The first issue of Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly hit the shelves more than seventy years ago, in September 1951. Buchan, a veteran journalist with the News Chronicle and the BBC, had noticed a gap in the market for a dedicated football magazine—and he was right. The magazine launched with an impressive circulation of 60,000, a figure most modern publications would envy. By 1959, that number had doubled to 120,000; by 1961, it climbed to 130,000; and at its peak in 1967, the magazine was selling a staggering 250,000 copies every month. The "Boys Club", launched as part of the magazine, had 100,000 registered members by 1968.
Buchan himself wrote a regular column from the magazine’s inception until his sudden death in the south of France in June 1960. Remarkably, his final column appeared in the August issue as usual, underscoring how unexpected his passing was. The September 1960 issue devoted two pages to tributes from figures across the football world. The cover and back page are both intact, though the magazine naturally shows its age after more than seventy years. We’ve carefully cleaned away surface marks using our Absorene system, leaving the covers looking as fresh as possible. All pages are present, with no signs of previous owners’ names or any newsagent markings. The staples—while a little dull—are not rusted and still hold the binding firmly. This particular copy would make a strong addition to any collection; it’s unlikely you’ll come across a better example.
