HUGH HUTTON MEDIA DIARIES

Hugh! Thank you so much for your time in doing this short Q&A for our programme feature"MediaDiaries".

Firstly could you give us a rundown of your role at both Swindon Town and Blyth Spartans? How did you get involved with both clubs considering the distance betweenthem?

Alot oftheworkIdowith these clubs is remotely due to work commitments with Sunderland AFC, where I work as a Scoreboard Operator and Broadcast Camera Man for their streaming service SAFCLIVE. But I got my initial role as a Graphic Designer at Blyth Spartans almost a year ago, before getting the role of a programme editorafewmonthsago.

I design every page in the 32page issue of ‘Spartans’ and write content to go inside. I done my first programme the other day against the club I support, Hartlepool United. I was buzzing seeing the response from both the Spartans and Pools supporters, they saidmyprogrammewasgreat.

I also design the match day programme for Northern League Division Two side Newcastle Blue Star. They’re an upcoming football club in the North East looking to follow in the foot steps of National League North club South Shields FC, keep an eyeoutforthem!

With Swindon Town, they had an advert wanting volunteers to join the media team. I thought I would try my luck, and see if I coulddographicdesignwork for the club remotely - with living in the North East. I got straight in and the my loved some of the work I done, which was great for me! My work being posted by a Football League club, especially a massive club like Swindon.

In terms of work load, Swindon is something I can pick and chose when to get involved with, especially with their being three other graphic designers part of the team - it spreads the work load.

However, Blyth is a lot of work load with the programme and graphics, but I’vemanaged to pre-makethe graphics for the media lads to edit themselves so it saves me making a new graphic everyweek.

Blue Star I do a lot of paid work for being a designer for the club where I’ve made banners, menu’s and basically any commercial adverts they needI’vedesigned.

As a fellow programme editor, how do you prepare your content for each matchday?

What makes a good programmetoyou?Anythat have impressed you at this level?

In terms of preparing during the week for a programme, I write everything down so I know which page is going where.

After brainstorming and coming up with ideas I begin to write the content, this being Manager / player notes listening to a couple interviews they’ve done recently, match preview and arranging any interviews I needforsomecontent.

I like to have a lot of the pages already pre-made so it’s only the case of copying and pasting text in and out and replacing images. Unfortunately,a lotofthetimeitisn’t assimpleasthat!

I’m massive on design. So for me, a good programme it has toutiliseasmuchofthespace available as possible. So when I see large gaps in places on the page, it frustrates me a little!

At low league level, a club I previously worked for called Durham Corinthians (now known as Durham FC Corinthians)haveareallygood programme. They play in the Wearside League Premier Division, step 12 of the English Football pyramid. At that level,theclub don’t need to have a programme. The fact they provide one, with the quality of paper they use, it’s easily 2-3 leagues above their own, which is impressive!

As graphic designer for Swindon Town, what has been your favourite graphic to make so far? How long does it take to make each graphic?

My favourite Graphic Design projects so far have been for Swindon Town where I was told Jonny Williams was retiring, they wanted a graphicmadeforthem.

I watch Williams play for Sunderland so this was something I was excited to make. The graphic was well liked by the club and they posted the image with over 100k people seeingmygraphic.

I didn’t send the graphic over that morning because Spartans needed to win by over three goals and even then, other results needed to go their way for any chance of survival… So, I wasn’t in anyrushtosendit!

And of course, as football goes, results went our way! In causal Spartans fashion, the Green and White Army won 5-0 at their home Croft Park.

So, while working the Scoreboard at Sunderland in their massive play-off semi-final first leg match against Luton Town, I had to quickly send overthegraphic!

Sunderland havealwayshad a good programme. But Hartlepool’s a few years ago hadafantasticprogramme!

They won National League programme of the year. I think these two clubs inspired me the most to get into programmes, the whole novelty of a match day programme you just can’t beat!

For the match day experience, programmes are vital in my opinion. Not just a collectors item, but a staple ofthewholematchdayitself.

Another graphic I enjoyed making was for Blyth Spartans, I pre-made a “Staying Up” graphic with a collection of players from the seasoncelebrating.

To top it off, over 500k people viewed the post with Hollywood celebrity and Wrexham AFC owner Ryan Reynolds commenting on the post, RYAN REYNOLDS SEEN MY WORK! I couldn’t believe it. From watching him on the big screen as Deadpool to seeing my work, it’s something I bring up at any chanceIcan!

Which clubs do you use for inspiration for your programmes,andgraphics?

Having a pint or eating some pie and chips while reading through the pages of a programme or trying to keep the programme dry while not trying to crumple the pages up is what made my match day experience growing up andnow!

To be involved in the process of creating the programme and give supports this experience I am grateful and proudof.