gnome [s] Ste

[Nori1958]

Although the 'toilet read' was very much tongue in cheek. I do think it's a shame they're not doing an annual this year. Been a staple Christmas read for the last 13 Christmases. I'm sure the same for others to. An easy cheap present for all ages, particularly the young.

I would like to know the reason behind not producing one this year. I doubt very much it would be a loss maker, infact I'm sure it would be one of the top sellers.

If it's such a big seller why don't the publishers produce one and sell it elsewhere?

[Loyalclaret]

If it's such a big seller why don't the publishers produce one and sell it elsewhere?

BFC would probably try to sue them

[RammyClaret61]

Regarding calendars. Could never understand why, especially football clubs do a January to January one. By June the last 6 months could be out of date. Players who’ve left pictured. A football fans life runs from July to July, could have the fixtures in, and be a souvenir of the season.

[Nori1958]

BFC would probably try to sue them

Plenty of unofficial books etc for other clubs available, don't see why we would be different, other than like me, they probably think it's not such a money spinner as some might think

[GetIntoEm]

i imagine its a commercial decision, whereas a handful of posters on here say they would like them, they are unlikely to sell loads.

probably a minimum print run required, unlikely to sell them all. be 50p in January like most Annuals on other topics. just not worth it.

[BurnleyFC]

Well that’s one of the lad’s stocking fillers missing, then.

[martin_p]

It proves the Club seem to have no thoughts about the Loyal fan base,not putting the Past Players portraits back up,outside the surrounding walls of Turf Moor for one example,Disgraceful for taking them down,total disrespect of our past great players,and sorely missed by us all!

I’m a ‘loyal fan’ and have never bought, nor ever had the inclination to buy, a club annual. You can guarantee that if enough ‘loyal fans’ were buying them they’d still be producing them.

[Jamesy]

i imagine its a commercial decision, whereas a handful of posters on here say they would like them, they are unlikely to sell loads.

probably a minimum print run required, unlikely to sell them all. be 50p in January like most Annuals on other topics. just not worth it.

It probably is a commercial decision. However, the club shouldn’t be looking to make a profit or maintain a certain margin on absolutely everything.
Traditionally items like annuals and calendars have been produced and on sale around the festive season as stocking fillers. Whether there is a profit on them or not the club shouldn’t lose sight of this.

[GetIntoEm]

It probably is a commercial decision. However, the club shouldn’t be looking to make a profit or maintain a certain margin on absolutely everything.
Traditionally items like annuals and calendars have been produced and on sale around the festive season as stocking fillers. Whether there is a profit on them or not the club shouldn’t lose sight of this.

its a business, like any other business. If i suggested to my boss that we make products that cost us money and be stuck with them in a months time i'd probably be sacked. Tradition or no tradition.

[StayingDown4Ever]

It probably is a commercial decision. However, the club shouldn’t be looking to make a profit or maintain a certain margin on absolutely everything.

They really should on stuff being stocked in a shop.

[jedi_master]

its a business, like any other business. If i suggested to my boss that we make products that cost us money and be stuck with them in a months time i'd probably be sacked. Tradition or no tradition.

I agree in principle, but just look at the numbers from the preceding year and produce a print run of that as a maximum then? Surely the club has telemetry around how many of each unit item they're selling. If you can guarantee that as a minimum you're going to break even, then what's the loss really? Sometimes things that have been done in perpetuity for fans should just continue to happen without having to be a revenue driver (as long as it's not costing the club anything, obviously).

(I hasten to add that I have never bought a 'Clarets Annual' and don't really care, just providing a bit of balance )

[Spike]

Apologies for previous comments
I collect Burnley books and have collected the Annual since 2011.
Just seems another tradition that should have been maintained

[claptrappers_union]

I didn't even know there was an Annual

[MT03ALG]

No calendars left. Girl in shop said they had 5000 but they sold out last weekend. I usually buy a few for my German Clarets - they will have to miss out this year. Last year there were 3 calendars: the usual one, a Vintage Clarets' Calendar and a desk calendar. This year there are none left by the beginning of December. Also no Clarets' Annual in the shop.

[claptrappers_union]

They didn't sell Burney Annuals in Manchester either - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxaYtopoItw