![About Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly Magazine](JimmyHillsFootballWeekly.jpg) | About Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly Magazine
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See below for the history of this magazine
Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly
Britains oldest "Glossy" Football Weekly Magazine is Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly. Ran from 27th October 1967 until issue 131 April 24th 1970. Whilst Jimmy had been the first to launch a glossy weekly magazine in Britain, he was ultimately to be beaten by IPC 's Goal magazine.Ultimately he did alright as he became a columnist for Goal in June 1970 a few weeks after his own magazine folded. Every Friday for 1/-
Printed 22 York Street, London, W1 Consultant editor Jimmy Hill Editor Ken Adam
From Season 1968-70 Printed Martec Publishing Group, 61 Berners Street, London Consultant editor Jimmy Hill Editor Jim Clarkson
Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly was the first weekly football magazine in the world, if you define that as a full colour glossy photographic front cover, even if the inside was black and white. Other weekly newspapers such as the Soccer Star had been running before this time but only with spot colour on the front page. Goal magazine joined the competition 2 years later in 1969.
In 1961 Jimmy Hill led the Players Union in its successful struggle to remove the £20.00 maximum wage. Between 1961 and 1966, as manager, he took Coventry City from the Third to the 1st division (now the Premier League). After finishing with football in 1967 he got involved with the launch of Jimmy Hill's Football Weekly. In 1968 he became Head of Sport at London Weekend Television and rose to Deputy Controller of Programmes, before joining the BBC as presenter of "Match of the Day".
The JHFW numbering was a mess -with no numbers originally, then a "Volume 1 Issue Number" system and than a permanent numbering system that started at number 105.
JHFW Recollections by a ex member of staff "I was one of the editorial staff on the magazine and the only female, joining initially as a the secretary. There were five of us getting the mag out every week, hard work but great fun. I ran the competitions, did a crossword and ghosted some articles too - I remember writing the articles on Tony Book http://www.soccerbilia.co.uk/acatalog/JHFW_September_12_1969-_Issue_99.html Joe Kinnear http://www.soccerbilia.co.uk/acatalog/JHFW_June_20_1969-_Issue_87.html and Mike England. http://www.soccerbilia.co.uk/acatalog/JHFW_January_31_1969-_Issue_67.html
I may have done more, can't remember as it was a long time ago! I knew Joe and Mike, being a lifelong Spurs supporter. I knew Joe Kinnear and Mike England at the time so it was easy getting their articles; the one on Joe mentioned his mum who was blind and had encouraged him in his football career. I went to Burnley (to see Spurs play away) and interviewed Jimmy Adamson in the office there - such a genuine, pleasant and dedicated man. Spoke to him about a possible future in management. I grabbed the opportunity to ghost articles when I was alone in the office and Tony Book (Man City) rang to arrange to give his article. I interviewed him myself over the phone and when my boss got back, he read my article and accepted it, without any alterations, for publication, which was great for me. It was sad when the magazine was bought out and was no more - but a fun time and a job I really enjoyed while it lasted. The magazine folded when a large publishing group bought it as part of a portfolio - they went in for glossy, expensive publications and JHFW didn't fit their image (their glossies didn't last). We never heard sight nor sound of Jimmy Hill during all the time I worked there - he simply lent his name to the mag and had no involvement; just another business venture for him I suppose". Carol Davis
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