4,000 Holes

There's been lots of fresh activity on the front page over Christmas to keep you entertained in these exciting times, so please have a look if you've not checked in recently: https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles If anyone wants to contribute formal articles in future (anything from match reviews, player ratings, historical stories, etc, etc) then please do get in touch at admin@brfcs.com as we hope to keep developing what BRFCS has to offer in 2022. Any ideas/feedback/suggestions are also very welcome. Thanks!

Very pleased to announce that 4,000 Holes has been shortlisted for the FSA Fanzine of the Year Award. Thanks to all the readers for helping to keep it going by buying it and of course huge credit to the contributors for making it what it is. For more details, please head over to: https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/4000-holes-shortlisted-for-fsa-fanzine-of-the-year-award/107

Issue 102 of 4,000 Holes is out now. This can be purchased for £1.50 on Kidder Street before the forthcoming home matches or ONLINE VIA THIS LINK. UK subscribers should be receiving their copies this week. Thanks!

Also, a review of the programme here: https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/'fever-pitch'-review/75

This would be superb - supporters of all ages still love their shirts and the memories each one brings back. Surely there's a space at Ewood to put it on and it'd prove very popular if it was arranged. If Stockport County can do it...

Quick update on deliveries of the latest issue. 100 copies were posted out on Wednesday and the remaining 80 on Thursday, so everyone on the order list should receive their copy before the match (international deliveries apart). Orders are still being taken via THIS LINK and copies will also be available to buy on Kidder Street from 2pm on Saturday. Thanks!

4,000 Holes will return in 2021/22 with five new issues planned. Since the landmark 100th edition in February 2020, lockdown has prevented any new fanzines to be produced due to the loss of usual sales at the ground. Issue 101 will be released in August on the opening day of the new season when Rovers face Swansea City at Ewood. Subscriptions are available for just £10 which covers Issues 101 to 105 and includes all postage (for UK customers). Previous subscribers who are still due the delayed Issue 101 are able to get a reduction so that they are not paying double for that issue. Please use the following link to order: https://roversfanzine.bigcartel.com/product/4-000-holes-subscriptions-2021-22

2002/03 was the last VHS of the season review collection and in the style of 2001/02. Occasionally they pop up on ebay.

This is from the email sent to subscribers last August: "Quick update about Issue 101 which was originally due out in April but will now roll forward beyond 2019/20. As the last subscription covered five issues up to and including Issue 101, this is confirmation that you will receive it whenever it finally comes out - which will most likely be when supporters are allowed back at matches as normal. The ideal situation is to be able to do a normal print run and still be able to sell the usual number at Ewood so it's a case of being patient at the moment." UPDATE 07/04/21: There was a temptation to do an issue this season but the risk is too great - we normally sell 200+ issues outside the ground so without that guarantee of matchday sales, it probably wouldn't be worthwhile. Also, the last year has created a chance for a break from producing fanzines because a lot of time and effort goes into the whole operation. However, the motivation is still there and it will definitely return - hopefully at the start of 2021/22! Thanks

‘Easy’ – The Mick Heaton Story. On the 25th anniversary of his untimely passing, this is a great tribute by Rob Sawyer (who also wrote the Roy Vernon book ‘Blue Dragon’). https://www.toffeeweb.com/season/19-20/comment/history/39422.html

ANDY MCEVOY!

Thank you, it means a lot. Really proud of this issue. Crossword possibly trickier than normal too - got to give a challenge to those who have crazy encyclopedic knowledge of the most obscure Rovers players out there!?

Haha, thanks very much for buying then! Initials are LB, ZK, JM and GF!

Thanks for ordering from over there! And cheers for the feedback - never sure how easy or hard these quizzes have been - maybe it'll be SLIGHTLY easier next time. We'll see!

Answers on page 46!?

Thank you to everyone who bought a copy of Issue 100 at the match yesterday. Including those posted out, 330 copies have been sold already which is absolutely superb for the first weekend. Feedback always welcomed! More will be available to purchase on Kidder Street before the next couple of home games and they're still online here too.

Oops! Glad to say the play-off final is correctly referenced in our issue...

ISSUE 100! It's only taken us 30 years to get there! We've put together a memorable 48-page special edition which celebrates this significant milestone and it's still just £1.50. To order your copy please visit our ONLINE SHOP, or to purchase through eBay CLICK HERE. Season subscriptions are also STILL AVAILABLE HERE for just £9.00 (includes P&P) which gets you all five issues from 97 to 101. If you prefer grabbing a copy in person, the fanzine will be sold outside Ewood before the forthcoming home games from an hour before kick-off (at the bottom of Kidder Street). Issue 100 includes: Interviews with the creators, All 100 front covers printed and catalogued, LOTS of memories (e.g. 'Flying Over You', 'The Thatchcard' & how we once duped Blackburn Council!), 'I'll Always Be A Rover' (an incredible take on a Billy Joel classic), Colin's Cheeky Bits!, Confessions of a Teenage Mascot, I Support Rovers Because..., From The Terraces, 'Who Were You?' #15 Richard Witschge, 101 Great Rovers Goals #7, Voice From The Valleys, Rovers' Own West Lothian Question, Fantastic Fergie, Just Look At Them Now!, Rovers-themed Crossword…. plus much much more! Thank you and here's to the next 100... maybe!

If you need any more convincing to purchase this excellent book, then there are some great extracts included in Issue 99 of 4,000 Holes as tasters. It's the perfect Christmas combo for your coffee table!?

Thank you to everyone who has purchased Issue 99 so far - a fantastic 260 copies shifted over the first weekend. It's still available to buy via the links above and before the Christmas home matches. Feedback always welcomed too before we gear up for Issue 100!!

Issue 99 is here! For just £1.50, we've got a bumper 40-page fanzine to keep you entertained over the festive period. It includes a concoction not to be found anywhere else, such as a celebration of goals scored AGAINST Rovers, a 1190-word homage to Bengali-Fodé Koita, an examination of cult Rovers stickers, the discovery of a Rovers fan in Zambia and an answer to the VAR offside problem – footballers minus an arm. There’s plenty of other stuff too including: Fan Column Bingo, From The Terraces, The Very Strange Rovers Job Advert, Rhodri the Dragon’s ‘Voice From The Valleys’, Saturday Kitchen Live with Tony Mowbray, Magnificent McEvoy, Tales from the Jack Walker Upper, the ‘Danned’ United XI and the usual Rovers-themed crossword. To order your copy please visit our ONLINE SHOP, or to purchase through eBay CLICK HERE. Postage is just 75p for first class delivery in the UK. Season subscriptions are also STILL AVAILABLE HERE for just £9.00 (includes P&P) which gets you all five issues from 97 to 101. If you prefer grabbing a copy in person, the fanzine will be sold on Kidder Street before the forthcoming home games from an hour before kick-off. Thanks.

Simon is a thoroughly respected commentator on the Rovers from the fanzine's perspective. Massively grateful that he went to the effort of getting quotes from the likes of Terry Gennoe, Mick Rathbone, Mick Speight and other teammates for his wonderful 2000-word tribute to Kevin Stonehouse in Issue 97 earlier this season. This was followed up by another brilliant piece about John Lowey last month.

Great call and possibly a forgotten event by some. From Issue 91 of 4,000 Holes: Rovers 1–1 Man United (May 2011) And so to the Nichtangriffspakt von Ewood – yet another shameful episode during the Steve Kean era which happened blatantly in front of our eyes and the Sky TV cameras as United won a record-equalling 19th league title at Ewood. That it should happen on the most significant date in our modern-day his­tory (14th May) is a further blemish as United were allowed to parade to the title without a single challenge made by Rovers. In the penultimate game of the 2010-11 season, United just needed a draw to seal the title which was achieved courtesy of a Wayne Rooney equalizing penalty in the 73rd minute after Brett Emerton scored the opener. But in the last ten minutes, there was bare­ly an attack or a tackle by either team – in fact for the final six minutes, United had 100% possession and over 150 successive pass­es deep in their own half. Both teams were happy with a point (United to win the league; Rovers to help the relegation struggle), but there was little pride in letting the game fizzle out like this, especially as champions should show why they are champions. The integrity of the game was also at stake as Wigan, Blackpool, Birmingham and Wolves all would have massively benefited from United getting a winner. Equally, Chel­sea were depending on a Rovers goal to keep alive their slim title chances. Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were happy to play passes along the defensive line with Paul Scholes occasionally dropping back to join in with the lackadaisical proceedings, while Rovers’ lone forward Jason Roberts scampered half-heartedly to close each de­fender down in turn – if you can call it “closing down”. Of course, United were under direct in­struction by Sir Alex Ferguson who probably didn’t even need to give his Scottish ally Kean a nod and a wink for him to join in.

Well over 200 copies of the new Issue 98 shifted already this weekend, so thank you very much if you have purchased and had a read - it really is appreciated!! Any feedback is always welcome too. More will be available on Kidder Street for £1.50 before the Forest match on Tuesday. Copies are always available online here too of course.?

Luton and Notts Forest - bottom of Kidder Street at the corner of the small car park Huddersfield - will be at the road side of the club shop. Keep your eyes peeled! Thanks.